Kristen McVaugh, the Head Coach of Deerfield’s Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey team, joined Deerfield in 2009 and has been a significant figure in the field hockey program throughout her time in the valley. She came to Deerfield after graduating from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where she played field hockey for four years. In addition to coaching at Deerfield, Coach McVaugh also teaches math and economics.
Game days are the highlights of the week for varsity players and fans alike, as many games count towards qualifying for League Championships and improving on past season records is a big goal for many programs.
But how do coaches prepare for game day? Coach McVaugh starts her Saturdays with a run. She also enjoys running with Mr. Emerson, Ms. Washburn, and Ms. Rivellino-Lyons. When Coach McVaugh gets back from her run she typically has breakfast with her kids, often waffles or pancakes.
Coach McVaugh shared that after breakfast she enjoys, “just hanging out with [her] kids as they find joy in the little things that they do.” For lunch, Coach McVaugh and her family eat at the dining hall, where she particularly enjoys seeing the field hockey team eating together.
When the time comes to gather in the locker room and have a pre-game conversation with the team, Coach McVaugh says she tries to “think about the game and what she wants to say to the team before they go onto the field.”
On game day, unlike many other Deerfield coaches, Coach McVaugh does not have any pregame superstitions. As a player, she recounted that she always used to straighten her hair and eat the same thing for breakfast. However, as a coach she hopes that rather than feeling that she needs to wish for luck, she will feel as though “she has done all that she can to prepare the team for the game day.”
When it comes to the actual game, Coach McVaugh believes it’s all about the team and leaves the focus on them. She interferes only when needed, such as when managing the subs and line up, dealing with medical emergencies and problems that may arise, and calling corner plays.
Overall Coach McVaugh finds Saturday to be the easier game day compared to Wednesday because she only has to focus on her role as a coach, rather than “transitioning between being a coach and a teacher.”
Coach McVaugh is looking forward to Varsity Field Hockey’s next home game on October 5th against NMH.