MEETING

Hey Girls,
MONDAY NOVEMBER 19, we will be having a brief meeting after school in room 702. There are some things we need to discuss. Please attend if you can't let me know!

GAME IS ON TOMORROW! 2pm at Wall

Mondays game versus Wall is postponed to Tuesday! Same time, same place!

NEED YOUR HELP

Hello Northern Burlington Players, Parents and friends,

I have a SPECIAL request to ask of you all. Monday we are playing Wall. Wall unfortunately was devastated by Hurricane Sandy, and are still in the act of recovery. What I would like from you all is to show how awesome NBFH is and donate needed items for the Wall community. They are in need of batteries, and non perishable foods mainly. However whatever you can think of that might help would be appreciated. So I am aware this is extremely late notice, but if the girls could bring these items to practice tomorrow (or parents drop it off before or after) it would be appreciated! Thank you ALL for your cooperation with this idea, and see you all on Monday!

Coach Ritter
Coach Budd
Coach Colombo
Coach Search

PS Tonight is Daylight Savings, so everyone gets an hour EXTRA of sleep. So set your clocks back and be at practice at 11am!

PS Treats for those who dress up at practice for Halloween!

Hey girls, delayed opening tomorrow, practice after school. See you all then! :)

Game Resheduled

Hey Girls!

I hope EVERYONE has been doing a little stick work and getting some conditioning in. Our game versus Wall is rescheduled for Monday November 5. I hope everyone's houses are okay and you are all well. Hopefully see you all tomorrow! :)

Game Cancelled

Tomorrow's game is cancelled. The makeup date is still uncertain. I will update the blog as soon as I know.

Practice Cancelled

Due to the weather and no indoor facilities, practice is cancelled. Please make sure you do some stick work in your backyard, inside with a tennis ball, with a friend, anything. Also if you can, get in some conditioning, like a long 30 minute run (pushing yourself). I hope everyone stays safe during this storm and hopefully see you all tomorrow!

We're still in the works to try to get in the Stick it to Cancer game, but first off...

CONGRATS GIRLS!!!! Not only did you succeed your goal of a .500 record, but you did it with skill, teamwork, and class. I am so incredibly proud of how far you all have come. Not only as individuals, but as a TEAM!

We have our first tournament game tomorrow, and if you play the way you've been taught by your coaches you will dominate the game! Remember girls that every playoff game is WIN OR GO HOME, the will to want to win can exceed skill any day, so combine your skills with that win and you will be incredible!

"More than education, more than experience, more than training, it's resilience that determines who succeeds and who fails." Dean Becker

Proud!

I am in utter awe of our team! I am so proud of how hard you girls fought and how much you DESERVED that win! That was a complete team effort and you girls left it ALL on the field. Remember how it felt each moment and make it your goal to maintain that until the very last second of our very last game of the season. GREAT JOB GIRLS! Now lets go get Pemberton!!!!!

Winners don't wait for chances, they take them - Unknown

(Way to take the chances today girls!!!!)

The JV game against Florence is cancelled.

Parents those who wrote out blank checks. The checks were made out to B & D Printing. Thank you!

GREAT job today girls! I am extremely proud of each and every one of you! Not just for the DRASTIC improvements that you have made on the field with your stick work and game sense, but for the class and sportsmanship you exhibited. Keep your heads up, you've come a long way. But remember the quote you all choose: "Take your best and make it BETTER"! I know you girls can do it, and am so proud and grateful that you are apart of (I'm speaking for all the coaches) our team :) GO HOUNDS!!!!

Some house cleaning:
Tomorrow we are meeting in one of the Health classrooms. Have your sneakers on to start.
Cancer t-shirt orders and money are due tomorrow.
If you haven't already done so, bring in your $4 for Raeanne
Our Burlington Twp game has been changed, check the schedule. That means our Stick it to Cancer game and Parent's Day have also changed.

Cancelled Pick up Game

Hey Girls,

Due to an unsure amount of people, today's pick up game has been CANCELLED. Tomorrow Varsity and JV are at Winslow Township and the Freshmen are at Gloucester City. Varsity and JV please be ready AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I would like to leave school as early as we can, since this will be a longer trip. Please keep in mind the weather and that it is getting colder so please pack accordingly. See you all tomorrow!

Hey Girls!

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Just a couple of things...

Tomorrow we are having a voluntary practice from 4:45-5:45. We will be doing a pick-up game again. I HIGHLY recommend everyone to attend since Varsity, JV, and Freshmen all have a game on Tuesday. Again this is voluntary and is not an excuse to get out of other obligations, however if you can attend please do so, it's a lot of fun!

Please continue to sell our cancer shirts, everyone MUST sell 5, and each of you (if you can) buy one for yourself so that the day of our Stick it to Cancer game, everyone will wear them for warm-ups.

Also, please start bringing in your $4 for Raeanne.

I tried to put up these pictures but unfortunately to no avail, so enjoy...

Don't mess with the Greyhounds!

All pumped up and ready to win!

So proud of our girls today! GREAT overtime win over RV!

Tranquilize the Bears!!!

We continue our tough week with a game against Delran tomorrow at Delran. The girls had a hard practice today in the rain/mist and are ready to take on the Bears tomorrow! Some reminder for the girls...

Everyone must sell at least 5 of our Stick it to Cancer t-shirts you can see what they look like below.

The t-shirts are $10 a piece. They will have black writing with a white outline, and on the back will say "whoever said winning wasn't everything, wasn't fighting cancer" Our fundraiser supports Coaches vs Cancer which is in partnership with the American Cancer Society. So please sell as many as you can to support this WONDERFUL cause!

