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12/14/2016 11:00 PMThroughout the past 25 years, Janet Dickey has proved a steady and influential leader for Westbrook field hockey as the program’s head coach. In her silver anniversary season with the Knights, Janet reaped the rewards of her dedication by helping Westbrook grab some gold, while also recording a huge personal achievement.
Janet, a longtime Westbrook resident, was a field hockey player for the Knights. After living in Hawaii for three years, she returned home and served as Westbrook’s assistant coach for two years before assuming the head coach’s role—a position that she’s held for the last quarter of a century.
This fall, Janet guided the Knights to an overall record of 19-1-2, along with the Shoreline Conference Tournament title and the program’s first state crown since 1975. During the regular season, Janet notched career victory No. 200 when Westbrook earned a 1-0 win versus Granby Memorial on Oct. 17. Upon the campaign’s conclusion, she was selected as the 2016 Connecticut High School Field Hockey Coaches’ Association Class S Coach of the Year.
“I’ve seen a lot of my colleagues reach the milestone quicker. It was in the back of my mind as it got closer, but I never saw it as something I had to have,” says Janet on her 200th win. “Yet it’s nice to be in that elite class and, no matter how quick I got there, it means just as much.”
While she’s certainly experienced plenty of success at Westbrook, Janet knows that, at its core, the Knights’ field hockey squad is centered around a love for the sport and the intangibles that go way beyond the playing field.
“There is such a passion for the sport between myself and my assistant coach Emily Alger. I love working with the ladies. Our goal is to win many games, but it’s also to teach the girls the game of field hockey,” Janet says. “I’ve had teams that have won Shorelines and made state semifinals, but the girls on this team really bonded and had fun, and they learned life skills. We always try to preach the bigger picture beyond the wins.”
As one who passes on a passion for field hockey to her players, Janet feels that as much as you can help an athlete develop her skills, no team can achieve success without cohesiveness and camaraderie on the club.
“The girls need to be dedicated and disciplined. We aren’t hung up on wins and losses. It’s about the girls developing as young ladies, getting that passion for the game, and learning what it means to be on a team,” says Janet. “It’s nice to see the kids come in and learn those skills, and then that’s when the magic happens.”
The connections she makes with student-athletes that last beyond their four years are what really stand out for Janet, who’s been a regular guest at many of her former players’ major life events.
“I love seeing the kids enjoy the game and have that same passion for it. Yet what I really love is the fact that I have girls that I’ve previously coached invite me to their showers and weddings,” Janet says. “It’s great knowing you had that much of a positive impact on them while they were in high school.”
Westbrook Athletic Director Teg Cosgriff describes Janet as the type of coach that expects only the best out of herself, her coaches, plus her players, who she wants to be standout athletes and stand-up individuals.
“Janet has created a culture in our field hockey program that sets a standard of conduct and commitment for all the young women that play for our program. Regardless of the team’s win-loss record, the focus, the determination, and work ethic in her program does not change day in and day out,” Cosgriff says. “This is what makes her such an amazing coach and role model for young ladies. To see the respect in her players’ eyes now and that of her former players when they return to campus epitomizes what we do in educational-based athletics. Leadership, character development, relationships, effort, and respect characterize our Westbrook field hockey program and Head Coach Janet Dickey.”
When it comes to this year’s championship squad, Janet says there was never a doubt in her mind that the Knights would end up in the state final as her girls were determined to go the miracle mile from day one of the preseason.
“We had a senior class that worked really hard and they were really like two-year seniors after leading a team last year that had no seniors, so they were a huge difference,” says Janet. “I saw their level of commitment. They were just determined to do it. They told me from the beginning of the year that they were winning Shorelines. They were goal-focused all year long. They had their eye on the prize.”