in the [ G A M E ]
Coaches’ Secrets FORGING TEAM TOGETHERNESS
TOP AND BOTTOM: Varsity field hockey players came together during a historic season that saw Teacher-Coach Mary Werkheiser win her 400th career game and the team win a state title. CENTER: Teacher-Coach Trish Hopkins guided varsity volleyball to the TCIS title and a berth in the state semifinals in fall 2021.
26
ACADEMY
In late September, Norfolk Academy’s field hockey team suffered a potentially tormenting loss: 2–1 in overtime to the top-ranked team in the nation. That kind of defeat that can demoralize players. The Bulldogs went the other way. They came together and improved as a group. “We came away feeling pumped, energized, so motivated for the rest of the season,” Field Hockey Coach Mary Werkheiser said. The Bulldogs did not lose another game. Two months later they were state champions. The team’s successful ride last fall happened because the student-athletes bonded as more than a team, said Werkheiser, who earned her 400th career win in September. They supported each other through preseason practices in the intense August heat, organized meals and activities on weekend road trips during the season, and even cooked pancake breakfasts before big postseason contests. “When you make the varsity field hockey team, you’re part of a family,” Werkheiser said. But what is the secret to building a successful athletic family? Kristen Kirkman is in her 15th year coaching Academy’s varsity swim team. Swimming presents added challenges for coaches. In many ways it’s an individual sport — student-athletes are not with their teammates while they’re competing in the pool. And the team annually has 60-plus members across four grade levels, among the largest groups in any sport. Realizing that, Kirkman talks often with her athletes about the importance of bonding as a team. One exercise they do early in the winter season is “four corners,” during which freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors go into different groups and get to know their classmates better. The team also has training partners, seniors who help underclassmen who are
learning the expectations of being on a varsity team. Everyone goes on a trip over Holiday Break — in December 2021 they went to Woodberry Forest — where they come together and bond. Another tradition is the handing down of legacy items like scarves and blankets at a team dinner at the close of the season. Kirkman also reminds her athletes that the best swimmers’ times and points are worth the same as everyone else’s. It behooves those swimmers to raise up their teammates. “A great team is not just about having great athletes,” Kirkman said. “It’s about having great leaders and students who work together.” For Varsity Football Coach Steve Monninger, the sign of a great team is that everyone feels proud and has a sense of belonging, whether they’re the starting quarterback or the backup long snapper. Building on Kirkman’s thoughts, Monninger said it’s important that students and coaches work together through the entire football program. Each spring, he gets together with JO Coach Scott Fowler to share information and draw up plays and schemes. During a varsity bye week last fall, he held a program-wide practice during which seventh graders worked alongside seniors and all 17 coaches were on hand, offering observations and advice. Beyond that, Monninger welcomes parents to become part of the program. He holds a “Parents Week,” during which mothers and fathers are invited to watch practices, weightlifting, and video sessions. The varsity “Last 100 Yards” ceremony celebrates seniors and their parents, allowing them to walk the length of the Wynne-Darden Stadium field together. Togetherness is critical in any sport, Monninger said. He can recall games Academy won when it had less talent but played more as a team. Specifically, he
