Growing as a person

by Matthew Ondesko: Managing Editor

Just like that it’s over.

Time sure does fly by in a blink of an eye. At one point you are a freshman trying to find your way around campus, in a new town. Now you are getting ready to graduate with a degree in hand, waiting to see what the world has in store for you.

It has been quite the journey for Slippery Rock field hockey senior Haley Metcalf. As she finishes up her final year of field hockey, the former Williamsville East standout has a lot to take away from her time in college.

“As I enter my senior season, there are a ton of takeaways from my time at Slippery Rock. The biggest takeaway I would say is that there is nothing stronger than your own mind. Your mind is capable of much more than one could ever know and I have been lucky to have the opportunity to test its capabilities,” stated Metcalf. “Whether that comes to physical fitness tests, overcoming confidence issues, or simply changing one's mindset, the mind can do amazing things. Another take away from my time at school is the importance of self advocacy. Advocating for myself is something that I have always struggled with and prior to playing field hockey, I never saw the importance of being able to stand up for yourself. I truly have grown as a person in this aspect and I have my coaches to thank for it. My final takeaway is that being a college athlete has taught me more about myself and more life lessons than I could have ever imagined. It sounds cliche, but enjoy each moment because it will be over before you know it. With each individual session, sprint, lifting session, etc. you grow as a player and a person.”

She also has grown as a person. It’s never easy coming to a new school, and place. But, over the years, Metcalf has grown into the person that she is today. She thanks her teammates, and coaches, for helping to grow each and every day.

For years Metcalf had always put others before her herself. Making sure that their needs came before hers. But, as college went along, she realized that she needed to put herself first, not in a selfish way, but in a way that would help her make those important decision.

Whether it would be on the field, or in just in life.

“Over the years, I have grown as a person immensely. I have my coaches and teammates to thank for that honestly because I have developed so much as not only a player, but a person. For years I have always done things in order to please other people, putting my own needs and thoughts behind others. There is a time and a place for putting others before myself, although I really learned how to advocate for myself. With the help of my coaches, I learned how to communicate and put forth into action what I wanted to do. Whether that was on the field and making a decision with the ball or with being able to make life decisions that was best for myself. I learned how to stand up for myself and not let others decide things for me. This was really a step out of my comfort zone because I became so accustomed to other people making decisions for me.,” explained Metcalf. “My coaches taught me the importance of standing up for myself and for what I believe in. Similarly, I learned how to communicate and work together with various groups of people. I became a bit more confrontational, which I honestly needed, in order to communicate more efficiently. I learned how proper communication can be a sign of respect and how it can help everybody involved in a situation. Throughout the years, my “mental toughness” has increased significantly as well. It has been tested in various ways through workouts, team differences, situations, etc. and has taught me more about myself than I could have ever imagined. Mental toughness allows people to manage stress, overcome challenges, stay disciplined, and focus on their goals. Developing mental toughness does not come easily, but it has allowed me to see my potential as a woman working both on and off the field.”

Metcalf has been a mainstay in the Slippery Rock lineup ever since her freshman year. That’s when she appeared in 16 games. Now, she ranks 19th in program history in assists and 20th in program history in points.

Being able to play in so many games her freshman year helped her for the rest of her career. It allowed Metcalf to use that experience as a springboard for the rest of the success she is having.

“Playing in each game as a freshman was never expected, it was an incredible opportunity that I was very grateful for. Each time I was able to step on the field during a competition, I knew I had to prove myself. When I go onto the field, I know what my coaches and my teammates need from me. I set a standard for myself and that is what I need to exceed each time I am on the field, whether that is for a game or a practice,” stated Metcalf. “As an athlete, you may not always be able to perform to that standard which can be extremely frustrating. I have been given the opportunity to play in each game since freshman year and the goal is always to perform better than the previous time. It is exciting to be able to set new standards for myself and challenge myself to rise to each occasion.”

Another fun fact is, Slippery Rock was 4-0 when she scored a point. That just shows the value the Metcalf has on the team. She just isn’t there to score points, which is helpful, but she is a proven leader on the field.

The other players look to her when things might not be going right. Metcalf is the calming force the others players are looking for.

“Understanding the fact that I am able to influence a large portion of the game has definitely taken a fair bit of time. A lot of it has to do with building up your confidence and being able to see it for yourself, not just hearing it from teammates or coaches. It can be a lot of pressure, knowing you play an influential role, as does everyone on the team,” stated Metcalf. “I put a lot of pressure on myself and it can be challenging to not crumble underneath it sometimes. When looking at a stat, it is clear on paper that I have influence, but being able to recognize it and feel it for yourself is another story. There is a certain feeling that athletes get when they are able to see their influence play out on the field, it is a feeling of importance that is incomparable.”

Playing is the midfield is crucial toward a team’s success. Metcalf has been playing midfield her entire life. She knows exactly here to be when she needs be. She can hustle back and help the defense.

She can be the playmaker the team needs her to be. While most want to score those goals Metcalf is happy when she makes the right pass to her teammates, and they get the goal. She isn’t in the top 20 in school history for nothing.

“I have been a midfielder my entire life. I honestly do not think that I have ever played another position, besides subbing in for a teammate here or there. I absolutely love playing in the midfield, although I am biased. In the midfield, I am a playmaker,” stated Metcalf. “I am able to see almost the entire field and can really use my field vision to my advantage. As a playmaker, I do a lot of distributing and redistributing the ball for my teammates. Whether the ball is being moved up or down the field or from sideline to sideline, a midfielder plays a crucial role of distributing the ball. Although there may not be a lot of goals being scored, it is all about finding the best way to move the ball up the field and into the offensive zone. Midfielders have the ability to carry or pass the ball throughout the field, working with both their forwards and defenders in order to find a route upfield. Sometimes, that may include working the ball backwards before moving it forwards. As a midfielder, I tend to gain more assists than goals. Personally, I love the feeling of assisting a goal or even creating the play that leads to a goal. It allows me to visibly see the influence I have on the field and my teammates.”

As her carer comes to an end, Metcalf will be able to celebrate with those that have been with her for a long time. Slippery Rock has a very heavy Western New York roster. All lot of these girls have played together since middle school.

Being able to to play with other girls from the area has been a dream come true.

“Having the opportunity to play with a lot of girls from WNY is something that I am very grateful for. Not everyone has the ability to play with girls in college that they played with throughout their career prior as well. At Slippery Rock, I was able to enter the program with my middle school, high school and club goalie, Grace Burker,” stated Metcalf. “She has honestly been a pillar in my field hockey career and I am incredibly grateful for her. Prior to my arrival at school, there were already two girls from WNY on the team. They really made me feel comfortable and before I even got to school, I felt like I had a special bond with them already. There are also two girls that came to Slippery Rock following my freshman year. I am glad that I was able to help them and create a bond with them just as my older teammates have done for me. My teammates from WNY have honestly made Slippery Rock my home away from home. We have a special bond that cannot be replicated and I am very grateful for them and our relationships (especially when the Bills are playing!}”