Coach Diane Chapman Gets 300th Field Hockey Win

2009-10-23 / Sports

By Jake White

Diane Chapman, holding balloons, is surrounded by the current varsity team after GC beat Clarke, earning Chapman her 300th win. See this photo at www.Newsphoto.com Coach Diane Chapman, whose Garden City High School field hockey team may be Long Island’s most successful scholastic program, reached an important personal milestone last week when she recorded her 300th win. That number is impressive enough, but consider that over 19 years her squads have lost just 24 and tied 21 for a winning percentage of .900. During the previous 18 years, the Trojans have won six state and 12 Long Island Championships, and the 2009 team is in quest of the school’s 16th straight Nassau County title.

Following Garden City’s 8-0 victory over Clarke at Warren King Field, Chapman was mobbed by her players and many well-wishers. In typical fashion, she tried to deflect the praise. “I took over a highly successful program,” she said,” and I’ve been blessed with girls who work really hard. We get great support from the school administration and the community.”

Jenna Fuchs (25) gets the ball past the foot of Clarke goalkeeper Monica Cintron and scores for the Trojans. See this photo at www.Newsphoto.com “Chappy” also had high praise for her assistant coaches over the years, many of whom are former Trojan players such as current assistant Lauren LiCalzi. “They know what it means to play Garden City field hockey,” she said.

The win over Clarke was the team’s ninth of the season against one loss. Eight different GC players scored goals, including their outstanding senior Eleni Andromidas who added an assist. Eleni is one of 12 returning seniors from last year’s New York State Class B Championship team. Win number 300 was delayed a bit when East Islip twice cancelled games. Then, on October 12, the Trojans suffered their first loss in two years when they were edged by defending state Class A Champion Ward Melville, 1-0, in a truly classic non-league game.

Mariah Pewarski in action for GC. See this photo at www.Newsphoto.com “Before the season I wasn’t aware that I was close to 300 wins until people began talking about it. Now we can just get back to business,” Chapman said. That means getting ready for playoffs and Chappy already got her wish as the Trojans defeated New Hyde Park, 5-1, and North Shore, 6-0 to go to 11 and 1. It was also win number 301 and 302 if you’re counting.