Out of all the Parkway schools, Central is the only one that doesn’t have a field hockey team and some students wish we did.
Lacrosse coach Beth Karfs and her lacrosse team are looking to start a fall field hockey team.
“We had some interest from current freshman who asked if we were going to have a team,” Karfs said. “I asked my lacrosse team at the time if anyone was interested and there was a large group that was so I thought we’d see how many folks would want to play.”
Freshman Tori Strege plays field hockey and would like a way to be able to play it during the fall season.
“Gateway doesn’t do a fall league for high school because it’s a fall sport,” Strege said. “So I don’t have anyway to play it during that season.”
Having a field hockey team in the fall would help girls who play lacrosse and soccer in the spring.
“I want to be able to work on my skills during the off season,” junior Bobbi Throckmorton said. “Plus it would be many of the same girls who play lacrosse so it would be fun.”
Throckmorton fears that many girls who say they are interested won’t actually end up playing.
“I feel like many people say they can do it but once the season starts not that many people will show up,” Throckmorton said.
One problem with starting a new team is field time, for there are 11 other teams that play in the fall.
“Field time is definitely an issue that we’d have to work out as far as where they can go, having the turf helps,” Athletic Director John Theobald said. “The band uses the turf which frees up the band field which could potentially be a place for practice.”
Another issue is even if there is a team, there is no one to coach.
“First we want to know if we have enough people, once we know that there are enough people interested then we’d start to look for a coach,” Karfs said.
With having so many other sports in the fall season, it lessens the number of athletes there are able to play those sports
“We already have 11 different activities in the fall so it stretches the pool of athletes,” Theobald said. “It’s thinner and everyone is competing for the same kids.”
There is an interest list that can be signed in Mrs. Karfs room for those interested in making a field hockey team for the 2015 fall season.
