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Grace Starts Senior Season as a Captain for Valley Field Hockey

Abby Grace has a lot on her plate as she begins her senior season with the Valley Regional field hockey squad this fall. Not only is Abby in her first year as a starter, she was also voted one of Valley’s captains by her teammates and coaches. Abby knew going into the year that she would play a large role for the Warriors and she prepared herself to be ready for the opportunity.

“It felt really good that the girls on the team respected me and wanted me to help lead them. We lost a lot of varsity leaders off last year’s team and now it is up to me, Ellie [Tuscano], Franny [Daniels], and Maria [Pittsinger] to lead them,” Abby says. “It’s really an honor and I worked hard in the offseason to be prepared for the challenge.”

Abby and her fellow captains held offseason practices to get ready for the campaign and she also sharpened her skills by playing for her indoor squad, the Tsunami Field Hockey Club, during the winter. Valley field hockey Head Coach Beth McCabe Powers says that Abby has already done an exemplary job in the early goings of her captaincy and feels she will play a big role on defense for the Warriors.

“Abby will man the left side for us defensively this year and I believe she will do a great job for us. We have 16 incoming freshman this year and she has done a fantastic job acclimating them to the team,” says McCabe Powers. “Abby helped teach them skill, where to be on the field, and how to practice and work hard. She has really embraced her leadership role, is a solid player, and a great kid.”

Abby, an Ivoryton resident, knows there are challenges ahead for Valley after it graduated so many seniors off a team that made both the Shoreline Conference Tournament and the State Tournament last fall. Still, she’s confident that this year’s edition of the Warriors has the potential to get back to that level.

“It was really important to get the young players ready. High school is such a different environment for them, so it was good to get them moving in the right direction,” Abby says. “Last year’s team had such great chemistry and our goal is to build that back up. If we can regain that family aspect, then we can have a great season and the young players can pass that on to the next group of players that come to Valley.”

Abby has always loved field hockey and a lot of that passion stems from her relationship with her aunt Nancy Grace, who was a great player and coach at Canton High School. Abby has also received plenty of support from her father Duffy, who has always been there for her.

“My dad has been a big inspiration. I love him and he pushes me to be better. I want to play well and work hard because it warms my heart to make him proud,” Abby says. “My aunt is the reason I play field hockey. She was a championship player and coach and it’s a really big part of our family. She was my motivation to start playing.”

Coach McCabe Powers knows all about how field hockey runs deep in Abby’s family. She adds that Abby has progressed from a quiet freshman into a vocal leader during her time at Valley.

“Abby started as a timid player, but has grown tremendously over the last three years, and I am super proud of her for that. Because of her work ethic, I know she did all she could in the offseason to get better and make her teammates better. She is a first-year starter, but got a lot of varsity playing time and experience last season,” McCabe Powers says. “The sport runs in the family as her aunt Nancy was a legendary player and coach and Abby learned a lot from her. She has really made great strides and I know she will do well as our last line of defense.”

Not every player enjoys the role of defender since it doesn’t feature the glory of scoring goals. However, Abby has the right mindset to play that position.

“I like playing defense because it is a different environment,” Abby says. “You usually think field hockey is about scoring goals and that’s what I used to think. My aunt taught me a new way to look at it and that is why I play defense. It’s a very important part of the game. Getting goals is fun, but keeping goals from getting in is pretty great, too.”

When Abby isn’t playing field hockey or hitting the books, she participates in Valley’s Unified Sports program and enjoys the experience of working with special needs kids.

“We don’t teach the kids to play sports. We play with them. I have so much fun doing it,” she says. “To see them have so much fun and see how happy they are is really inspiring.”