Berkeley High School Senior Ailsa Collier didn’t expect field hockey to become such a big part of her high school experience. She first picked it up her freshman year after hearing about the sport from her mom, who had played when she was younger. “My mom told me about it. She used to play when she was a kid, and I wanted to try something new … when I tried it, I just really loved it, and I’ve stuck with it since,” Collier said.
Now four years later, Collier is captain of the varsity team. Leading has been one of the highlights of her high school career. She points to both winning a recent game and earning the captain title as special moments. “As a freshman, I really didn’t think I would be here now, and now, I get to be varsity captain, and I get to lead my team through all of our new and upcoming wins,” Collier explained.
Her growth on the team has not come without challenges. For example, playing in an off-season league her sophomore year tested her skills against tougher competition. “Everyone on the team that I played on was really, really good, and I had to learn to adapt and play on their level,” Collier said. For younger players, Collier’s advice is to “stick with it and keep practicing, because it gets more fun once you get the hang of it.”