Post Game Pride

Getting A Glimpse of Norwalk Field Hockey’s Post Game Tradition

Post+Game+Pride

In every game of the season Norwalk high field hockey coach, Coach Seaburg gives the title of “Player of the Game” (POG) to one of the girls at the end of the game in the final huddle. What does it mean to the players to get or be the player of the game?

We asked Coach Seaburg why did he start the title “Player of the Game” ? He responded with, “ I honestly don’t know when we started, it started years ago, someone stepped up and deserved the title as The player of the game.”  And also asked, “what does it take for one of your players to get the title ‘Player of the Game’.” and he said that, “All the coaches gather up and decide who should be the POG, we look for someone that contributed a lot during that game and a player that kinda stepped it up and helped the team to get the win”

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After the game we all guess who we think is gonna be the Player of the Game, and it’s exciting to know who it is

— Ava Salvati

To get a POG’s perspective we asked varsity captain, junior Ava Salvati, about the initial feeling when you’re announced as POG and she responded saying, “It’s exciting because it shows how much we practiced and how much better we got during every practice before the game and to earn it you have to go 100 percent and give it all you got for the entire game. Also being there for your teammates and being supportive gets you to be the Player of the Game.” The title of POG  even has the ability to cause some friendly competition with each other according to Ava, “After the game we all guess who we think is gonna be the Player of the Game, and it’s exciting to know who it is, we also get a keychain if we get player of the game, so that puts more competition,” says Ava.  While junior Campbell Heatly, a midfielder/center for the Bears, “I do not see it as a competition with my teammates because we are all doing our best and I believe everyone should be recognized.”  Overall this sparkly, pink, emoji ball keychain “is more than just a keychain” says Coach Seaburg.  This keychain is a symbol of the well earned respect from you coaches. Field hockey players wear these keychains on their bags with pride, embodying the true honor it means to be POG.

POG creates a great mix of excitement, anticipation and creates motivation to work hard and play for the team, in midst of this honorable and rewarding title.