About:
My name is Dina Brunetti, I am a first year Varsity coach and am writing on behalf of my Field Hockey Team. The amount of quality time these gals have spent together along with their games this season have included, 47 practices, 9 bus rides, 18 games, western Mass playoffs, States, all while still being held to a higher standard of students and many of them in the band, dance classes, or other extracurriculars as well. Along with of all of this, so much was done on the outside. As a team, these girls raised money and ran the Rugged Maniac together. We Sponsored a Hawaiian themed youth night where my girls held a clinic with field hockey players in grades 1-8, teaching them skills and then doing fun activities with them between quarters and after the game. They held a fockey vs. football game, where they sold tickets, sold snacks, made posters, decorated shirts and socks and tutus, each of them wrote a letter to a surrounding business for donations or sponsors, and played a game against the Varsity Football team in field hockey all to honor their classmate and dear friend Julia, who lost her life to cancer in March. Not only did this bring peers and families together from our town, but we were able to send 'Two Thousand Dollars' to St. Jude for our dear friend. As a mom, a coach, a representative of the high school and a member of the community, I was so proud of this team for the amount of effort that was put in to running this event! You could feel the love on every part of the field that night and it was such a beautiful moment for these young student athletes. The team decided to raise money for another event at one of our neighboring towns, where they lost a child to Cancer last year as well. We all dressed in her favorite colors and represented Belchertown Field Hockey and did a run in Holyoke for Maddie. We clearly made a presence as we received the spirit award. Along with all of these major events, we did so much as a team, we had piñatas off of our field hockey sticks for birthdays, a team trip to a local College to watch a former teammate play, family vs. players, We have a cute stuffed bear that we pass around honoring a player who has gone beyond the field. Each time he is given out, a player has to say a speech about who they are giving it to and what that player has done to make a better environment. They have also hosted team dinners, had to make practice plans for player led practices, car washes, poster making, sneaker painting, Senior night, chuck the duck raffles, donating more to cancer. This was all in just ONE season. Many of my gals play more than one varsity sport and are on the honor role. I was beyond grateful for being able to lead this team, as they are truly one of a kind and should most certainly be recognized as so many peers and adults can learn from what these adolescents bring to the community.