Indiana University Athletics
Catching Up With Amy Robertson
2/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Feb. 6, 2007
As the field hockey spring season approaches, IU head coach Amy Robertson sat down with IUHOOSIERS.com to discuss where the team is headed and a variety of other topics.
What is the progress of the new facility?
"The field hockey facility is slated for completion by May 1. Right now, the progress has been on hold due to the winter weather, but the sub-surface of rocks, drainage and lighting is already finished. They have to come back and finish leveling the other half and then laying the asphalt and covering it with a pad and Astroturf. It's getting close and it's exciting to be able to see what it will look like."
If the weather clears, would it be done earlier?
"If the weather is really nice in March then maybe it could be done by April, but it will definitely be ready for next season. We are certainly hoping we have it done as soon as possible for people here to train in the summer and for our camp in July, but it is very dependent on the weather."
What does the off-season conditioning look like right now before spring practices begin?
"This year we graduated some really strong talent and we are going to lose some huge impact players in our backfield as well as our top goal scorer. We are really looking to get everything we can out of the players on the team right now and that starts with conditioning. It's not just about conditioning and building our fitness, but it is about increasing our standards and expectations, creating greater mental toughness, focusing on team bonding and getting players to continue to support one another. I don't really like to call this the off-season, but more of the prep season for our real season."
What are your team objectives for this spring?
"The spring is really our preparation for the following season and the first chance we get to work with players individually, developing fundamentals and better habits. We prepare them mentally through tough and challenging conditioning held early in the morning. We are not as concerned with this group becoming a team right away but developing as a team throughout conditioning and practices. This will provide them with a clear sense of identity and goals as a team. Hopefully, they will leave for the summertime inspired, ready and prepared to continue conditioning and training and when they come back in August they will be ready to compete and complete a very arduous training period."
Who are the players you see stepping up and leading the team?
"The team will vote on captains, but we really try to look at leadership as a responsibility that everyone has. Certain people will step up in different situations, and I hope it will be our upperclassmen because of their experience and maturity. They will assume a greater leadership role by providing examples for others to follow on and off the field, communicating positively and encouraging their teammates. With that said, we are just as open and excited for someone who is a freshman or a sophomore to step up and be more of a leader for this team. Haley Exner, who is one of our top performers and one of the best goalkeepers in the country, has a good ability to reach everyone on the team. She is working so hard right now and is even beating some of the field players in testing and longer runs. Haley is pushing herself harder than most of her teammates, and she is being a great example during our training sessions for the other players to follow."
Could you tell us about the EPTC (Elite Performance Training Center) program that you and a few of your players have been involved in over the last two summers?
"The country is broken up into six different regions competing on the national level. We are in the Midwest region, which are all the teams in the MAC Conference and all the teams in the Big Ten Conference aside from Penn State. The other regions are the West region, the South region, the Maryland region, the Pennsylvania region and the New England region. Within our region, we have some challenges in terms of location. All of the schools in the Midwest region are very spread apart, and when we have training sessions, the individuals have to travel for hours just to get to the training site. In the past, we have had great teams and very strong performances at the national tournament. I am interested in developing this whole region, which means getting more people to participate in the training sessions and competing to be chosen for the squad that will play at the national tournament. I'm talking to more coaches about their players participating, especially players in the MAC, because they have not really participated much in the past. We are really looking at this as a development program, and by developing this region it will affect and help the next level, which is the U.S. National Team. This development will also help all of the collegiate programs because the players will learn how to execute skills at higher speeds and make better decisions. This isn't about the Midwest region going to the national tournament and winning, it's about making the development in this area just as strong as the development in other parts of the country."
This year, you were named head coach of the Midwest region. What has this meant to you?
"Personally, it is a great opportunity for professional growth and development. I am kind of in the loop with the U.S. National Team coaches, and I am learning what they are teaching at this level. I think this will not only benefit myself, but the Indiana field hockey program, and hopefully the Midwest program overall."
Long-time Indiana assistant Gina Lucido has been named the head coach at Richmond University. What does this mean to the Indiana program to have an assistant named head coach somewhere else in the country?
"It shows that people really respect our program. They are looking at what we have done over the last seven years and how we have built a program from the ground up. Gina's hiring speaks volumes about how Indiana field hockey has grown and established itself as one of the top programs in the nation. It is always a positive thing when you have other programs looking at your coaching staff as viable candidates for head coaching positions elsewhere. While we are incredibly sorry and it's very difficult to have someone who has been on your staff for six years leave, we are so happy for the opportunity that she is receiving after being a part of our program. It really is a win, win situation for all parties. It has been a goal and dream for Gina Lucido to coach at a program like Richmond and not only is she getting to coach there, but she is the head coach at one of the top programs in the country. This is a huge accomplishment; we are so excited for her."
This season, you had an opportunity for Indiana field hockey alum and U.S. National Team player, Kayla Bashore to become a member of the staff, what has this mean to IU and yourself?
"I think when you have someone who has been such a huge part of the growth of this program and then moves on to play for the U.S. Team, it becomes a huge source of pride for our field hockey family. For her to come back and help us out at a time when we were short on coaches and needed someone was great. We didn't have to train Kayla on what Indiana field hockey was about, so she was able to come right in and make a huge investment. Although she knew she would only be here a couple of months, she gave 100 percent to our players and our program on and off the field. Kayla was a good role model, but was also close in age to the players and was able to have a huge impact on them. She encouraged them and really exemplified what dedication to a program is about. Players came to her for advice about how to work harder for the program and step up their commitment and become leaders. She was kind of in between being a coach on the staff and a player on the team, and that had some great benefits for us."
