It’s not just a little bit early. It’s 6 a.m. early. And Orange County’s field hockey team, shockingly, wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s so early that we can go home, take a nap and have the rest of our day,” said Orange senior Lauren Seal said. “It doesn’t interrupt the evening.”
But it certainly makes for some early bedtimes.
The Hornets spend the first couple of weeks of August practicing in the wee hours of the morning. Friday, there was even an early morning fog enveloping the field. And yet there was a full house on hand at the practice, with an intrasquad scrimmage dominating the later half of the practice for the 2008 state semifinalists.
“It’s better to have it this early in the day,” said Olivia Newman. “It’s really hot in the evening and people pass out and get dehydrated.”
No matter what time they’re practicing, Orange brings back a strong core, and has its sights set on getting back to Virginia Beach, home of the state tournament. That starts with the seniors, Seal and Newman.
“A lot of us started last year,” Newman said. “We’re a pretty tough class.”
Clearly. While Seal indicated that getting up early clears out the rest of the day, there are sacrifices to be made with the early morning start time.
“At night time we don’t get to do much, but it’s a commitment so you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” Seal said.
But couldn’t you do what you’ve got to do a little later in the day? Not if you’re Orange County apparently.
