Throughout Parker’s summer break, the school’s field is far from empty. Instead, it is filled with the community and energy of the Parker girls field hockey team. In fact, a field hockey team has filled the field each year since roughly 1918, when girls field hockey came to Chicago. After all this time, field hockey still brings passion and joy. The team is only able to build all of this energy and community before the start of the season by one factor: preseason
At the start of the athletic season, it can be hard to get back into the rhythm of practices and games. Preseason offers a head start to ensure a successful season and team. “I’m excited about meeting new people and bonding with more of my teammates,” sophomore Sophie Skidelsky said. “My favorite part of field hockey preseason is the bonding after getting through running an exercise and the bond with your teammates around you.”
Recently, the athletics department announced several policy adjustments affecting not only Parker’s athletic sports but the student athletes themselves. Despite its long standing at Parker, field hockey is also part of the athletic department’s shift. “As a fall student-athlete, summer is our preseason that leads into the fall, and the time between now and August 11, 2025 is the most critical of the summer,” Parker’s new athletic director, Nick Kosis wrote in an email to all fall student athletes. “I hope you have invested time this summer in improving your health, strength, conditioning, and the skills needed to compete at the highest level here at Parker.” A new athletic director and department could bring positive or negative aspects to the team, and to the entire athletics program at Parker.
Though there hasn’t been a drastic difference so far, there have been some slight modifications. “I do feel like it will be different just because for field hockey, we don’t have two a day practices anymore. We just have one practice per day, so that is definitely a really significant change,” senior Alex Sarnoff said. It is just the beginning of the fall athletic season. This leaves time and possibility for not only change but a noticed impact in the sport. In addition to the preseason that started on August 11, the team had a “pre-preseason”. “It’s trying to get more players more committed to get more stick work, and more conditioning in earlier so that by the time preseason comes around we can really just work on playing better as a team, as opposed to worrying about how in shape we are or how good our individual skills are,” junior Miriam Johnson said. “I think these pre preseason practices are also encouraging players to put in the work at home on their own.” Most sports at Parker rarely practice or condition as a team outside of the season, so this aspect of the sport is especially unique.
Preseason is all about preparation. In order to set up for a great season, it is always important to set goals. “My main goal this season is to be a really positive leader on and off the field,” Sarnoff said. “As a senior I’m going to be one of the oldest ones on the field, so my job is to motivate the team and just get everyone really energetic and give everyone a really positive experience this season.”
From the team sleepover to pasta parties, the field hockey team has many traditions that make the sport all the more special. “This season I’m most excited for our game against Latin because last year the JV won and that was really fun,” sophomore Olivia Marquez said. Every year, the infamous game against Latin takes place on the morning before the homecoming dance. Though the JV team did win last year, the varsity did not. However, due to such a strong and enforced preseason, the team will be well prepared in hopes of beating Latin at the homecoming game for the 2025-2026 field hockey season.
