Sports and clubs are a major part of the high school experience, sports being one of the most well-known and demanding. Visitors and incoming students should know what life is like when they are a part of a sports team at the Academy of the Holy Cross.

Junior Katherine Rose plays varsity field hockey and stated that a normal practice usually consists of stretching, putting on gear, running, a dynamic warm up, stick work, and drills.  Before a game, Rose makes sure that she drinks more water than usual and stretches the night before. With a lingering sprained ankle, she always goes to the trainer for strengthening and a tape job.

On the subject of schoolwork, Rose claimed “playing a varsity sport and being a good student is a tough job, but with the right time management skills can be possible!” She always does homework in study halls and the half hour before practice. She also always makes Sunday a homework day to catch up or get ahead for the week.

Rose suggested that anyone who is interested in playing field hockey should try a clinic to see if she likes the sport. She suggested that a student should play “because you love the sport not because you’re being forced or pressured. If you love what you’re doing, you won’t mind the long daily practices.” She suggested that interested students should talk to a current team member for more insight.

Sophomore crew member Natalia Giacchino shared that a normal practice includes erging, or work out, on the water.  She prepares for meets by practicing 2k’s on the water, and manages to complete her schoolwork by focusing on work in study hall and on the bus for the hour trip to the boathouse and back.

Her advice to interested students is “to go for it and join since no experience is needed cause we are all relatively new to the sport and are still figuring things out.”