The mission of the Westtown Field Hockey Program is to develop a successful field hockey team and to empower our student-athletes to be good community members. Through their field hockey experience, athletes learn to be team players, work hard, persevere through adversity, build confidence, and grow as individuals on and off the field. We hope each player walks away with positive experiences and skills that go further than just what a scoreboard or statistics can reflect.
In our program, consistency is crucial: consistency in our expectations of our players, consistency in our preparation for practices and games, and continuously growing as a coaching staff by learning as much as we can about our players and the game. We have a player-centered approach to coaching. We want our players to be able to assess, solve problems, and respond independently and as a team. Actively involving our players in the learning process is key, and we challenge them to self-correct, solve tactical problems, and challenge them in decision-making. A good mindset and confidence are an essential part of the game and aid in the success of the team’s season.

How We Train

• Warm-up and dynamic stretching
• Team review of practice and goals to be accomplished
• Stickwork, captain-led shuttles, and flow drill
• Break up into lines for position-specific skill development drills
• Small-sided games and drills
• Scrimmage and offensive/defensive corners to end

Practices are held on weekdays, with flow-through practices the day before games

Player-Focused Philosophy
Specific positive feedback and directive practice are vital in player development. It’s essential to tell players exactly what they are doing well and provide detailed instructions on what to improve and the steps to do it. We believe in the importance of celebrating team and individual small victories just as much as the big ones and always vocalize our belief and recognition of the potential in each athlete. Aside from practice, other tools used for development include player notebooks, game films, and team chalk talk meetings.