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09/08/2023 03:32 PMThroughout her tenure in the sport of field hockey, Julia Bozzi has had great success between the pipes throughout the town of Branford. And for her final foray with her long-standing squad mates, she will look to steward a successful state title defense for the Branford field hockey team.
The senior captain and netminder first started with the sport through youth clinics, run by former Hornets’ coaches John and Kathy McGuirk, before joining the Walsh Intermediate School squad in 6th grade and taking her talents to BHS.
Julia returns to the fold this fall as a senior captain, commanding the cage following an unforgettable 2022 postseason run for the Hornets that ended with them hoisting the Class M State Tournament crown after quadruple 1-0 victories in the bracket–completing 13 shutouts as a squad for the campaign.
“A big group of girls in my grade play the sport, and so it was a fun thing to do throughout both Walsh and Branford. I also enjoy the sport and playing for Branford, plus we have a great coaching staff,” says Julia. “What has helped me is staying in shape and putting in the work during the offseason. I realize practicing during the offseason really benefits you well for when the actual season comes around.”
The four shutouts during the states draw inevitably proved to be a personal exercise for Julia to show how much her mental maturation has blossomed, and she found her way through with incredible fortitude between the ears.
“For me, staying relaxed was something I had to work on for a while, because I used to get anxious or hot-headed when I let a goal in,” Julia says. “I had to learn to look past it if a goal went in and have the memory of a goldfish, as my coaches told me. All of that were things I took into consideration during states. Our defense also worked well together and we all stayed composed.”
After her rookie year, Julia assessed the situation and realized she had to unlock a new level of physical potential through dedication and persistence around the game away from the turf, while discovering how to not pressurize herself so much.
“Coming in as a freshman, I did not know what to expect. Yet I knew I had to work hard in the offseason going into my sophomore season,” says Julia. “Mentally, I was hard on myself as a freshman. I would work myself up, but then my coaches helped me figure out the right mindset.”
One of those crucial mental mentors along the sidelines for Julia is Hornets’ field hockey Head Coach Peter Frye. He has been with Julia from Day 1 of her freshman campaign, and has truly seen the machination of her maturation into a natural-born leader, through both swatting aside shots and supporting her squad.
“Julia was the starting goalie on our state championship team last year. She went unscored upon through all four state games. The goalie is a natural leader on the field, but Julia also has extended this to everything off the field as well,” says Frye. “Watching her grow from her freshman year to now has truly been breathtaking. We have a very talented incoming freshman goalie this year, and Julia is taking the role of mentor both on and off the field very seriously. Our program is very lucky to have people like Julia, who not only give their all during the current season, but also care deeply about the legacy they leave behind and the players who will represent the program after they leave.”
Taking on the captain’s mantle may seem like a daunting task as Julia and the Hornets go through final preseason preparations, though she could not think of better people to be alongside her for the undertaking.
“I was honored and proud when I was told I would be a captain. It was a bigger role and responsibility than I could imagine,” Julia says. “It is a lot of staying on top of things, but I want to be a good leader for the team and set good examples. Myself and the other captains have been working together nicely with the rest of the team.”
As a netminder, when inevitable miscues do occur, the spotlight can shine extra bright in Julia’s eyes. Still, she responds to that by getting right back up and being ready to make heart-stopping saves and directing traffic for the rest of the Hornets’ hive.
“The stress is tough with being a goalie. Everyone sees your mistakes as a goalie, and then you cannot make up for the mistake as easily as the field/position players can,” Julia says. “Directing the players on the field is a big part of it, too. You get to see the field better than others and can see where they should pass the ball.”
When it comes to Julia and Branford trying to replicate the incredible feat of a fall ago, it boils down to trying to bottle up that same magnetism and collective confidence the squad possessed back in 2022.
“We want to bring the same high energy and intensity and work as one like last year,” says Julia. “We were all super close with each other last season, and we hope to be the same this year. We lost some seniors, but we gained some good people who have been stepping up. We all just have to work together and really want it like we did last year.”