Freshmen flock to fields all across campus as the fall semester begins. With almost 20 freshmen on three different teams, field hockey has the largest amount of freshman for a fall sports team. However, now there is only one other school in the Kansas City area that has a team, Pembroke Hill. Even though the sport is not as popular in Kansas City as it is in St. Louis, it attracts many students at Sion, especially freshmen.

“I think it’s popular because no one’s really heard of it,” senior Eden Griffith said, “and so freshmen are all just curious about it.”

Both administration and other students advise freshmen to participate in sports, clubs, or activities when starting a new school year. They are seen as a way to get integrated into the student body and associate themselves with school culture. Field Hockey is an especially great way to do this, since it’s not as competitive as many other sports.

“I was told a lot of people go out for field hockey because you make the team, even someone that has never played it,” freshman Hannah McGraw said. “And I thought I’m just going to try that even though I’ve never played it before.”

Having varsity, JV, and freshmen teams offer a place for players of every skill level. The team is made up of people from various middle schools, meaning players have extremely varying levels of experience; very few players have had prior experience with field hockey before they started their freshman year. With field hockey being a no-cut sport, it gives the perfect opportunity for incoming freshmen to meet new people in their grade and upperclassmen who can help get them adjust to high school.

“I only knew seven or eight coming from my school,” freshman Kate Vankeirsblick said. “So overall field hockey is where I met a bulk of people.”

In the past years, St. Thomas Aquinas has also had a team, but now most of the teams that field hockey plays are from around St. Louis. With a limited number of games, the field hockey team focuses more on improving their skills rather than winning games. The continued success of field hockey relies on the eagerness of freshmen, and if this year is any sign, the future of field hockey will be great.

“It’s going to be an exciting season,” Varsity field hockey coach Gywn Savage said. “And the future looks bright for the team over the next couple of seasons, if we continue to draw the caliber of student athletes to Sion.”