Athletes of the Week: Johna Vandergraaf & Emma Wellington

Since meeting as preps during preseason, seniors and co-captains of varsity field hockey, Emma Wellington and Johna Vandergraaf have become inseparable. As a result of joining the varsity field hockey team, also known as “Moxie,” Wellington and Vandergraaf have not only become best friends, but also developed into skilled players and well-liked teammates. The two seniors are two of the four captains, along with uppers Catherine Griffin and Hannah Littlewood. Together they hold the responsibility of guiding the team of seventeen through their twenty games this season.

“I owe my field hockey career at the school to Coach Pacific because she never stopped encouraging me to play my hardest even if I didn’t know the rules.”

Field hockey has always been a part of Wellington’s life as her dad coached field hockey since before she was born. Wellington officially joined a field hockey team around the age of ten. She explained that not only has her father been her most trusted coach, but has been her biggest supporter and a “huge inspiration.”

Unlike Wellington, Vandergraaf only picked up the sport after arriving at Exeter. Growing up playing ice hockey, she recalled being encouraged by coach Melissa Pacific to try field hockey for the first time as a fall sport. “I owe my field hockey career at the school to Coach Pacific because she never stopped encouraging me to play my hardest even if I didn’t know the rules,” she said.

Now in their fourth year on Moxie, Wellington and Vandergraaf have become very familiar with the team’s dynamic. Wellington expressed the affection she has for her teammates and described how much fun they have together. “It’s a perfect balance of hard workers and people who know how to laugh,” she said. “I genuinely look forward to every single practice.” Vandergraaf agreed with Wellington and added that this year’s group is the “closest the team has ever been.”

Over the years, Wellington and Vandergraaf’s friendship has blossomed as well. “We are attached at the hip, and we’ve actually never had a fight before,” Vandergraaf said. She also described Wellington as “hilarious” and “strong both physically and mentally.” Wellington also discussed the friendship that arose from field hockey. “I’m incredibly grateful to the Exeter field hockey team for introducing me to such an inspiring person. We’ve been best friends since prep fall.”

With their wealth of experience, Wellington and Vandergraaf were chosen as two of the co-captains of the team. Vandergraaf stressed her priority of ensuring that everyone is working hard and also having fun. “The most important thing is to create a safe and inclusive environment while having fun but also being serious when needed,” she elaborated. Wellington also explained how important and all-encompassing the role is. “You have to make sure you’re welcoming to every new player, get the team fired up for every drill and game, and make sure that everyone can shake off mistakes and look to the next play,” the senior said.

Littlewood praised them for the positivity they display by “keeping everyone in good spirits by cheering them on.” She also explained that the Wellington and Vandergraaf act as great role models for the team. “They are both really kind and polite people and set a great example for the whole team as to how to act off on and off the field,” she said. Their commitment to the team has been consistently recognized by their teammates. Lower Leah Cohen recalled a week when both Wellington and Vandergraaf were injured and how to sit out of their games. Nevertheless, both of them were present at their games to support the team. “They continued to lead and cheer for the team from the sidelines, home and away. Inspirational!” Cohen exclaimed.

Not only do they lead the team with their personalities, but Wellington and Vandergraaf also lead the team during games. Wellington is known for her vocal leadership on the field. Upper Jane Collins said that Wellington “excels at communication on and off the field.” Cohen agreed with Collins’ sentiments. “Something we struggle with as a team is communication on the field,” she added. “However, the one person always talking to the team throughout the games is Emma, whether it’s letting us know where she is and if she’s open for a pass or telling us to push through for the last 10 minutes of the game.” As a defender, Wellington was also praised for her skills on the field. “I can always rely on her to protect our goal and she has really strong passes,” Griffin said. Vandergraaf agreed with Griffin saying, “She has an amazing drive and knows the rules so well that she can play defense on someone without getting called for fouls.”

Described by her teammates as a “smart player,” Vandergraaf is a strong midfielder. Cohen explained that Vandergraaf  “knows exactly when to release the ball to a teammate after drawing in a defender.” Her teammates also praised Vandergraaf’s speed on the field. “Johna is extremely fast and does a great job of running the ball up the field,” Littlewood said. Wellington also commented on the calm demeanor Vandergraaf brings to games. “She’s incredibly cool-headed, and that sense of calm definitely spreads to the rest of the team,” she said.

Wellington and Vandergraaf will be playing their final games as Exeter field hockey players against Andover during E/A. Wellington expressed how she is going to miss the team after the season ends. “The girls are awesome, and I met my best friend because of it. No matter the season, the team has always been there for me, and practice makes any day better.” Vandergraaf echoed her sentiments saying, “Exeter is hard at times but having a close team makes it so you have something to look forward to at the end of the day.”