The J. Taylor Finley Middle School field hockey is getting a new coach for the first time in decades. Marissa Bergmann, a district physical education teacher who served as the Blue Devil varsity assistant coach for many years is taking over for retired Finley coach Nancy Conlon.
Ms. Bergmann will be teaching physical education at Finley, where she will also coach the softball team in the spring. During the winter she will return as the high school varsity girls’ basketball team’s assistant coach.
The Finley field hockey program will return eighth graders Emily Barba, Kathleen Cocoman, Domenica Elgart, Shannon Koepele, Jesley Martinez Canales and Riley Uvena.
“We are looking to develop a strong team comprised of players who want to learn all the skills associated with the sport while having fun along the way,” Bergmann said. “Everyone is welcome to join the team. It’s okay if you have never played before. I will teach everyone all the skills they need to know.”
Finley’s tentative 10 game schedule includes the following contests:
• Sept. 23: Finley at East Northport at 4 p.m.
• Sept. 28: Stimson at Finley at 4 p.m.
• Sept. 30: Finley at Northport at 4 p.m.
• Oct. 8: Commack at Finley at 4 p.m.
• Oct. 14: Finley at Oldfield at 4 p.m.
• Oct. 18: East Northport at Finley at 4:30 p.m.
• Oct. 20: Finley at Candlewood at 4 p.m.
• Oct. 25: Finley at Stimson at 4 p.m.
• Oct. 28: Northport at Finley at 4:30 p.m.
• Nov. 4: Candlewood at Finley at 4 p.m.
The Finley field hockey team will practice after school, Monday through Friday on its field adjacent to the tennis courts. Practices will run for about 90 minutes.
“It’s a great sport and we are hoping to have a strong team,” Bergmann said. “We have a wonderful group of eighth graders returning and hope to have many new seventh and eighth graders join us. We will even have a short field hockey unit in physical education class this fall. If you aren’t involved in another fall sport, consider giving field hockey a try. You won’t regret it.”
Interested in playing on the Finley field hockey team this year? Send a message to Bergmann at mbergmann@hufsd.edu and let her know.
The school doctor will be at Finley on Wednesday, September 1 at 8 a.m. to give physical exams for student-athletes who want one. Athletes can submit paperwork (private physician physical form and interval health history) to the nurse on Monday and Tuesday, August 30-31 between 9a.m. – 3 p.m. and requalify for fall sports. Athletes can also sign up for their respective team and get cleared by the nurse on Thursday and Friday, September 9-10 during their respective lunch period.
Checklist prior to tryouts:
Every student needs to get re-qualified by the school nurse for each sport season. The nurse can only clear a student if they have the following forms on file:
• Private physician physical exam form: (link below)
http://www.hufsd.edu/assets/pdf/resources/2021/health/private_physical_exam_form.pdf
• Interval health history form: (link below)
http://www.hufsd.edu/assets/pdf/athletics/2022/interval_health_history.pdf
http://www.hufsd.edu/assets/pdf/athletics/2022/interval_health_history-sp.pdf
• Parent permission form: (link below)
http://www.hufsd.edu/assets/pdf/athletics/2022/parent_consent_form.pdf