Taking pride in her game

by Matthew Ondesko: Managing Editor

Dependable.

That might be the best word to describe Nazareth field hockey player Madison Chodkowski. If there was a game to be played Chodkowski was there ready to go. In her career, Chodkowski played in 66 of 67 games.

That’s a pretty impressive stat, and means a lot to her, and her teammates, that she was always ready to go on game day.

“Starting 66 games in my career just showed me how much trust my coaches had in me. I think it showed the team that I am someone that they can rely on and know that I will always be ready to face a task no matter how difficult it is,” stated Chodkowski. “It’s honestly been an honor to be that consistent presence for my team. Being available, whether on the field or in the locker room, was something I took a lot of pride in. I think the best part about it is knowing that my teammates could count on me, and I could help contribute in any way possible. I’ve always viewed it as my responsibility to show up and give my best, no matter what the situation was. To me, being available wasn’t just about being on the field physically, but also mentally always ready, always focused.”

To be able to go out there everyday and give your best is an accomplishment in itself. It also shows that Chodkowski was able to stay healthy for her entire career. Since she stepped on the field hockey field for the first time as a freshman, Chodkowski had been pretty healthy.

Like most athletes, she has endured her bumps and busies throughout her career, but nothing she couldn’t handle, or nothing that would stop her from playing. For her that meant taking care of herself before and after games.

Chodkowski always made sure she had her routine down. After games she made sure to refuel herself, and take the right steps to make sure she would be ready to go the next day.

“I think keeping yourself healthy to play in that many games can be a struggle but the big idea is just making sure you are taking care of your body. That’s definitely something I had to be intentional about. I learned early on how important recovery is,” stated Chodkowski. “I always made sure to maintain a good routine with always fueling my body with the right things, making sure I got enough sleep, working hard in practice to prime myself for game days, working hard in lift to make sure my body would be protected from things like injuries. I also worked closely with the athletic trainers and our coaching staff to stay on top of any little problems before they became bigger issues. Staying healthy also comes down to listening to your body and knowing when to push and when to ease off a bit. As a student athlete I think it can be difficult to keep up on staying healthy but if you do it will pay off in the long run.”

You don’t play in that many games on the collegiate level by accident. Chodkowski was a standout at West Seneca West High School and that carried onto Nazareth, where she played in 17 games as a freshman.

Being able to get into so many games early on set the stage for a great college career. Not many freshman are able to contribute right away, but Chodkowski was able to do just that. She was able to contribute, and help the team, all while learning the ropes as a freshman in college.

“Getting that early exposure was huge for me. It gave me the confidence to know I belonged at this level. As a freshman, you can sometimes feel like you’re still figuring things out, but being able to contribute in that many games early on was a real confidence boost,” stated Chodkowski. “It also showed me the level of competition I was up against and gave me something to work toward. It gave me a sense of validation and helped me understand that I could grow and get even better.Having my freshman year set the pace with 17 games just helped my mentality with making sure the next year we would do better than the year before. Unfortunately, that didn’t always happen but being able to look back and think about how we made it to 17 games made it so much easier to believe in our team and believe that we would be able to accomplish it again in the future.”

After not getting on the scoresheet her first two seasons, Chodkowski finally was able to celebrate her first official collegiate goal during her junior campaign. Chodkowski scored in the season opener against Wittenberg to get the monkey off her back.

But, it technically wasn’t her first. Her freshman season, Chodkowski scored in a shootout to send Nazareth to the playoffs. It’s a moment she will never forget.

“I think everyones first colligate goal is extra special to them. I scored my freshman year in our last regular season game in a shootout after two over times and we ended up winning sending us into playoffs,” stated Chodkowski. “I will never forget that goal for the rest of my life. After that I didn’t score until my junior year for it to count as my first official collegiate goal and there is no feeling that compares to that feeling. You put in so much work for the sport and to finally get rewarded with a goal just helps show that the work you have been putting in pays off. It was also really special because I knew my teammates had been supporting me the whole way. It wasn’t just my goal, it felt like a team achievement.”

The magical goal seems so long ago. Just like that Chodkowski’s field hockey career is over. She learned a lot about herself during her time on the field hockey team. It was a growing experience from the first time she stepped on a college field hockey field to the final time.

Like most, she had some ups and downs. She learned to never doubt herself and push through the highs and lows of a season.

“After playing for four years you learn a lot about yourself as a person. You quickly learn what your strengths and weaknesses are. I have learned that it is important to get close with your teammates and even be vulnerable with them because at the end of the day those are the people you are fighting for on the field and you need to have trust in them that they are going to do the same for you,” commented Chodkowski. “Personally for myself I have learned that if I have the dedication and put the hard work into something I can accomplish a lot. I think as an athlete is easy for people to get into slumps or doubt yourself but the only thing that matters is if you have the willpower and mentality to get yourself out of that mind space. I have learned that every task that is given to you can be accomplished if you have the right mindset. I believe I am able to overcome struggles on the field and in life in general just because of the mindset that I am able to control. The other biggest things I’ve learned is the importance of perseverance and self-awareness. There are always going to be highs and lows in your career, and the key is to keep pushing forward, learning from every experience. I’ve also learned how to handle pressure better and how to prioritize what's really important both in sports and in life. I’ve grown a lot in terms of leadership, and I’ve become more comfortable with who I am and what I want out of life beyond athletics.”

While her field hockey career is over, Chodkowski is still playing college sports. Last spring, Chodkowski came out of retirement to play on the Nazareth softball team. That chance for her to get back out on the diamond was one she couldn’t pass up.

Of course she had to shake the rust off, but it was well worth it. To hear the crack off the bat again was something special. When she came back, Chodkowski appreciated the game more, probably because she took a step back.

Just going out there and competing and the joy of playing the game was refreshing.

“It felt amazing to get back out there. I had missed the sport more than I realized. When I took time off, I didn’t know if I’d ever get the chance to play again, but when the opportunity came up, I jumped at it. I had to shake off some rust, but it was so much fun to be back in that environment competing, learning, and enjoying the game. It reminded me of why I loved playing in the first place,” stated Chodkowski. “It was a the best decision I have made. There’s something special about being on the diamond again, hearing the crack of the bat, the adrenaline of competing. I think I appreciated it more because I had taken a step back. The simple joy of playing was refreshing. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a clean hit or making a play in the field.”

As her collegiate career comes to an end, Chodkowski is ready for the next chapter of her life to start. Of course if will be a little different that it is now. She no longer will have to get up and go train for the upcoming season.

No more routines, which will be hard to break early on. While she won’t be training for her next sport, Chodkowski will still make sure she will be active, and to challenge herself without the competitiveness of sports that she has known for so long.

“It is definitely going to feel strange for sure. I’ve been so used to the daily routine training, practices, recovery, everything that goes into staying in shape and preparing for the season. It’s going to be an adjustment not having that structure in my life. I think it’ll be nice to have some time to explore new interests and focus on things outside of sports but I’ll miss the competitive aspect. That being said, I will make sure to find other ways to stay active and challenge myself,” stated Chodkowski. “My plans for after graduation will include becoming an actuarial scientist. I also plan on still staying active everyday especially staying busy in the summer with adult softball and field hockey leagues, and maybe helping out my coaches that have coached me in the past.”