With the start of a new school year comes a new addition to the sports lineup at George Mason High School. After two years of play as a club sport, and as an indication of the increasing popularity of girls field hockey locally, Mason High for the first time will boast both varsity and junior varsity girls field hockey teams this fall.
Leading the varsity squad is head coach Amanda Crider, a recent graduate of the University of Virginia who played goalie for four years on a Division 1 Cavaliers field hockey team that advanced to two Final Fours. Kaitlyn Jones, a former high school field hockey player and current Mount Daniel School teacher, helms the JV team.
Mason will be able to fill two full squads, with a total of 42 players on varsity and JV (including several eighth graders).
The Mustangs’ preseason provided solid preparation for the upcoming season in the form of scrimmages against two AAA schools: The Mustangs faced the Wolverines of West Potomac High School on Aug. 20 and took on the Jaguars of Falls Church High School on Aug. 22. The varsity and JV teams both performed well against these larger schools, which also have more established field hockey programs.
The Mustangs’ first game of their inaugural season is an away game against Bishop O’Connell High School next Tuesday, Sept. 3, with varsity playing at 4 p.m. followed by JV at 5:30 p.m. The ‘Stangs will take on Patriot High School in the first home field hockey games ever played at Mason High next Thursday, Sept. 5. The action begins with the JV game at 6 p.m. followed by varsity at 7:30 p.m.
The Mustangs’ complete fall 2013 field hockey game schedule can be viewed at masonathletics.org.
