Athletes of the Week: Jane Collins, Catherine Griffin & Hannah Littlewood

Seniors Lydia Anderson, Jane Collins, Catherine Griffin and Hannah Littlewood have fulfilled their roles as inspiring varsity field hockey co-captains, leading the team to an amazing season this fall.

Having all played together since their lower year, the three have great chemistry, which allows them to keep the team cohesive and focused but also foster a fun, energetic environment. “We have been playing with each other throughout all of our time here, so I think that we work really well together and stay on the same page,” Littlewood said of their dynamic. “I think we also all brought different strengths to the table.”

“I like to be really loud before games and being a captain gives me an excuse to do that,” Collins said. “It’s fun to rally people and get everyone together before games.”

As Littlewood noted, each captain is able to bring their unique personalities and abilities to improve the team’s skill and environment. Their season record of 7-6-2 is evidence of the captains’ and the team’s successes this past season.

Upper Jill Cloonan raved about her captains’ collective range of skills. “Jane is one of our strongest defensive players and is insane at saving the ball, and Hannah can play in any position; she is a very talented field hockey player. Griff sprints up and down the field, [and she is] probably the one of the hardest workers I know.”

Littlewood started playing field hockey when she was in the fifth grade, and began to take the sport more seriously during her freshman year of high school. Her love for the sport stems from being a part of exciting and supportive teams in the past. She said, “I love all the people that I have met through field hockey; it’s really fun and similar to hockey, which really helps me out. I have really enjoyed all the teams that I’ve been on here at Exeter, and the game is really fun to play.”

In addition to playing on the field, Littlewood finds leading her team, especially the younger players, rewarding. “My favorite part about being captain is probably being able to help the younger kids on the team,” she explained. “A lot of the younger girls stepped up this season which was crucial for our success.”

Similar to her co-captain, Collins has just completed her fifth season of high school field hockey. After growing up playing on the ice in California, Collins began playing field hockey in her freshman year. “Moving to a new school my lower year was hard,” Collins recalled. “But coming in during preseason, by the time classes started I had already made a group of friends.”

After arriving as a new lower to the Exeter team, Collins quickly became a defensive powerhouse on the field. Before this season, Collins saw herself as strictly a defender, supporting the plays from the back “bowl.” However, when head coach Elizabeth Hurley threw her into a game as a forward, Collins did not hesitate and played the position with intensity, even scoring a few goals for Big Red.

As a leader on the team, Collins enjoys being one of the first people the newcomers interact with. In addition to being a welcoming member to all, Collins can be counted on for getting the team hyped up before games. “I like to be really loud before games and being a captain gives me an excuse to do that,” Collins said. “It’s fun to rally people and get everyone together before games.”

Griffin, better known to her teammates as “Griff,” first held a field hockey stick in seventh grade. “I started playing for my middle school team and fell in love with the teamwork needed on the field,” Griffin said. “Passing is crucial to the sport and that comes along with a strong team connection.”

To help the team bond early, Griffin made an effort to extend herself to the underclassmen and new students on the team early in the season. As a midfielder and defender, Griffin was described as a “steady and calm force” on the field by fellow co-captain, Littlewood.

Together, the three captains led the field hockey team to its most successful season in the past four years at Exeter. This season was the first winning season since 2012. “Last year our goal was to be above .500 and this year our goal was to make playoffs,” says Collins. “That’s a crazy difference in where the program is going. I think in the years I’ve been here the talent has improved so much. We have to up our mental game but I think this season has just been another step in the right direction.”

In one season, the team dynamic has changed for the better and the former captains are confident that they are leaving the team in a better position than when they arrived and took charge. Littlewood expressed her sentiments about leaving the team, saying that “This was probably my last season of field hockey so I am glad we did so well and had such a great time.”