The Castleton field hockey team is looking to avenge last season’s promising but disappointing end to the LEC conference tournament. The Spartans lost a nail biter in the semifinals 2-1 to the eventual champs, the University of Southern Maine.

Coming into the season, the Spartans have both experience and some newness to the program. The team hired Alexis Ruiz as a graduate assistant this fall. Ruiz, from Long Island, New York, has always had a passion for coaching and wanted to find the correct fit as she searched for a program.

“I wanted to continue my passion in coaching and I liked what Castleton field hockey had to offer. Their culture on the team, the girls all bonding together as a whole and making it far into the postseason within the conference,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz has always wanted to have some coaching experience under her belt because she feels that field hockey isn’t prioritized a ton post college career in the United States. That’s why coaching has always been at the forefront of her mind because of her passion for winning and being a part of a field hockey program.

Transitioning from player to coach can be a challenge and Ruiz has recognized some of the adjustments she’s needed to make.

“Understanding that coaching is different from playing at the Division 3 level,” Ruiz said. “Having different expectations as a player as opposed to a coach is different because you must understand how to speak to players and get the best out of them.”

With the adjustments Ruiz has made, she’s also learned a lot from head coach Emily Douglas. Douglas was a big reason why Ruiz decided to take the job, and she’s gravitated towards Douglas through her coaching style.

“Coach Douglas’ winning mindset and determination for the team’s end goal has been encouraging to see,” Ruiz said. “The conditioning everyday was a shock to me because not many sports teams do that here so seeing that helps me understand her expectations for the team.”

Coach Douglas has developed a well-established culture with the team competing late into the postseason for two consecutive years. Douglas has high expectations for the team as they look to build upon what they’ve created.

“There’s a lot of hunger within the team. We learned that we need consistency in every game,” Douglas said. “Last season we played a little inconsistent and it hurt us so this year we understand where we should be and we’re working towards getting there.”

The team graduated a handful of upperclassmen, most notably Emily Harris, but Douglas is confident in the returners and the incoming first year players the team has assembled.

“I’m excited for this freshman class, it’s the biggest freshman class we’ve had. The freshmen have done a good job of adapting to the college game and they’ve come in ready to learn,” Douglas said. “They’ve done a good job of stepping in and knowing what they need to do so yes we’re starting to rebuild but still focusing on winning.”

Senior Haley Lassen has been around for a while and as a contributing player for the program. Lassen has gotten a chance to see the development of the program and been appreciative of Douglas.

“Even though it’s hard I love how much Coach Douglas pushes us even though I don’t like it at times, but it maximizes my ability and pushes us to max out our potential,” Lassen said.

Douglas’s diligent approach has allowed the program to evolve.

“We won’t tolerate negativity towards our teammates or coaches, so it forces us to become close as we push each other on and off the field,” Lassen said. “The connection and hunger we have to win it all has also allowed us to be together.”

As a leader Lassen, looks to continue to lead by example by supporting her teammates and making connections on and off the field. Lassen understands that seniority comes with a challenge but it’s a challenge she’s looking to take on.

“It feels weird being an older player, coming up in the program and to be the senior is good, but I try not to get caught up in it,” Lassen said. “Having seniority is a challenge, it forces you to dig deep and set an example for how things should be.”

The Spartans will look to build momentum throughout the next couple weeks as they continue out of conference play. They’ll look to establish more cohesiveness and consistency each game so they’re firing on all cylinders once conference play rolls around.