Bay Path Field Hockey Club Aims to Achieve Higher Status

By Laura Jubinville

There currently are not enough student-athletes to even play a game, but the members of the field hockey club at Bay Path College are determined to obtain NCAA status.

Field Hockey began in the fall of 2006, as a club, by Bay Path staff member, Alison Rosenblat. Currently there are seven student-athletes involved, a number that has been rising since the first season. Field hockey requires a minimum of eleven players, but the seven club members are excited to begin real games and become a Bay Path College sports team.

The truth is, this vision cannot become a reality if the club cannot attract more interest. In order to be a team at the NCAA division three level, the club must have enough student-athletes to field a team.

This problem has one simple solution: market the field hockey club to the student body in order to attract more interest.

“We have sign up sheets at the club fair [held] at the beginning of each semester,” said Racquela Richard, a freshman and member of the club.

“We hope to have posters and make wildcat announcements [to] try to get our name out,” said Lauren Czaikowski, a sophomore member of the club.

The club only meets for practices during the fall season, which usually runs from the end of August through the beginning of November. This means that posters, club fairs, and word of mouth will be very important before this semester comes to an end in May.

Rosenblat, the team’s fonder and its coach, feels that the numbers will be sure to increase for the fall of 2008 because the freshman class of 2011 has shown an enormous amount of interest. Through word of mouth, Rosenblat feels that many of them will join for the next season.

Rosenblat also explained that the members of the club will be choosing a captain at the beginning of the Fall 2008 season. At that time, the girls will also choose which position they would like to play, and Rosenblat will help them choose based on their skills.

The Fall of 2008 will have a whole new feel for the Bay Path field hockey club. The girls who are already members of the club have a lot to be excited about.

Brianna Consolmagno is anxiously awaiting “having our first game, and being part of the team.”

Racquela is looking forward to “meeting new people and forming some type of connection with them.” But she is most excited to see “the official notice that we have become a team, because (we) have been trying to become a sport for a couple of years.”

Along with all of the excitement, the team may also face some new challenges and changes.

Racquela realizes that the team “[will] have to become more serious because we [will] actually be competing against other teams, and have a record showing this.”

Lauren hopes that “the only change we will encounter is that we all become closer than we are now.”

Through excitement and anticipation, the Bay Path College field hockey club is determined to participate on an NCAA level, and be recognized as one of Bay Path’s sports teams.

With the fall season only a few months away, it is with your commitment and enthusiasm that the Wildcats of Bay Path can charge forward and succeed. Be sure to stay on the lookout for the first ever Bay Path College field hockey team in the Fall of 2008.