New coach, new faces, same attitude.

The 2017 Shippensburg University field hockey team heads into the new season with its sights aimed high once again.

After a wildly successful 2016 campaign, capped off with a Division II national title, legendary coach Bertie Landes retired, riding off into the sunset, giving the Raiders a new voice behind the bench. But the same message rings true.

With the 2017 senior class composing nearly half of the team this year and many of them playing integral roles down the stretch in last season’s championship run, the team can lean on its veteran core’s experience in tight games this season.

 “This senior class has been phenomenal since the day I stepped on campus,” head coach Tara Zollinger said. “Their ability to give me a little bit of blind trust at first and to be able to trust what we’re doing, trust the process and to be inclusive of everybody within this organization we wouldn’t have been able to have as beneficial of a time [together].”

There have been major changes since the offseason, with three new coaches joining the team. Zollinger expects a lot of her team, but the players have taken her words in stride, and the results are obvious. 

“Every day we can see a progression from morning sessions to afternoons,” senior Emily Barnard said. “We’re climbing the ladder every day, skills are getting tightened and more sharp.”

While the players are busy becoming closer as a team, they know keeping their focus on the task at hand rather than looking too far into the future is best for the team. 

“Each day we keep progressing and working on new things and then the next day we’re going to build on that,” senior Kylie Huffman said. 

Part of becoming a close-knit group involves team bonding activities, something SU had in spades this summer. The team took a trip to Bermuda to grow and compete against a coed team and the Bermudian national team.

 “We were continuing to grow our game, working on counter structures and defensive structures and trying to execute a bit better,” Zollinger said. “I taught them some yoga with a beautiful view and then we just relaxed and regrouped to be able to come back to Ship.”

Among other activities were cricket lessons and cave explorations.

Throughout the process of building relationships between the new and veteran players, the team created a list of “absolutes”, or values and standards that each player holds and follows for the team and the organization.

 “These are things that connect us, they’re in our DNA,” Zollinger said. “They’re things that we hold each other accountable to every single day and they’re non-negotiable. You have to do these things if you want to be a member of this team.”

As both Zollinger and the players continue to learn and grow together as a unit, the team is well prepared for the difficulties of a grueling season. The team knows its focus on character, togetherness and chemistry can translate into on-field success, and the Raiders are ready to show the PSAC what they are made of. 

SU’s season officially begins at Robb Sports Complex Sept. 2 against Saint Michael’s College at 6 p.m. 

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