Nottingham High field hockey goalie Amanda Muziani carefully watches the action during a 6-0 loss to Ewing Oct. 15, 2012. (Staff photo by Rob Anthes.)
It’s not easy being a sitting duck.
Or, in this case, a standing Northstar.
But despite the fact she is facing nearly 30 shots per game, Amanda Muziani loves playing goalie for the Nottingham High School field hockey team.
“This season has been fun but a lot of hard work at the same time,” the junior said. “But yes, it is fun for me. I love all the action.
“It’s a lot of pressure to make sure I stop every ball but my defense is great. They do whatever they can to help me out. I think a goalie should always have that attitude.”
It is definitely the kind of mindset needed when facing as many shots as Muziani has for the Northstars, who won their first game of the year Oct. 18 by besting Hamilton, 1-0, during the Mercer County Tournament play-in game. The junior goalie was averaging nearly 23 saves per game and took every goal personally.
“Amanda has a personality in which she aims to please,” Nottingham field hockey coach Jen Cicale said. “She hates to let anyone down, especially her teammates. Any goal she allows affects her. But she is growing more every day as a student-athlete, maturing and learning how to handle herself in all situations and aspects of the game.”
Like most field hockey players in Hamilton Township, Muziani got started late in life. It wasn’t until former Nottingham coach Lindsey McKenna went to the middle schools on a recruiting trip that she gave it a whirl.
“She came to Crockett to talk about the sport in eighth grade, and I decided I wanted to play,” Muziani said. “I decided to be a goalie my freshman year when they were looking for a goalie and no one else wanted to be it.”
It’s easy to see why. For some reason players aren’t thrilled with having hard plastic balls zipping at them during games and practices, no matter how much protection they have. But Muziani tossed herself into it with fearless abandon.
“Amanda is very aggressive and will throw her body all over the place in order to make a save,” Cicale said. “Amanda will come out to balls instead of waiting for a shot, beating the offense to the ball, and she has strong clears.”
Making saves and having good reflexes is only part of the job, however. In order for a goalie to make things easier for themselves, they need to organize the defense in front of them with solid communication.
That may have been Muziani’s biggest weakness at the start.
“Amanda has improved this year more vocally,” Cicale said. “Last year, she had great games for us with numerous saves. But our goal was for Amanda to become a leader of the defense, take control of her players, make sure girls are marked, and clearing Amanda’s line of vision when she cannot see.”
The proof that she is doing that is in the decibel level.
“She has come a long way,” Cicale said. “Last year, I would ask Amanda if she called out unmarked players, she would respond yes. This year I can actually hear her. I no longer have to ask.”
Muziani is actually looking to develop the whole package – vocal and physical skills.
“I think communication with your defenders is extremely important and so is having good reflexes,” she said. “You also want to know how to position yourself to cut off the angle to make it harder for them to get the ball in the net. The biggest thing would have to be knowing where the ball is coming from and getting in the perfect position to block the shot.”
Muziani’s improvement has basically come from playing during the season. She hopes to attend a goaltender’s camp to sharpen her skills, and Cicale is actually wishing for that as well.
“I think Amanda has great potential as a goalie,” the coach said. “My hopes are to get Amanda out to some camps this summer so she can focus on one-on-one training and we can find out what she is really made of her senior year.”
She showed quite a bit this year, not just with her ability, but with her spirit. It would be easy to get down when the losses mount, but Muziani feels that she and the Northstars still enjoy what they’re doing.
“It is hard not being able to come away with some wins and it hurts when there are all these tough losses,” she said. “But we all love the game and no matter how the score turns out we always play our hardest. It is so much fun for all of us.
“My team and my coach are amazing. My team plays with so much heart and we are always giving it our all no matter what. My coach is the best. She does whatever she can to help us. I wouldn’t want to play for anyone else.”
And when it comes to a goalie who gives her all no matter what the circumstances, Cicale wouldn’t want anyone else.
