This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
11/01/2018 12:00 AMWhether she’s scoring a goal or setting up one of her teammates, Erickson Richard enjoys being a key contributor on offense for the Hand field hockey squad. A four-year varsity veteran, Erickson has been helping the Tigers produce plenty of her points during her final campaign as a member of the program.
Last year, Erickson was Hand’s leading goal scorer and made the All-SCC Second Team when Hand claimed both the SCC and Class M state titles. Now a senior captain, Erickson and her team haven’t skipped a beat this fall. So far, Erickson has scored five goals and dished out 10 assists for the Tigers, who went 10-4-2 for the regular season and are now in the midst of the playoff fray.
“I love scoring goals and even more so when others on the team score. I love getting in the circle and putting the ball in the net,” says Erickson, who plays both forward and midfielder. “Scoring goals is such a big part of what we are trying to do in the game, and it’s great when a goal occurs, because you don’t know if it will happen again in the game.”
Erickson plays a wing position for the Tigers’ offense and takes pride in finding an open teammate to work the ball up the field. However, Erickson also displays great endurance whenever she’s thrown into a defensive role at a moment’s notice.
“I love getting the ball up and passing it along. It’s great when people cut in front of me and I just pass it off,” Erickson says. “It can be tough sometimes getting back and helping on defense, because the ball can move quickly on the field.”
Head Coach Sue Leckey says that Erickson has been consistently stuffing the stat sheet through her tenure with the Tigers, but not because she’s seeking any individual glory. Instead, Erickson looks to contribute to the greater good of Hand’s attack in any way possible.
“Erickson loves the game of field hockey and has dedicated her high-school athletic career to being an impact player at the varsity level. She has been a key offensive playmaker for the past three seasons and is relied upon as a player that can make things happen in the game,” says Leckey. “Creating one-on-one opportunities towards goals is her favorite competitive situation to create. Erickson leads by example, and her love for the game is contagious.”
Erickson relishes getting those breakaways against the opposing goalkeeper. She always feels that she has the upper hand in that scenario.
“I like one-on-one, because I’m more in control and can move the goalie,” says Erickson, who is also a captain for the Hand girls’ golf team. “I feel I practice those situations so much, and I have control of the situation. I know I can do it, especially with all of the defense behind me.”
As a captain, Erickson’s approach goes beyond guiding the Tigers on the field. Erickson knows that so much of Hand’s success stems from the bonds that everyone on the squad forms outside of competition.
“It’s been an amazing run so far as captain. The seniors have been big leaders on this team,” Erickson says. “We’ve worked hard to make everyone feels comfortable, and we’ve gotten to know everyone. We want them to know we’re always there for them. I love every single girl here.”
After high school, Erickson plans on continuing her field hockey career at the collegiate level. Right now, though, her primary focus is helping Hand go on another memorable postseason run.
“We had a whole week of practices leading into the SCC Tournament. We grinded all week and our mentality has been to keep pushing and get better every day,” says Erickson. “We have to work on our passes and corners, but we’re going to keep growing.”