Field hockey and soccer teams share locker rooms
This year the varsity field hockey and soccer teams will be sharing a large locker room, in contrast to previous years, when varsity soccer was the only fall sports team to use this locker room. After a second B Conference Championship win, varsity field hockey felt they deserved to have this privilege as well, and the teams compromised and agreed to share.
If you walk into the women’s locker room today, you’ll notice a major change: the varsity field hockey and soccer teams are now sharing a locker room. The decision to share the space, although surrounded by skepticism at first, has been quite pleasant for both teams. “I thought there were going to be some problems, but it has worked out well,” senior varsity field hockey player Eryn Roach said.
The decision was ultimately a compromise made over the summer between new varsity field hockey coach Alice Puckett, varsity soccer coach Hayley Howe, and Athletic Director Steve Teter. “When I came to my meeting here in May, I asked the [field hockey] team, ‘What can I do for you?’ They said: get us in the new team room, and get us new jerseys,” Puckett said.
Puckett asked Teter if the field hockey team could be moved into the team room, to which he and Howe agreed to do. “I made the suggestion of compromise to just have a varsity room because there is certainly enough room and plenty of lockers,” Howe said.
The change hasn’t seemed to bother the players because the two teams’ schedules haven’t conflicted thus far. “It’s not too hectic because usually if we have a home game, field hockey has an away game. Usually, we aren’t even in there at the same time,” senior varsity soccer player Abby Hormes said. “I like the new change and it should continue next year because both varsity teams are in there, which makes it a really good thing.”
Other players, like senior varsity soccer player Gabbi Centi, agree with Hormes. “I felt that game days would be too hectic, but the schedules have worked out so far, so it has actually been pretty nice,” Centi said.
Sharing a locker room has also been a good opportunity for the teams to build relationships. “When you bring athletes together from different teams, it unites kids. You want to be one group. You don’t want to be isolated. You want to be varsity athletes,” Puckett said.
“When we get to share a locker room, we get to meet new sports [players]. We get to know each other and have more fun. Now, we get to support each other, too,” Roach said.
Moving forward, the combined varsity locker rooms may become a tradition. “Being the first [team] in it, I think there are a lot of positives. There are over 50 lockers, and I think it is a nice model,” Howe said.
“I like the new change and it should continue next year because both varsity teams are in there, which makes it a really good thing,” Hormes said.
“The athletes represent the community. And as one, people remember [them] more than anything,” Puckett said.
Daniel Robinson is a Sports Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.