She shoots, She scores

The field players and the bench errupted in eurphoric celebration. The goalie charged down the field. There were tears of joy. It was as if they'd won an olympic medal. Yet, it was not the final game of the season because they were playing for a gold medal or the championship. It was simply the last game of the regular season. Playoffs were impossible. They'd not won a single game. Indeed, they'd not scored a goal all season. In this inagural year of LFA field hockey, it took to the last game of the season for LFA to score a goal. But they had scored and it was reason for celebration.

Asking Ali now about other memories from the early days of field hockey at LFA, she takes a moment to ponder. "I remember the first succesful give-and-go ever played by LFA ," she says with a smile. "The two players were so excited to have done in a game what we had drilled over and over in practice that they immediately stopped, in the middle of the game, to turn to look at me. They just wanted to be sure I'd seen it. They were absolutely beaming with delight. Of course, the other team had capitlized on them stopping and were now attacking our net, but how you could not give them the thumbs up... and then jump up and down yelling for them to 'get back' to help on defence!"

It's the beauty of sport that the intense joy and celebration of success needn't always come from winning. It is a testament to Alison's positive and supoprtive coaching style that despite few score-sheet victories, the program grew and grew.

It's not clear how Ali came to be the go-to teacher for Grade 8 Social Studies, but she quickly realised the benefit of coaching a sport that fell in the fall. It gave her access to nearly every incoming student, as soon as they arrived. One wonders how many have heard about Ali's philosophy on field hockey and the benefits it has on one's Social 8 mark? Whether the students came out by design to do better at Social Studies or, more likely, to be part of a program that Ali made so much fun, it did not matter: they came out. 

Ali quickly realized that she alone could not possibly coach all these girls. The teams were divided into Senior and Junior. Karen Corness was ever present, coaching and mentoring Juniors from the outset, until her retirement in the mid 2000s. But then she needed more coaches. Fellow staff were pressed for their knowledge of the game. Soccer you say? Close enough: a strong teaching recommendation to Sister Eileen Kelly from Ali on behalf of Mr. Roland St. Cyr in the early 1990s came with strings attached. No less than five years of coaching field hockey for the favour.

The early days offered challenges beyond just coaches though. The game has evolved to be played predominantly on astroturf fields, though we still practice on our immaculately kept grass field at LFA. The early days for our LFA program were entirely grass, games included. And some of those games involve fields that gaver certain teams a decided advantage. Winona and Tisdall fields left the captains with the unenviable question: "Do we want to go uphill in the first half or the second half?" Then, being Vancouver, there were the obvious issues of rain. A lot of rain, a grass pitch and even a short amount of field hockey equals mud. The complete frustration of watching the splatter of mud go further than the ball offered, at least, the satisfacion that the opponent was covered in mud. That is, until she hit the ball back at you.

Always seeking extra games to make the field hockey team experience exceptional, Ali has put on and joined any tournament in striking distance. Early in the program, she made sure LFA took was part of the resurrected Bridgman Cup tournament in Victoria. LFA has been going ever since, and the annual trip to Victoria is some of the best hockey many of our players will ever had a chance to take part in. For the past many years, it has also been an opportinity for our biggest fan, Sister Jo, to come cheer us on and share some time, even a dinner, with the team. The weekend away as a team has formed some of the most poignant memories and cemented lifelong friendships.

As the hockey program evolved by the early 2000s, LFA was fielding four teams. Bantam for the frade 8s; Junior for the 9s and 10s; Senior B for those who wanted to play recreationally; and Senior A for the most competitive athletes in the school. Coaches came out of the woodwork. Meghan (Cannon) Canil '00, who now teaches math and science at the school,  has been coaching the Bantam team for years after having played for LFA herself. Like Roland St. Cyr, Brian Taylor's field hockey experience was limited, but his heart and commitment unwaivering as he continues to coach the recreational Senior B team. 

High level expertise found its way into the program too. Eustace de Souza, the father of Sachi de Souza '01, came in to help in the late 1990s while his daughter played. A long-time player himself, he stayed on as an assitant coach for Ali at the Senior A level for nearly a decade after Sachi graduated. Similarly, former national team player and long-time community coach Cedric Vaz volunteered his expertise when his daughter, Milena Vaz '11 entered LFA. He continues to help as his younger daughter, Alessia Vaz '15, plays for LFA. Ben Fitch was hired to start the Advancement Department in 2009 and volunteered to help with the field hockey as he had coached provincial field hockey in Alberta and coached professionally in the UK.

The program evolved into one of the largest of any high school in the province, probably the country. Quality coaching was only one ingredient. There was a succession of brilliant athletes and field hockey players who took LFA to the highest levels of high school field hockey. A Consolation Side victory at the 1995 Provincials was a taste of what was to come. LFA was Provincial champions in 2001, 2007 and 2009 and made it to the finals, claiming silver in 2006, 2008, and 2010. Many of our athletes played for BC and even the Junior National team whilst at LFA. Countless players went on to play varsity field hockey. Some, like Bea Fransisco '10 and Sara Franks '90, represented Canada on our Senior National Team.

Yet, as Ali reflects on the great joy of watching the program evolve, it's clear that the Provincial Championships and superb indiviudal success that many of the athletes have experiences are not necessarily what makes her most proud. "What makes me really, really proud," Ali explains, " is when I see people playing in the Vancouver Women's League years after they've graduated. At whatever level. It's especially satisfying when I get to pay against them."

The joy and gift of sport is at its finest in the field hockey program at LFA. Teams for most anyone who wants to play, offering spirit, comraderie, fun and fitness. Memories for students to take with them for a lifetime. 

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Do you know someone who went on to play field hockey after LFA for a club, university, provincial or national team? Let us know in the comments field below.