Every team has a certain player that’s looked at to be the heart of the squad, bringing a sense of energy and dedication that’s completely immeasurable. In the case of the Old Saybrook field hockey team, that player is forward and senior captain Amelia Sigersmith, who is hoping to make her final season in a Rams uniform a memorable one.

Amelia, who has had a puck in her hand since she was in sixth grade, followed her passion through high school, where she has been a member of the varsity squad at Old Saybrook for all four years.

“Before field hockey, I always played soccer in the fall until the summer before sixth grade, when my oldest sister, Isabelle, introduced me to the sport in our backyard,” says Amelia. “She was teaching me all the different types of passes and everything because, at the time, she was playing field hockey in high school.”

Amelia adds to her impressive athletic resume by additionally playing lacrosse in the spring for the Rams, giving just as much time and dedication to that.

Old Saybrook field hockey Head Coach Nancy Gatta has seen tremendous improvement from Amelia over the last few years, not only commending her for her skills on the field but also for being an unbelievable human being to anyone she encounters.

“Amelia has, since day one, been the most exceptional player and person,” Gatta says. “Her freshman year, she was so eager to learn all she could about the sport of field hockey; she was willing to learn each position since there were a lot of players who were newer to the sport. By learning each position on the field, Amelia was immediately called upon in her freshman year to put in some time in varsity games. We started her at defense, where she played left back. She was a hard worker and active participant at practices, always staying after to work on all of the specialty hits that can be done in the sport. Watching Amelia grow up over these last four years has been nothing short of amazing.”

Amelia is currently playing center forward but notes that she has bounced around and had exposure to many different roles on the field. What makes her so special has been her ability to switch positions over the years with ease, never batting an eye or losing focus along the way.

“Currently, I play center forward but have never been stuck in one spot,” says Amelia. “In middle school, I played sweep (which is a low-defense position), and until 8th grade, I played more offensively. Freshman year of high school, I went back and forth between defense and midfield, except for the end of last year to now, which I have mostly been playing center forward. I enjoy center forward because of the opportunity to score, but also to assist my teammates.”

The Rams are currently 8-2-1, with six games left in the regular season. Amelia is one of two captains this year, and her positive attitude and strong work ethic are contagious, helping her to keep her teammates constantly focused along the way.

“As captain, I try to bring enthusiasm, positivity, and constructive criticism to help make our team better,” says Amelia. “With that, I also try to be a role model by exemplifying those while also putting in the effort, being a good sport, and having respect for my coaches, all of which both during practice and games.”

Gatta notes that Amelia has been leading by example during her last season with the team, earning the respect of each of the other players on the roster.

“Being a captain is not just about being a standout player on the field. Being a captain is about leading by example, and Amelia does this every day,” says Gatta. “It is evident that she is respected by her teammates. Her ability to impact the game has been key this season. Her ability to move the ball on the field to get us in a great scoring position is evident by the number of assists she has. With a handful of games left in the regular season, I look forward to seeing what else she is able to accomplish on the field.”

Last season, the Rams finished as the runner-up for the Shoreline Athletic Conference (SLC) Championship, losing to the North Branford Thunderbirds by a final score of 1-0. As this campaign begins to wrap up the regular season and move closer to the postseason portion of the slate, Amelia hopes to finish the job and lead her team to a conference title while repeating individual accolades from a year ago.

“I hope to lead my team to the Shoreline Championship and hopefully further in the state tournament than we did last year. I think both of those goals are definitely attainable since we have seriously grown as a team in so many aspects,” says Amelia. “As for myself, I made First Team All-State last year, as well as First Team All-Shoreline, and I would hope to do the same again this year.”

Amelia has certainly found her stride when it comes to taking on a leadership role on her team, but there was also an adjustment period early on that she was able to settle into as she made the transition into the captain’s chair.

“I think one challenge for me this year is taking on the authority aspect of a captain since my teammates are my peers, and it initially felt a little uncomfortable, but as the season has continued, I have gotten more confident in that role,” says Amelia. “I think the fact that we have come so close to winning the Shoreline Championship every year has been quite frustrating, although I hope to see a change this year.”

Amelia is hoping to pursue a college athletic career after graduating this upcoming spring and is still looking for the right fit.