The Dream Season

This fall is turning into quite the season for KP field hockey and Coach Liz Hathaway. For the first time in program history, the team is ranked in the Boston Globe (top 16, as of mid-October). The team has already qualified for the playoffs, and was first in the Hockomock League when Local Town Pages went to press. And if that wasn’t enough, on October 29 Hathaway was inducted into Westford Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
“It’s just been a dream season,” said Hathaway, “in terms of wins and losses and the group of kids I have. They’re so self-motivated and just a really nice group of girls to work with.”
This is Hathaway’s 10th season as the KP field hockey coach, and under her tenure the team has qualified for the state tournament four times. In 2008, Hathaway’s second season, the team won the Hock championship title.
The program’s success can be attributed to many factors, said Hathaway.
“High school sports are just great,” she observed, “because from one season to the next you get a whole new group of kids to work with and try to figure out what motivates them.” For the last seven seasons, the solid youth feeder program in the area has helped the high school program grow and thrive. This past year, over 30 girls from grades 5 through 8 participated, and last summer over 60 girls took part in the popular KP field hockey camp.
“My high school kids help coach at the camp and we make it really fun with a nice camp atmosphere,” remarked Hathaway. “We attract a lot of kids with our energy, and the youth players just love it and feel a part of our high school program because we’re very inclusive.” Hathaway further incorporates the youth players into the KP program by having them participate as ball girls during the high school games, allowing the younger girls an up-close view of varsity field hockey and all it entails.
“We have a lot of excitement in the program from the youth on up and it’s really nice to see the sport grow so much.”
This year’s KP team is utilizing a new formation of 3 attackers, 2 midfielders, 3 backs, and 2 sweepers in front of junior goalkeeper Abby Campbell. A new defensive press installed this season means KP rarely gives opponents a fast break opportunity. Combining all this with one of the best goalkeepers in the league in Campbell has resulted in a stingy defense that has allowed only six goals all season.
Despite this year’s success KP is a young team that starts only two seniors, captains Caitlyn Donahue and Monica Harvey. Donahue is among the league leaders in scoring and has a great nose for the net, while Harvey has taken on a new defensive role this season, quickly adapting to her new responsibilities and providing valuable leadership for a young squad. Junior center back and captain Christina Hathaway (Hathaway’s daughter) patrols the back line for KP, using her athleticism and intelligence to thwart attackers. On offense, sophomore Allie Meehan is a fast and dynamic center forward who has already become a force in the league. She currently leads the league in scoring. This is a hungry and balanced team that looks to be competing for the league championship not only this year but for years to come.
Another cog in the field hockey team’s successful wheel is the parents, said Hathaway.
“I have a great group of parents,” she commented. Every year, they host a pancake breakfast for the high school field hockey teams, as well as for the youth players. “It’s just a really nice way to support our players and show them that we rally around them.” This year’s annual breakfast was held on Columbus Day, right before the team played N. Attleboro. Over 70 people attended and then many stayed to cheer on the girls during the game. Stop and Shop in Plainville generously donated all the food items (pancakes, syrup, eggs, sausage, fruit, milk, juice, paper goods) while Dunkin Donuts supplied the coffee, bagels, and donuts. Both companies were fantastic to work with, added Hathaway.
The coach also hosts an annual food drive during the pancake breakfast, with proceeds going to the Norfolk Food Pantry. This year, the attendees filled six large boxes.
Hathaway started coaching at KP when her children were young, and now considers herself fortunate to be able to coach her own daughter.
“That can be tricky,” she acknowledged. “I was a little worried about it, but it’s been a dream, it’s been awesome. Our relationship is really strong and on the field she’s the player and I’m the coach. It’s worked really well and it’s been nice to spend this time with her.”
Hathaway’s own high school career was spent at Westford Academy, where she played field hockey, basketball, and softball, and was captain of those three sports as a senior. She went on to the University of New Hampshire on a field hockey scholarship, and in 1986 her team made it to the NCAA Final Four and lost the championship game in overtime to the University of Iowa.
She credits both her high school and college coaches for her playing and coaching success.
“I’ve learned a lot from them and I’ve taken a little bit from them and from my teammates and wrapped it all up into my own personal coaching style.”
The Hock title is in reach, believes Hathaway, despite some upcoming tough contests against Oliver Ames, Franklin, and Mansfield.
“I am just so thrilled for the kids that they put themselves in this position at this point in the season,” she said. “But regardless of where we end up, it’s been an extremely successful season.”