Field hockey, lacrosse, and flag football. Three sports I absolutely love, and three schedules that don’t always get along.
People ask me which one is my favorite, but how am I supposed to choose? I love different things about each of them.
I love the speed and skill of field hockey, the pressure and excitement of playing goalie in lacrosse, and how much fun I’ve had trying flag football. Girls flag football is pretty new in our area, so when some of my field hockey and lacrosse friends decided to give it a try, I was all in! It’s been a fun way to try something new and support another opportunity for girls in sports.
The hardest part of playing three sports? Definitely the calendar.
I play club field hockey and club lacrosse, so between practices, training, and tournaments, things can get pretty crazy. Some weekends I’m going straight from a field hockey tournament in the morning to a lacrosse tournament in the afternoon. Other times, I’m double-booked or even triple-booked, and have to figure out where I can be.
I’ve learned that talking to my coaches ahead of time is the best way to handle those situations. I care about my teams and don’t like missing games, so it’s not always an easy decision. I’m lucky to have coaches who support me playing multiple sports and understand that I love being part of each team.
A lot of the planning happens before the week even starts. Every week, my mom and I sit down and look at what’s coming up. I make sure my uniforms are washed, my gear is packed, and we have a plan for getting everywhere. If it’s a double-tournament day, I help figure out what food we’re bringing so I have enough to keep me going. The last thing I want is to run out of energy halfway through the day because we didn’t pack enough food!
Being homeschooled also helps make it all possible. My schedule gives me the flexibility to train during the day. Thursday mornings are usually spent with my lacrosse goalie coach, and when I need a brain break from schoolwork, I’ll grab my stick and do a LEAP Hockey On-Demand session. Sometimes school even happens in the car between training sessions.
I have always believed that getting better doesn’t stop when team practice ends. I try to make time to work on my individual skills in all three sports because I love seeing that extra work pay off.
I also know I need time to rest. We make sure there’s room in the schedule for that, too! Sometimes it’s hanging out with friends, watching a movie, baking something, or just having a day where I don’t have to rush off to another field.
Playing three sports has definitely taught me how to plan ahead and manage my time. I love competing, I love my teammates, and I love working to get better. But I also think sports are supposed to be fun.
So for now, I’m sticking with all three. Even if my calendar doesn’t always agree!
