The field hockey season has begun under leadership of second-year head coach Darcy Pinchbeck. After winning their first game 4-1, they lost 9-0 to Great Bridge. Despite being shut out, Pinchbeck was proud of her team’s effort.

“I don’t think the score represented how hard the girls played,” Pinchbeck said. “The team did their best job of doing what they could. I don’t want them discouraged; they played hard.”

This is the second year under Pinchbeck’s direction, so she is seeing her team grow right before her eyes. As a whole, Pinchbeck feels her team has been progressing through the offseason and through the two games they have played so far. King’s Fork understands that they have work to do to improve.

“We have an inexperienced team this year,” said Pinchbeck. “This is only my second year with them as well. So my expectations for them are to just continue to grow. As a coach, I want to get the best out of them.”

While the Bulldogs continue to grow with their coach and with each other, that is not changing the team goals they have. At the end of the season, they want to be in the conference tournament and to say they were better at the end of the season than they were going into it.

The Lady Bulldogs will get significant contribution from Lauren Park and Anaya Godfrey. Amber Suits will also be counted on by the team to produce.

“I expect them to step up as the more experienced players,” Pinchbeck said. “Their leadership will help with the less experienced players.”

“Field hockey is a hard sport,” Pinchbeck said. “Committing ourselves to being in the best shape and committing ourselves to be the best we can be will help us in the long run.”

Technique and skills are two important topics that Pinchbeck tries to push.

“I try to coach technique and skills,” Pinchbeck said. “Our team will build confidence when we continue to improve our technique and our skills. They will take you a long way.”

Next for the Lady Bulldogs is a match at Western Branch at 5:15 p.m. Sept. 7.