Young ladies in the business world often dress in skirts and blouses. A group of girls at Point Loma High School (PLHS) dresses similarly — but adds a hockey stick to the ensemble. That’s where the comparisons end. The Pointers’ field hockey team is on a developmental mission under the guidance of a former national team- and professional-level player. Head coach Mary Ellen Brancheau and 43 players have focused their eyes and ears on Rheannin Sherrick, a former member of the Australian national team whose resume includes two years of professional play in Japan. Sherrick, in her rich Australian accent, is teaching the Pointer ladies a press-type offense designed to upgrade scoring and elevate her students within the Western League standings. “She has brought our team to a new level of play,” Brancheau said. “The girls are learning so much from her, and she has been a real addition to our program.” Field hockey, known simply as “hockey” in nations without ice hockey, has only been a sport at PLHS since 2000. The CIF San Diego Section has only two divisions because not all area schools have field hockey teams. Point Loma plays in Division II and plays each Western League school only once starting Oct. 30. Other league members are La Jolla, The Bishop’s School, Cathedral Catholic, Madison and Scripps Ranch. In non-league play, the Pointers have a 3-7 record at the moment. A disappointing loss happened last week when Santana High broke a scoreless tie with a goal three minutes before the match ended. Still, Brancheau said the team’s future is bright. The Lady Pointers list 43 girls in the program — 17 on varsity and 26 on junior varsity — 19 of whom are freshmen. Because of injuries, several JV players have competed in varsity matches. In addition, Brancheau said she is excited about starting a field hockey program at Correia Middle School that will ideally feed the high school program for years to come. Clinics for incoming freshmen, taught by professional players, are planned for next spring. At the high school level, players are required to wear mouth guards and shin guards, Brancheau said. Goalkeepers additionally wear helmets, different-colored shirts, large pads called “kickers” over their shoes, leg guards, padded shorts and arm protectors. When fully dressed, quick, shot-stopping movements are considerably more difficult. Positioning in field hockey is similar to soccer. Brancheau distributes her 10 field players with three players at forward, four midfielders and three defenders. The Pointers’ varsity squad includes captains Kiana Acosta and Arianna Conger, both fourth-year senior players. Additional four-year veterans are Jillian Duran, Blair Holman, Anette Ortega and Shannon Lund. Other seniors include Karin Davila and Michelle Garcia. Juniors playing varsity are Marley McCaughey and Christina Sardo and sophomores include Tessa Adler, Erin Greenlee, Jackie Husted, Melissa Kolenovic, Elizabeth Kennedy, Alex Adame and Sara Wildman. Freshmen at the varsity level are Haley Kasarda, Melissa Muirhead, Jocelyn Neves and Kelly Duran. The Pointers open league play Oct. 30 against La Jolla. Those interested in playing field hockey can contact Brancheau at [email protected]. Field Hockey 101 The modern game of field hockey dates to the 19th century in British schools and universities, although the game’s roots can be traced back 4,000 years. Played on a field that is 100 yards long and 60 yards wide, teams play 10 field players and one goalkeeper. The goal cage, located on the endline, is seven feet high and 12 feet wide. The ball is made from solid, hard plastic with a cork center and brightly colored for visibility. One point is awarded each time a team hits, pushes or flicks the ball into the opponent’s goal. Games at the prep level are two halves of 30 minutes each. A circle 16 yards in front of the goal cage is known as the shooting circle or arc. Shots by attackers must be made from this area, and penalties committed by defenders in this area are more severe. A “penalty spot” or “stroke mark” where “penalty stroke” shots are taken is located seven yards in front of the goal cage. Shots are awarded for deliberate fouls by defenders within the shooting circle. Sticks carried by field players are usually 36 to 37 inches long and made of materials ranging from wood to fiberglass to graphite, costing between $25 and $300 each. Sticks are only made for right-handed players, with a flat surface on the striking side and a rounded surface on the non-striking side. If a player is left-handed? “They must learn to play right-handed,” said Point Loma High School head field hockey coach Mary Ellen Brancehau. Men and women compete in field hockey in the Olympics. Current world powers include The Netherlands, Germany and Australia, with Argentina emerging. In the U.S., the sport is concentrated in high schools and universities, with women’s teams far outnumbering men’s. Two umpires control the game, each taking half the field diagonally. They issue colored cards to players who violate rules. These include green (warning), yellow (temporary suspension, minimum of five minutes) and red (exclusion).