Coach's Corner

Field hockey adjusts to new coach, new system

With Head Coach Marisa Didio's surprise resignation last February, the 2000 season marks the start of a new era in Yale field hockey. When former assistant Ainslee Lamb was promoted to head coach, the Bulldogs hoped to contend for the Ivy League title and secure a berth in postseason play. But with a 0-8 record, those dreams may have to wait until next season. On Tues., Oct. 3, on the eve of the game against Rhode Island, The Herald sat down with Lamb to discuss her team's performance thus far.

KIRA GOLDMAN/YH Field hockey coach Ainslee Lamb took over last spring after three seasons as an assistant.

Yale Herald: To what do you attribute your losses this season?

Ainslee Lamb: Our inability to score right now is why we are not winning games. It's that simple.

YH: Why aren't you scoring?

AL: They aren't being aggressive. During practice I am trying to reward them for playing aggressively in the circle. There are teams where that aggressiveness is innate. But in this program, we have to teach them to be aggressive, and that's a process that takes time. They are too damn polite sometimes. Their sportsmanship is impeccable. I think that sometimes they associate playing aggressively with not being classy, but that's the nature of sport.

YH:You recently changed your setup. What makes this system better?

AL: In the first system, we had five people in the attack. Now we have six people in the attack, so that creates more opportunities for us to score. We were not getting the shots with the old system. The new system allows for an added player to be around the ball, so that's one of its strengths. The other strength is that Anne Rippetoe, TD '01, our captain, is the sweeper. The sweeper's job is to run the entire defense. In order to play the sweeper, you have to have a lot of knowledge about the game, and that's one of Ripp's strengths. In the old system, Anne was one of the links. She had to worry about the offence and defense. Now, by getting her to be focused on the defense, her play has just gone up tremendously.

YH: How are the players adjusting?

AL: We actually implemented that system the day before we played Princeton. To compliment them, they did a wonderful job under that brand-new system against Princeton. We've been using the old system for the past four years. The seniors have played the old system for their whole career at Yale. So, really, when I started reevaluating the team from the Princeton game onwards, I found that we were really doing very well with learning to play the new system. Then with the Holy Cross game, we took a huge dive. YH: What happened against Holy Cross?

AL: I think my most disappointing moment as coach was the Holy Cross game. My players just didn't come out ready to play. Our overall effort level, our overall focus, were just very low. To be ready to play is just an emotion, a preparation that I couldn't help them with. They have to take the responsibility and be ready to play. YH: Which players do you think can help to turn this team around?

AL: Suzanne Anthony, SM '03, one of our forwards, has the ability and is in the position impact this program. Even though she's only a sophomore, she has started to realize that she does have the ability to impact this program. Her performance in the Cornell game is one of the best games that I've seen her play.

YH: Do you think that the lack of an experienced goalie contributed to your losses?

AL: We have three very inexperienced goalies. Our starting goalie is a freshman, Krissy Nesburg [ SM '04]. She and Melissa Garren [JE '03] are competing for the starting goal position. Right now, Krissy just possesses stronger athletic attributes than Melissa. Her reaction time, her agility, her speed, and her quickness are very much a part of her natural ability. In the new system, Ripp can help Krissy organize the defense. But nevertheless, we lose with Krissy in that she's a freshman and is going to make mistakes due to her inexperience. Melissa's a bit slower, but her decision-making skills are better. I know that with hard work, she can get to the quickness that Krissy possesses naturally.

YH: What is your coaching philosophy?

AL: In practice, I take them through the fundamentals of defense and offense. Some coaches teach their players how to play the whole game and then focus on the skills. I teach the skills first, and then work up to the big picture. I think right now, we are one step away from the big picture coming to us. But we just have to keep hammering home those basic skills so that they know how to execute the big picture.

YH: What is your relationship with your players?

AL: I am very invested in the kids I coach. I want to be a part of their lives, to not just be their coach. I want their experience at Yale to be positive. They mean everything to me. I trust them so much, and I think we've gotten to the point that they also trust me. I hope I'd raise my child in the same way, that I'd do everything for them. It doesn't mean that I think I should be their mother, but I definitely want to be a mentor and a friend for them. I think what's great about coaching Yale players is that a Yale player tends to be a little bit more mature than students at some of the other schools that I've been affiliated with. They have the ability to recognize that my relationship with them off the field has to be different from my relationship with them on the field.

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