Central Bucks South’s five seniors have played a major role in the success of their team during a season of transition. This feature is sponsored by The Kenney Agency Inc/Nationwide.
By Mary Jane Souder
“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
It’s a saying that might well describe the Central Bucks South field hockey program. The Titans – in a season of transition – are the number two seed in the District One AAA Tournament. It’s the exact same spot they occupied entering last year’s tournament.
Last year’s two seed was expected, this year’s probably wasn’t. At least not heading into the season.
After all, the Titans had lost co-coaches Jeff Harding and Marie Schmucker, who stepped down at the end of the 2013 season, and they were still without a coach with preseason just a month away.
“It was a little bit nerveracking,” admitted senior Sam Bodo. “We were all joking around at first and said our dads would coach, but we really had no idea.”
On July 8, Danielle Turner sent out a news release announcing her first hire as South’s newly appointed athletic director. Brittany Grzywacz, fresh off an All-American career at Penn State University, would take over the helm of a program that has become the standard bearer in the SOL.
It turned out to be a perfect fit, and after opening the season with a 2-2 record, the Titans reeled off 14 straight wins. They were a perfect 14-0 en route to capturing their program’s eighth consecutive conference crown.
For the team’s five seniors – Bodo, Emily Cliggett, Maggie Flynn Corrine Kenney and Maggie Walsh, it’s exactly where they hoped to be when they took the field for the first day of preseason.
“I think coming from what we have always been through with CB South field hockey, we had high expectations, especially from the seniors,” Cliggett said. “We have always had a team that has won, so if we just kept that going and had that mentality through the seniors, it would come down to the freshmen, the juniors and the sophomores.”
Grzywacz pointed to the seniors as a key to the remarkably smooth transition.
“They meant a lot,” she said. “Even the conversations I had with them in the beginning of the year, I said, ‘What do you guys like that happened last year? Do you have any traditions or things you want to keep around? I’m willing to be flexible with that.’
“A lot of props to Jeff Harding – I know him. He ran an awesome program, and to be able to step into shoes like that was awesome. The seniors have been helpful with the transition and even the juniors and sophomores that played at this level last year – they were all very helpful with that.”
The players point to their 3-1 win at North Penn in their SOL opener as significant.
“I personally thought that was huge,” Kenney said. “We had a strong game, and it went through everyone’s mind that ‘Okay, we can compete with everyone even though we have a new team and a new coach.’”
“I think we knew we had the potential to win, especially after beating North Penn,” Flynn said. “We kind of realized we could definitely be a good team this year. We needed everything to click, and after we started winning, it started clicking.”
“The clicking came from off the field,” Bodo added. “We were two different teams, but now that we got to know everybody – we’re really close, and I think that helped when we played as well. We trusted one another.”
The team built on each game.
“Since we were such a young team with young girls coming onto our team, just the confidence wasn’t there yet,” Walsh said. “Some girls were probably nervous coming on this great team we’ve always had.
“I think over time everyone has built up their confidence, gotten their skills sharper and better. That was the best part – the communication from everyone on the field was a necessary part to us growing as a team.”
The leadership of the seniors, according to Grzywacz, was apparent both on and off the field.
“The senior class has been very influential to the level of play of this team,” the Titans’ coach said. “The leadership the entire class brings to practice and games every day is vital to the team’s success.
“They are always competing and always challenging others on the team to get better.”
If there was pressure to live up to the standards established by teams before them, the players didn’t let it show.”
“I think we had pressure, but our coach had a big part in it too,” Cliggett said. “Just her presence and what she came from at Penn State – she set the tone and made sure we knew she was serious and we were serious about winning.”
“I think we did surprise everybody who was watching before the season,” Kenney said. “But I think we all – definitely the seniors – had faith in each other to bring it together and work together so we could bring the younger kids up.”
Cliggett used the word ‘relief’ to describe what it felt like to win the league title. Her teammates echoed similar sentiments.
“It does feel really good, but I feel it was almost expected for us to have a good season – not expected from other people, but we expected it ourselves,” Flynn said.
The players enter district play with the realization that their record and seed mean nothing. The slate is wiped clean.
“We’re definitely not cocky, especially in districts because it’s a whole round of games where anything can happen,” Kenney said. “We have to keep up the high intensity, the high energy through the practices, out of practice and especially when it comes down to game day.
“We have to take one day at a time,” Walsh said. “Every practice, every game that we play and go from there.”
The Titans, who have an opening round bye, will host the winner of the Owen J. Roberts/Mount St. Joseph game on Wednesday in a second round game.
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