Sarah Stevens
By Danielle Tremblay
It was three minutes into overtime on Thursday, November 2, 2017, when Taunton Field Hockey scored the winning goal to end the Oliver Ames Field Hockey Team’s post-season. Senior — and captain — Sarah Stevens, was no doubt devastated at the 1-0 loss, for she hoped to prolong the end of her last year playing the sport she loved. However, she took this as an opportunity look back at her past accomplishments and feel proud about how she transformed as a player from when she first began, to now, where she has recently been chosen to play in the “Best of 60” game amongst the best of the best players in Massachusetts.
“I just found out about becoming a ‘Hock’ All Star, and I think to me it’s not just getting an award or attributing to skills,” the OA senior said. “I feel like it reinforces the idea in my head that I’ve been working hard. It made me feel like I have made the right choices.”
Seventeen year old Sarah Grace Stevens first began playing field hockey because she was bored of doing something everyone else was doing: soccer.
“Well I hated soccer, like so much,” she joked. “That’s what everyone played, and I hated it. And with gymnastics, I was flexible when I was younger, so it worked. But then it just became kinda scary.”
Sarah was motivated at a young age to find a sport she loved. She originally began playing field hockey when she saw her neighbor playing in her lawn, asked if she could join, and picked up a stick.
“I really liked it, so I made my mom sign me up for everything. Ever since then, I loved it.”
At such a young age, she was determined that one day she would be leading her team through the fall season as a captain, making playoff games, and forming such close bonds with everyone on the team.
“Well I obviously set a goal for myself, ever since middle school. I would go to the games and watch older girls play, and it inspired me,” Sarah said. “I always wanted to [be a captain], so I had the vision in my head of what I wanted to be.”
Even though the Hockomock all-star had her shining moments on the field, it was not all winning and smiling faces throughout the season. Nevertheless, Sarah was able to keep her team motivated to get back out there.
“Well, we went on a five game losing streak…” She laughed. “So it was really hard to keep everyone motivated after that. We have a really young team, so I just had to keep reminding them that this is important and not more than just an after school activity.”
Even though Sarah is a natural-born leader, field hockey is not the only aspect of her life that holds importance. For starters, she is an avid coffee drinker, where she drinks one to two cups of coffee a day, seven days a week.
“You could consider it an addiction,” She laughed. “I do get raging headaches and mood swings when I don’t have coffee, so there are withdrawal symptoms. My record is five cups of coffee in one day. I’m honestly proud of it. It takes dedication.”
Apart from being a star on the field and a coffee addict (not in recovery), she also challenges herself academically, for she is in two Advanced Placement classes, with stellar grades, and a high Grade Point Average, with her sights set on college.
“I’ve always worked harder for my grades because I think that academics can get you further than a sport,” Sarah said, when discussing her balance between academics and field hockey. “I believe that academics have to come first, which is hard when it’s not always the most fun thing going on in your life.”
Despite her successes on and off the field, Sarah sometimes finds it difficult to stay motivated in keeping up her hectic daily schedule.
“Well sometimes [she considers herself a self-starter], like it depends. If I’m interested in it I’ll pursue it, but I’m not interested in it or if it does not appeal to me I won’t do it… unless someone makes me.
“When I’m working under pressure, that’s when I do my best work… I’m also really competitive… I just want to be the best. So I guess that’s when I become that self-starter.”
Being a highly competitive person — not only with others on the field, but with herself — has caused Sarah to struggle in some aspects of her life, especially with controlling emotions and acting out irrationally.
“I think it’s hard to not show frustration,” Sarah explained, referring to her competitiveness. “I struggle with keeping [that frustration] in check, whether it be in front of my team after losing, or when I get a bad grade back on a test.”
Despite her inability to sometimes keep her emotions under-wrap, Sarah has proved that sometimes competitiveness, dedication, and lots of coffee can lead to a very successful high school career, both on and off the field.
“I would say that I like who I have become,” She reflected. “I think that I have been able to become more confident as I’ve matured and experienced more. I think I trust myself more now than I did at the beginning of high school, which I would say is a good thing.”
Which indeed, it is.