This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
10/14/2021 12:00 AMWhile she enjoyed participating in ballet for 10 years, Catherine Bianchi always dreamed of competing in a team sport for her school. Catherine got that opportunity as a freshman with the North Haven field hockey team last year and is now a starting varsity forward in her sophomore season.
“Before high school, field hockey wasn’t offered in North Haven. I did ballet for 10 years until 8th grade,” says Catherine. “When I was doing ballet, I always wanted to get involved in a school sport with a team. I tried soccer and swimming, but I wasn’t really committed to them. But then I tried field hockey.”
Catherine spent most of her freshman campaign playing JV, but still saw time as a varsity sub and wound up getting her first varsity start in a late-season game against Hamden. Playing high school field hockey was a trepidatious situation at first, but with a little help from her teammates and coaches, Catherine started to feel more comfortable on the field.
“The first season was a little scary, honestly. But my coaches were really helpful, and all the girls were really encouraging,” Catherine says. “I remember the first game I started with varsity, it was much different than a JV game. The ball moved a lot faster. But the girls really helped me out, and it went pretty well.”
Catherine was promoted to the varsity roster on a full-time basis heading into her sophomore season and is currently starting on the wing as a forward. With a year of field hockey experience under her belt, Catherine felt prepared to take on a starting role. Now, whenever she suits up for North Haven, Catherine knows that she belongs at the varsity level.
“I haven’t played a JV game this year, so I feel like varsity is just the level I’m at now,” says Catherine. “I wasn’t really as nervous anymore. I felt just ready to go into a varsity game this season.”
Catherine has scored six goals for North Haven this year. Catherine plays the left-side wing position, and most of her goals have come from the side of the net. Whenever she gets one past the goalie, Catherine feels excited not just for herself, but also because she knows she’s increasing North Haven’s chances of getting the victory.
“When I score, it’s a really good feeling,” Catherine says. “I feel a lot of relief. I feel like I just helped my team get closer to a win.”
While she no longer competes for the JV squad, Catherine still attends all of the team’s practices, because she wants to get in as many reps as possible and continue improving her game. That extra effort hasn’t gone unnoticed by Head Coach Kim Bouffard. Coach Bouffard says the sophomore forward has become a key player for North Haven with her goal-scoring skills and is always striving to get better.
“Catherine is a sophomore starting varsity player that leads the team in goals,” says Bouffard. “She works hard at her skills daily. She is a team player and a great kid to coach.”
In addition to field hockey, Catherine also joined North Haven’s girls’ lacrosse team as a freshman. In her first year, Catherine primarily played for North Haven’s froshmore squad, which features both freshmen and sophomores, while also seeing a bit of playing time with the JV team. While both field hockey and lacrosse have their own unique rules, Catherine feels that the similarities between the two have contributed to her overall growth as an athlete.
“I feel like they’re pretty similar sports. We stand on the field the same way. I have the same communication skills. Running to the goal is the same,” Catherine says. “There are definitely different parts to each game, but I like playing both. It gives me a good variety.”
Only a sophomore, Catherine’s journey through the field hockey world is just getting started. Catherine is honored to play field hockey for her high school and says that competing for the varsity team is still a surreal feeling.
“Being a varsity player is amazing. I didn’t really think I would be in this position last year,” says Catherine. “I wasn’t sure what sport I wanted to play, and I never thought I would be in the spot I am today. It’s pretty awesome.”