High School South field hockey has been a family affair for Laura McCormick for as long as she can remember.
McCormick, right, a 2011 graduate, played for the Pirates and returned to her alma mater this year as head coach of the varsity field hockey team.
But she wasn’t the first McCormick to take the field for South — or the last. Her mother, Kristen, played for the Pirates when she was in high school, and so did McCormick’s younger sisters, Sam and Katie. The twins, who currently play field hockey at American University, even got to share the field with McCormick during their freshman season when McCormick was a senior.
“I had my two sisters on the field, my two best friends,” she said. “Passing to them was strange because they were so young. But I’m glad I got to share that with them. It was the best year of my life.”
Kristen is a corporate collections manager and McCormick’s father, Stephen, is a vice president at World Wide Sales. McCormick, who also played basketball at South, said she was influenced to pick up field hockey by her mother, though once she started, she didn’t have to be told to continue.
“She was probably like, ‘Do this sport. It’s what I did,’” she said. “Honestly, I never second-guessed myself with what I wanted to do. It’s definitely the game I fell in love with.”
At South, McCormick, who is currently a substitute teacher throughout the district, was the team’s captain and MVP during her junior and senior seasons. She was named First Team Central Jersey Field Hockey Association and All-County those same years, and All-Area in her senior year.
She went on to play at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, but transferred to Rider University her sophomore year. With the Broncs, McCormick was a captain and a two-tome Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Academic honoree. She led the team in assists (6) during her senior season and was second in shots (34). She also earned MAAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Towson, which was head coach Lori Hussong’s 200th career win.
Coaching-wise, McCormick has led Jersey Intensity teams, as well as Edge field hockey squads. She also runs a camp in West Windsor every summer.
She said her coaching style was heavily influenced by Christine Cabarle, the former South coach for whom she is taking over.
“I’m definitely taking the fact that it’s not always just about the game, but it’s about becoming a family and understanding your family,” she said. “It’s being able to come back eight years later and wanting to be a part of the program again. [Cabarle] had the girls always coming back, and that’s what I want to continue: keep the girls coming home.”
Cabarle instilled that same desire in McCormick, too. “Leaving the program, I always knew I wanted to return because of [Cabarle]. Just coming in for her is the best feeling, that she knew she could trust me in this position. She was my coach for three years here, and she is now still one of my best friends.”
McCormick has been working with assistant coach Katie Lipsit, combining their ideas to figure out what’s best for the squad.
So far, they have determined that the Pirates are skilled individually — the goal is to bring them all together. McCormick expects midfielders Marisa Loury and Erin Sheets to step up.
“If we can make that one team and work off of each other, we’re going to be so successful,” she said.
For McCormick, though, being back on her home turf is already a success.
“I get to share the love of the game and have it grow,” she said. “I’ve been going through it since I’ve been in sixth grade. Seeing how the rules have changed constantly, it’s a fun game. It’s the best part of my day. I love that I’m close. It’s nice having a home on the field.”
#b#WW Rowers Win Gold Medals#/b#
The Mercer Rowing Club competed in the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in Saint Catherine’s, Ontario, last month and won nine gold medals. At last year’s meet, the club took home five gold medals.
The boys captured their first Henley gold medals ever in U17 eight plus coxswain and U17 four plus coxswain. Daniel Stoddard of West Windsor and Tyler Harris of Princeton Junction competed in eight plus, while Stoddard was also on the four plus crew.
Elise Gorberg and Eileen Hu, both of West Windsor, raced with the U23 lightweight women’s eight plus coxswain crew. Sara Hansen and Mia Barkenbush of West Windsor, as well as Caroline Galati of Princeton Junction, competed with the U17 women’s eight plus coxswain crew. Galati also placed with the U17 women’s plus four crew.
