This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
12/11/2022 02:05 PMIn field hockey, Ellie Wieland loves both the fire that one needs to compete at the highest level, along with the familial atmosphere that can come with it. She used both her passion and pride for her squad to be part of an historic run for the Branford field hockey program in 2022.
The junior midfielder first picked up a stick in fourth grade when she attended a field hockey clinic run by former Branford coaches Cathy and John McGuirk. Ellie took to the sport right from there and never looked back, eventually becoming a standout performer at the high school level.
This past fall, Ellie was a club contributor to a Hornets’ squad that made the SCC Tournament Final and captured their first state title since 2005 with an overall record of 16-5-1-1. Ellie helped out a defense that pitched four-straight 1-0 shutouts in the Class M State Tournament and 13 blankings in total for the regular and postseason.
“I love field hockey because of the team aspect; it is a real family to me,” says Ellie. “I love playing with this team and the energy on the field. Putting a lot of effort into the game was big for me. Playing this year, it was about a big step up in stickhandling and conditioning. We needed to put in the effort and we did it. A big part of us winning states was being well conditioned.”
Ellie is elated when it comes to playing her position in the middle of the field, because it creates a dynamic duality in terms of her obligations within the game. She additionally enjoys when all tiers of the turf come together to produce the perfect point.
“Midfield is a really fun, energetic position, because you play offense and defense while running the whole 100 yards of the field,” Ellie says. “It is fun to be part of defending and scoring. It is fun to see a passing sequence that sees the ball go from the defenders, to the midfield, to a corner that ends up as a goal, which was how a lot of our goals were scored this year.”
Through being a focal point on the field and being in constant contact with both sides of the ball, Ellie has additionally picked up her voice with guiding her teammates and directing them in critical spots of a contest.
“I think playing field hockey here has brought out a lot of leadership in me. It gave me another step in having a voice and power on the field,” says Ellie. “I am looking forward to senior year, because I look at past leaders on this team and how they led and how it reflected on me. I feel I have developed as a vocal and physical leader, and I am excited for next year.”
Branford field hockey Head Coach Pete Frye knows all too well that midfielders are often the unsung heroes of the sport, but Ellie brings the perfect pride and passion for the position.
“Midfielders are the thankless people on a field hockey team. They do most of the heavy lifting, moving the ball down the field, and the forwards get the glory of scoring, “ says Frye. “However, most coaches know the team that has the better midfielders will probably come out victorious. Ellie brings a special energy to our team. She is a very athletic and aggressive defender. Her skills really blossomed this year, and she was a huge contributor to a defense that didn’t allow a goal in states. Already one of the better defenders in the state, we expect her to take over the middle of the field and reach that next level next year.”
Still in reflection of a storybook season for Ellie’s junior campaign, she recalls that losing the SCC Tournament final late and in devastating fashion was actually the catalyst towards the state crown. It was paramount in helping the Hornets overcome the obstacles and harness the ability to go the extra mile.
“This team was a bond I never experienced before this year. It was a tight-knit group of girls who would pick each other up,” Ellie says. “We lost the SCC final in the last 30 seconds of the game. It was upsetting, but we picked ourselves up. The drive we got after SCCs motivated us. One of the biggest parts of us winning states was being more conditioned, which allowed us to be able to finish off those 1-0 games in states. We knew the game was not over until the buzzer went off.”
Ellie and the Branford Hornets are primed and ready to defend their newfound throne a year from now in her senior season. She describes that it will take the same intangibles, intensity, and integrity to add to the Hornets’ trophy case in 2023.
“We want to carry over winning states next year and come in with a lot of energy,” says Ellie. “One of my main goals is to help bring in a lot of underclassmen and have seniors step up. We have to carry the success over to next year with the same energy, mindset, and conditioning.”