Leading Hopedale Further Into the Tournament
By Christopher Tremblay
Staff Sports Writer
Over the past two seasons, the Hopedale field hockey team has managed to secure a number 18 seed in the Division 4 State Tournament.
Unfortunately, both times the Blue Raiders were sent home in the first round by Frontier Regional (2021) and Manchester Essex (2022). Senior captain Amma Gosselin is hoping to put an end to the first round exit this season.
“The last two years were sort of a rebuilding phase as we lost a lot of talented players,” Gosselin said. “This year just might be the year that we can go further into the tournament as we are having a much more successful season so far (Hopedale was 4-1-3 at the time of this writing) and playing well as a team.”
Gosselin is also a second-year captain for the field hockey team and believes that if she can leave a positive impression on the younger girls the team will be successful.
“Last year we only had one senior so there was not a lot of choices for captain, but my teammates thought that I had the experience to take on the role and voted me in,” she said. “As a captain I am trying to be a role model for the younger girls, while giving them positive feedback allowing them to play in a positive environment.”
According to Coach Shelly Hynes, Gosselin is a leader both on and off the field and is one of the best players in the Dual Valley Conference in her opinion, thus the team’s confidence in her being named a captain for the second straight season.
In addition to playing field hockey for the Blue Raiders, the senior also steps onto the basketball court and the lacrosse field. Although a three-sport athlete, Gosselin prefers field hockey as her top sport.
Field hockey wasn’t even on her radar until she entered Hopedale Jr/Sr High School as a seventh grader. It was here that the then-soccer player decided that she wanted to change things up and look for something different. With her mother having played field hockey, Gosselin opted to try the sport out.
Almost immediately she found that she really enjoyed the sport as it was exciting, and she was enjoying it much more than soccer. Despite being new to the sport, she found that she was able to pick up the sport rather quickly and although making the junior varsity team that year, she was excited to venture into a new era on the athletic field. The following year she would earn a spot on the varsity squad as a center-midfielder.
“I was definitely a little bit nervous that year playing with the older girls on the varsity team, being the only 8th grader on the team,” Gosselin said. “But they were all super nice and welcoming. I made a lot of friends on the field hockey team.”
Her first game found her in the sweeper position, but Hynes quickly moved her to the center of the field where she has been ever since.
“I needed an athletic, strong, fast and in shape individual to play center midfield and she rose to the occasion,” the Hopedale Coach said. “She can still score some goals, but she’s better at defending corners and delivering balls to the forwards. She is everywhere on the field and that’s what we need from her.”
That season, although only an eighth grader, Gosselin realized that she had a talent to play the sport while making a difference. As she enters her fifth and final season with the varsity team the senior has seen her game grow in so many ways.
“The biggest thing is that my confidence level has grown over the years. Originally, I doubted myself and was someone who didn’t want to shoot the ball,” she said. “I was young, laid back and nervous. I didn’t wat to disappoint the older girls. As I grow into an upper classman my confidence changed and I began to shoot more.”
Although she sees herself as one who will get more assists than goals, she is trying to put a few balls into the opposition’s net.
As Hopedale continues to strive under the tutelage of Gosselin, the senior wants to take the field and play as hard as she can for the team allowing them to be successful. If they continue to play successful field hockey, then hopefully they will get a higher seeding this fall and be able to make a run through the Division 4 Tournament leaving Gosselin with an accomplished final season playing for the Hopedale field hockey team.
Staff Sports Writer
Over the past two seasons, the Hopedale field hockey team has managed to secure a number 18 seed in the Division 4 State Tournament.
Unfortunately, both times the Blue Raiders were sent home in the first round by Frontier Regional (2021) and Manchester Essex (2022). Senior captain Amma Gosselin is hoping to put an end to the first round exit this season.
“The last two years were sort of a rebuilding phase as we lost a lot of talented players,” Gosselin said. “This year just might be the year that we can go further into the tournament as we are having a much more successful season so far (Hopedale was 4-1-3 at the time of this writing) and playing well as a team.”
Gosselin is also a second-year captain for the field hockey team and believes that if she can leave a positive impression on the younger girls the team will be successful.
“Last year we only had one senior so there was not a lot of choices for captain, but my teammates thought that I had the experience to take on the role and voted me in,” she said. “As a captain I am trying to be a role model for the younger girls, while giving them positive feedback allowing them to play in a positive environment.”
According to Coach Shelly Hynes, Gosselin is a leader both on and off the field and is one of the best players in the Dual Valley Conference in her opinion, thus the team’s confidence in her being named a captain for the second straight season.
In addition to playing field hockey for the Blue Raiders, the senior also steps onto the basketball court and the lacrosse field. Although a three-sport athlete, Gosselin prefers field hockey as her top sport.
Field hockey wasn’t even on her radar until she entered Hopedale Jr/Sr High School as a seventh grader. It was here that the then-soccer player decided that she wanted to change things up and look for something different. With her mother having played field hockey, Gosselin opted to try the sport out.
Almost immediately she found that she really enjoyed the sport as it was exciting, and she was enjoying it much more than soccer. Despite being new to the sport, she found that she was able to pick up the sport rather quickly and although making the junior varsity team that year, she was excited to venture into a new era on the athletic field. The following year she would earn a spot on the varsity squad as a center-midfielder.
“I was definitely a little bit nervous that year playing with the older girls on the varsity team, being the only 8th grader on the team,” Gosselin said. “But they were all super nice and welcoming. I made a lot of friends on the field hockey team.”
Her first game found her in the sweeper position, but Hynes quickly moved her to the center of the field where she has been ever since.
“I needed an athletic, strong, fast and in shape individual to play center midfield and she rose to the occasion,” the Hopedale Coach said. “She can still score some goals, but she’s better at defending corners and delivering balls to the forwards. She is everywhere on the field and that’s what we need from her.”
That season, although only an eighth grader, Gosselin realized that she had a talent to play the sport while making a difference. As she enters her fifth and final season with the varsity team the senior has seen her game grow in so many ways.
“The biggest thing is that my confidence level has grown over the years. Originally, I doubted myself and was someone who didn’t want to shoot the ball,” she said. “I was young, laid back and nervous. I didn’t wat to disappoint the older girls. As I grow into an upper classman my confidence changed and I began to shoot more.”
Although she sees herself as one who will get more assists than goals, she is trying to put a few balls into the opposition’s net.
As Hopedale continues to strive under the tutelage of Gosselin, the senior wants to take the field and play as hard as she can for the team allowing them to be successful. If they continue to play successful field hockey, then hopefully they will get a higher seeding this fall and be able to make a run through the Division 4 Tournament leaving Gosselin with an accomplished final season playing for the Hopedale field hockey team.
