Inside Deacon Hockey With Bronwen Gainsford
9/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Sept. 7, 2011
The anticipation and excitement for the field hockey season does not end with the opening game. Last weekend the team was excited to start the season with two games in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge; however, the excitement for the season did not end there. This past weekend the team had our first home game.
The first home game is one of the highlights of the season. Nothing compares to playing at Kentner Stadium. When we are at home we have our friends, families, the faculty, fellow students, and fans supporting us and cheering us on to a victory. At home, we are in our element and have a sense of comfort.
The excitement for our first home game does not just appear on the day of the game, but instead accumulates within us all week. First, the posters that line the field get put up, reminding us all of those who have played in the stadium before us and reminding us what it means to have Wake Forest written on the back of our jerseys. Then, the field begins to get lined. Nothing quite compares to fresh white lines on our green turf.
Once game day comes, the excitement is at its peak. Part of the excitement comes with our pregame meal, but mostly from a Wake Hockey tradition. Every year, it is customary for the team to decorate the locker room on game days. The decoration creates hype for the game and makes us all ready to get on the field and defeat our opponents. Also, it's fun to see how creative each class is in decorating the locker room. Below are pictures from the locker room this past weekend.
The only way that there can be more excitement is when we win our first home game. By winning, we set the tone for the season. We re-establish that Kentner Stadium is our house. And although we won't be at home again this weekend, the win at home makes us determined to work hard through the week to win at our opponents "house".
