Megan Kramer’s athletic plans changed after her older sister, Emily, introduced her to field hockey in elementary school.
Kramer grew up playing softball and always thought she’d take that sport to college, but thanks to Emily’s influence, she fell in love with field hockey. Kramer followed Emily into the West Windsor-Plainsboro High South field hockey program, and she intends to follow her into college field hockey next year.
Kramer’s passion for field hockey grew with each year. She shifted away from other athletic pursuits and made a jump in middle school to invest full-time in field hockey.
“After the seventh grade field hockey season going into eighth grade, I wanted to get better at field hockey and I signed up for more,” Kramer said. “I looked up local teams and I found Princeton (Field Hockey Club). I liked the faster paced game and more of a physical game, rather than a mental game. It’s more demanding physically. And a lot of my friends play. Most of my friend group plays, which makes it more fun.”
To develop her skill set, Kramer took advantage of having a talented sister, who after excelling as goalkeeper at WW-P South went on to play four years at Ramapo College.
“When I was in middle school, I’d drag her out to the turf field to practice together,” Kramer said. “I probably wasn’t much competition for her.”
Kramer’s offensive skills benefitted and Emily didn’t seem hurt by the practice. After graduating from Ramapo this spring, Emily has returned to WW-P South as a volunteer assistant with goalkeepers while Kramer will move from a defensive role that she took on for the team the last two years to her more natural center midfield position.
“Megan has been one of our strongest players,” said third-year head coach Laura McCormick. “Last year, we needed her back on the left back position because that’s the hardest position to play. It kind of took away from our offensive transitioning because we also needed her scoring and attacking. This year, we are able to put her in the center where she belongs. There’s already a change in our offense. She’s supporting the ball always, she’s always in every play. I think that’s important… Overall, she’s a good leader. Everyone looks up to her.”
Kramer is looking forward to contributing more at the offensive end in the flow of play. She played forward as a freshman for the Pirates varsity before helping defensively in each of the last two years. At left back, she bolstered the defense at some cost to her offensive contributions.
“I don’t think it’d be my first choice of position,” Kramer said. “It was a new position. I hadn’t played it in club. I’ve always been a midfielder or forward. That’s where she said she needed me most so I was fine playing there. I was still up on offensive corners and trying to support my midfielders when I could.”
Kramer, though, worried about pushing too far forward at the risk of getting out of position. After sliding up from the defensive line to midfield, it will be easier to get into the attack and jumpstart the offense while still working back to help defensively.
“I like being able to really get the ball in the midfield and send big balls up to the forwards up top,” Kramer said. “There’s a lot of trust up there with our forwards.”
The preseason gave the Pirates encouragement that their offense looks more potent than a year ago when a lack of offense led to just two wins on the season. Seniors Janie Klugerman and Courtney Kobus and juniors Adela Agnew and Anne-Charlotte Frotte have found a chemistry together early up top.
“I think a lot of people really stepped up,” Kramer said. “We have a really strong forward line. We’ve had a lot of good connection. There’s a good positive environment at practice. Everyone is coming together to finish. Everyone is working to put things on goal and dominate these games.”
In the back, the Pirates return goalie Alexis Esi. The junior gives WW-P South a reliable starting point defensively.
“She stepped up big for us last year,” Kramer said. “She’ll be a big part of our success. Everyone is confident in her. That translates to our defense.”
The defense has been reconfigured, and the Pirates have new personnel playing the midfield and defensive lines. Junior Leah Churinskas, who played left midfielder last year, will take over at the left back spot that Kramer played last year. Her development has a domino effect and enables Kramer to move to center mid where she can tie together the field.
“Megan’s someone you need on-ball at all times,” McCormick said. “That’s asking a lot from a player. In that center position, you don’t really have a choice. You’re going to be in every play. And even when she’s not exactly on ball, she’s telling people where they need to be—‘Step up here, slide over, push up, I got it.’ She takes control and she doesn’t hesitate, which is what you need on the field—you need someone to just do it. I think that’s transitioning not just with her, but with every player. They’re starting to take the ball faster.”
What separates Kramer from many high school players is her years of experience, McCormick said. She got an earlier start in the game and has been playing year-round for more than four years.
“Knowing the mindset of field hockey is big,” McCormick said. “You could have so much skill but not really understand the concept and how to help the team, but she’s definitely a team player. She knows you can’t do it alone and you’re only going to be good and successful if you use all the players on the field.”
Led by a huge senior class, expectations have grown for the Pirates. They have 14 seniors on this year’s roster.
“All of them are extremely important,” McCormick said. “They all have a good position for the field. We do have a couple juniors that have stepped up and some sophomores who have stepped up. We are carrying a heavy senior class and they have those four years of experience and they’re not like first-year players. They’ve been in the program. We’re definitely on track for success.”
Three straight shutouts in preseason scrimmages helped reassure WW-P South that it will be improved this year thanks to its new look and new lineup.
“It was definitely a change, but it was a very welcome change,” Kramer said. “All of us knew we needed some different strategies and different lines. We didn’t have the most successful year, and so we wanted to change. We have 14 seniors. We wanted to do well for our last year and be good role models.”
WW-P South was scheduled to start the year Sept. 11 at Robbinsville. Kramer is hoping it’s the start of a successful season. She feels set up to succeed with a motivated class surrounding her and having the chance at her natural position in the center of all the action.
“I feel like I can contribute more to the team,” Kramer said. “I feel stronger there.”
Kramer hopes next year to follow her passion for field hockey to Johnson and Wales University, where she plans to study nutrition. In the meantime, she is trying to keep WW-P South hungry to improve.
“If things don’t go our way, we need to stay positive and keep working hard,” she said. “Our theme in practice is keep an eye on the little things and keep working hard and trusting each other and doing what we’re doing.”
