Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Behind the Scenes with DCFH: Season's Greetings!


DCFH goes bowling in family costumes.


Season’s Greetings fellow DCFH friends, family, fans and random Internet browsers,

Long time, no blog! It’s been quite some time since my last post; I know you all have been anxiously awaiting my next one. I have a lot to cover, the ups, the downs, and the in-between. Overall, as clichĂ© as this sounds, our final record does not reflect the hard work, long hours of difficult practice and passion that EVERY member of our DCFH family, including our coaches and trainer (HI PAM), displayed throughout the season. In the long run, our mediocre record is just a number that will be long forgotten in the coming months and is not something to dwell on because it has served a much higher purpose. Honestly, I had to look it up on our website because I didn’t know it. The six wins were hard-fought battles and total TEAM victories. The subsequent losses served as much more than another number on the right side of the record dash, but as opportunities to learn and grow as a unit.

Despite the rollercoaster record, this season included typical DCFH shenanigans. During preseason the team divided up into our families*, dressed up as a fellow celebrity family and hit the bowling lanes. Yes, we got bumpers. The Kardashians, the royal family, Family Guy, the Osbournes and the Turner family (yes, Coach Ginny & husband Rhett) were all represented at the bowling alley that fine evening. A side note, senior captain Brooke makes a phenomenal Ozzy Osbourne and I apparently look a lot like Chris Griffin from family guy, yes, he is a boy.
           
DCFH also continues to uphold the Halloween practice tradition.* The senior class dressed up as characters from Harry Potter: Harry, Hermione, Ron and Voldemort. The juniors portrayed “Despicable Me” characters while the sophomores rolled in as Mario Cart drivers. Finally, the freshmen were the “Pitch Perfect” Barden Bellas and the coaches chopped their way into being sushi. After the skits some of us tried to practice in our costumes but soon realized it is way easier to sprint not wearing an itchy wig and/or fake mustache. 

After our conference tournament during the first weekend of November, we have been given time to rest, recover and for some of us, rehab. We have continued to lift with our strength trainers, Sarah and Rowan, twice a week in preparation for our spring season and ultimately, our exciting transition to the A-10 conference next fall. I won’t lie, I am somber to leave to NorPac conference simply because we have had great success over the past years. I also will miss playing my sister at App State two times a season; for this reason, my parents are grateful for our move as it alleviates stress on them because they never know who to cheer for, I think the answer is quite obvious. This bittersweet transition is also extremely exciting for us as players and our program as a whole. This historically more-difficult conference will help enhance our program and take it to a whole new level.

This brings me to my next point, I love when my transitions work nicely, spring season. To prepare for our tough fall 2014 schedule, our coaches, alongside our strength trainers, are ready to kick our butts into the best shape possible. While spring season is not our main season, this is a time for players to refine skills, develop new ones and get extra touches on the hockey pitch. We still practice five-times a week and will be lifting three times during the week as well. As a reward for the hard work during this challenging “off-season,” we typically attend a few spring tournaments in the area.

Where in the world is DCFH?
Starting this winter break, members of DCFH will not only be Davidson students, but also world travelers. Sophomore Danielle King, “D”, will be headed to Ateiku, Ghana during holiday break to volunteer in a local hospital and work with kids in a nearby school. Prior to trekking to Ghana, D will embark on a European adventure traveling to Paris and Madrid. For the spring semester, junior Kaity Anstrom will be sailing to Turks and Caicos to study marine life and animals. I actually just googled “Where is Turks and Caicos?” and discovered it is near the Bahamas. Be on the lookout for pictures of her catching snakes and other reptiles, she has a tendency to do that as a dedicated volunteer at the Davidson Herpetology lab. I will also be abroad for the spring semester. I am headed to Buenos Aires, Argentina to study social movements and human rights in the region. While Kaity and I are both extremely excited to study abroad, it is very weird to think of being away from our teammates and sisters for an entire semester. Studying abroad is something I have wanted to do since about the fourth grade and one of the reasons I chose Davidson along with the field hockey program. Ginny is very accommodating to those who choose to study abroad which is sometimes unusual to see in a DI hockey program. In Latin America their semesters don’t start until late February, so I will have some quality family time in the DYT (Dayton, Ohio baby).

Overall, this fall has flown by, how is it December? Soon we will receive the best gift of all, our winter workout packets! In all seriousness, Ginny does a phenomenal job of giving us workouts and exercises that are different each day as well as challenging. I am not sure if I will be “blogging from Buenos” (that’s not a bad title for a blog, eh?) or if someone else will be temporarily taking my spot as DCFH blog extraordinaire, I am not ready to hand over the torch completely. Regardless, be sure to check back in a few months to catch up with your favorite field hockey team. I’m sure I will be receiving an email from my father letting me know within the next couple hours if I had a typo, but I’m off to the DCFH annual Christmas spin, taught by our very own Ginny Turner. Then I should probably start studying for exams - I mean - Dad I’ve been studying for weeks! Wishing every reader a safe, happy holiday season and that it can be spent around your loved ones.                  



Until next fall,
Frenchie

DCFH Glossary indicated by *
·       Families- Typically comprised of a member from each class, DCFH families are units of 4-5 members on the team that periodically meet throughout the season for dinner, ice cream or just to chat.
·       Halloween practice- A cherished tradition of DCFH, this is a practice near or on Halloween that each grade dresses up as a collective theme. One by one each class enters the field to reveal their costumes. Following the big reveal, each grade performs a skit incorporating their characters and field hockey. Then we take a picture and start practice. 

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