We believe that successful programs are painstakingly detail-oriented in training and preparation for all competition. Our coaching staff approaches each practice with the purpose of stimulating a hunger to improve. We believe that fostering this desire will help shape our student-athletes into successful, positive competitors who will play hard for one another. Excellence is always the goal, and with high standards will come a successful program.

We achieve this by focusing on these aspects of the game and our players:

• Tactical: This component helps the player fit into the team and program. We aim to create intelligent players capable of adapting to the constantly changing circumstances of competition.
• Technical: All team players must be individually competent and proficient in the most essential skills for each position. For example, a central midfield player needs techniques and expertise different from an outside back.
• Physical: Strong and resilient players will provide significant advantages to the team. A tired player will need help to think correctly and is prone to commit more errors.
• Psychosocial: The human being is often affected by their emotions. We will train our players to use these emotions to their advantage and turn them into strengths and not weaknesses.

Leading with Values

Our program has a set of core values that guide our team members, help us set goals and priorities, and evaluate our program.
We encourage

• Relational Leadership
• Servant Leadership
• Speaking the Truth
• Living with Integrity

Player-Focused Philosophy

• Maximizing player development while they enjoy the game is essential to our player development plan.
• An attacking style of play is the best path for learning and development. In order to develop creative players, freedom of expression is key.
• Players need to learn from their mistakes, and we encourage them to try again and give them the opportunity to do so.
• Our philosophy sees the team in variations of a 4-3-3 system of play as the best format in which to develop our players. Within this formation, roles can be clearly outlined, and there is a greater set of options for passing and ball retention, which facilitates learning and provides flexibility in attacking and defending.

The mission of the Westtown Field Hockey Program is to develop a successful field hockey team and to empower our student-athletes to be good community members. Through their field hockey experience, athletes learn to be team players, work hard, persevere through adversity, build confidence, and grow as individuals on and off the field. We hope each player walks away with positive experiences and skills that go further than just what a scoreboard or statistics can reflect.

In our program, consistency is crucial: consistency in our expectations of our players, consistency in our preparation for practices and games, and continuously growing as a coaching staff by learning as much as we can about our players and the game. We have a player-centered approach to coaching. We want our players to be able to assess, solve problems, and respond independently and as a team. Actively involving our players in the learning process is key, and we challenge them to self-correct, solve tactical problems, and challenge them in decision-making. A good mindset and confidence are an essential part of the game and aid in the success of the team’s season.

How We Train

• Warm-up and dynamic stretching
• Team review of practice and goals to be accomplished
• Stickwork, captain-led shuttles, and flow drill
• Break up into lines for position-specific skill development drills
• Small-sided games and drills
• Scrimmage and offensive/defensive corners to end

Practices are held on weekdays, with flow-through practices the day before games

Player-Focused Philosophy

Specific positive feedback and directive practice are vital in player development. It’s essential to tell players exactly what they are doing well and provide detailed instructions on what to improve and the steps to do it. We believe in the importance of celebrating team and individual small victories just as much as the big ones and always vocalize our belief and recognition of the potential in each athlete. Aside from practice, other tools used for development include player notebooks, game films, and team chalk talk meetings.

The Westtown Cross Country coaching philosophy puts the health and development of our athletes’ physical, mental, and spiritual well-being before all else. We also prioritize fun, teamwork, sportsmanship, and integrity in every practice and race. This focus leads not only to a joy in running that can be lifelong but also has led the team to consistent success over the years. We believe competition is only one part of what inspires our runners to spend the effort in training necessary to achieve excellence. Equally important are the intrinsic values of building fitness, discovering the world outdoors, and the support, camaraderie, and mentorship teammates provide each other. Throughout Westtown’s three-season distance running program, we strive to create a nurturing environment that empowers our student-athletes to become well-rounded individuals who positively contribute to their teams and communities.

How We Train

A typical day with the cross country team begins under our cool shade tree, where we may briefly share personal records and scores from the recent meet. Then, the captains take the team on a warmup run and follow it with dynamic stretches. After that, we often do a long aerobic run on campus or in nearby neighborhoods; other days, the runners are challenged with speed work on the track, hills, or fields. With two full 5K courses on campus, there is no shortage of trails available for distance runs. Varsity and JV runners might cover 4-6 miles on a typical day at various paces while developing athletes are encouraged to build up their volume gradually to discourage injuries. Occasionally, the team can be found playing an aerobically challenging game with a ball or Frisbee. At the close of practice, the team gathers for debriefing, static stretches, and core work before dismissing with a team cheer.

Player-Focused Philosophy

Health and fitness are our priorities. We understand that distance running is a long game and that many athletes will encounter injury at some time in their careers. Running is also a mentally difficult activity to learn to enjoy. For new runners, the priority is building up the aerobic and mental strength to engage in the full workouts gradually; often, new runners see a dramatic improvement in competition as their fitness rapidly grows. For varsity runners, the focus is on finding the right mixture of distance, speed, and rest to increase speed throughout the season and run their best at culminating championship meets. We also cultivate a team focus by running in “packs” during practice and meets and relying on teammates for pacing, drafting, and encouragement. Captains and other student team leaders are crucial in developing team culture, identifying individuals needing mentorship and navigating routes. An important aspect of the team is recognizing personal achievements—every athlete who earns a “PR” (personal record) in a meet is celebrated vocally as the group—and the accomplishments earned by the Varsity and JV teams.