Another reminder to bring in your $4 by Oct 12 for Raeanne.

That is all for now. Keep positive girls! You are constantly improving and should be proud of yourselves. However remember our quote for this year "take your best and make it better!" Progress wasn't made by staying in one place :)

Progress!

Yesterday the girls faced Moorestown for the second time this season. Even though we loss 4-0, I couldn't have been more prouder of them. They played incredibly well, and showed how much potential they have. Our JV also had a great game fighting hard the whole way.

Monday we have Pennsauken another tough opponent. Since we play them on Monday, we are having another VOLUNTARY practice tomorrow at 8am. If you can make it, please do so. However this is not an excuse to get out of other obligations. The practice will be from 8-9 and we will simply be playing a pick up game. So get ready to play against (or with) your coaches!

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. ~Aristotle

Staying Positive

Varsity had a tough loss today to Gloucester City. The girls fought hard, and we can definitely see improvements. We're all excited and pumped up for our rematch against Moorestown. So hopefully see you all tomorrow!

A special Congrats to our JV for another fantastic win, you girls are killing it!

A special Thanks to the Muscavages for hosting the pasta party last night. Thank you so much the girls had a great time!

Great Day to be a Greyhound!!!!

Another awesome, productive day. The girls increased their win streak to 3 defeating BCIT Medford 6-0. Even more awesome is that in this win we had 6 different goal scorers! However the girls still know that it takes a lot for me to be satisfied so we used this game as an opportunity to keep on growing. They did a great job and it's so cool to already see how far they've come in only a few short weeks.

GAME ADDED!!!
Due to our Monday game being cancelled this week, we have added a NEW game to our schedule. We will now be playing THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 27th versus Gloucester City at 3:45. That means our pasta party is now moved to Wednesday at the Muscavages.

Another reminder that apparel order forms AND money are due Friday. No late acceptances allowed.

Lastly, a much appreciated Thank you to the Paynes for the delicious caramel apples that they provided to the entire team. Thank you!!!

Stronger

The girls had another productive practice. They are continuing to get the concepts the coaches give to them. Although there are times of frustration (between the girls and the coaches!) they fight through and continue to try their hardest. Your dedication will show through tomorrow girls!

For those of you that might have been absent. At practice today we finally got our apparel forms. The forms AND money are due THIS FRIDAY. The sooner we get our forms and money in, the sooner we get our clothes! If you need a form please see me.

Just another reminder that on Thursday we are having a pasta party at the Muscavages. Seniors are responsible for sides, Juniors: drinks, Sophomores: desserts, Freshmen: Drinks or dessert.

We are away tomorrow at BCIT in Medford. The bus will be leaving AT 2:45, remember to bring your  away (blue) uniforms. The team is wearing the skirts (as long as they are not hiked up!) and a black top to school.

We all have ability. The difference is how we use it.

Stevie Wonder

Moorestown Friends-2 Northern Burlington-3

Yesterday the girls got their 3rd win of the season to bring the team record up to .500! They converted some good goals and held on to the win despite playing down a player for several minutes. Our JV team also won yesterday beating Moorestown Friends 2-1. They are having an awesome season and it's SO COOL to see everyone improving!

Now for some housekeeping notes...
Our game on monday versus Pemberton is CANCELLED. We are only supposed to play them once in a season so we are keeping our senior night game. Even though Monday's game is cancelled we will continue to have the voluntary practice on Sunday at 11am. I hope all that are able to, do come out, it will be a fun practice and a good chance for you all to increase your level of play by playing with or against your coaches.

Our game on tuesday now is Varsity AND JV. BCIT now has a enough for a JV game so everyone travels!

On Wednesday is the College Recruiting Night. This will be a great night for those of you interested in playing any sport in college. You will be informed on what to expect and how to better prepare yourself for this process. I highly recommend anyone even remotely interested in playing in college to attend this function.

The Muscavages will be hosting a team pasta party on Thursday after practice. We will cover what needs to be brought later in the week.

A very late but needed THANK YOU goes to the Irelands for hosting the team pasta party last Thursday. You did a great job and the girls said it was delicious! Thank you!!!

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend, and see most of you girls tomorrow!

Hounds-2 Township-0

The girls got their second win this season! They played a strong 60 minutes. Britany Hafner got a well-deserved shutout. And goals from Nicki Kotelnicki and Danielle Pandl were awesome! I was extremely proud of the girls today, however we still have room to grow and won't be satisfied until we've reached our goals.

Our JV also had an awesome game today. They came out dominating with goals from Courtney Nutt, Jenna Ferrell, and Katie Ireland. Marilyn Tartaglia got the shut out for the JV.

Both teams played well, and made me proud to be a Hound! Good Job girls and get prepared for a tough game against Moorestown Friends!

Reminders

Hey girls,

Obviously practice was cancelled today, due to factors beyond my control. However a few little reminders for tomorrow...

Varsity/JV: we are AWAY tomorrow at Burlington Twp. The bus leaves AT 2:45 so make sure all equipment and bodies are on the bus by that time. Also all away games you are to do buddy bags (sorry for posting this late, so hopefully you all remembered!)

Freshmen: you are HOME tomorrow vs Burlington Twp. Make sure you have your white Jerseys.

Everyone: On Thursday Katie Ireland is having a pasta party at her house. Everyone is of course invited. If going, Seniors are in charge of drinks, Juniors: desserts, Sophomores: chips, sides etc, Freshmen: talk with each other 2 or 3 of you bring bread, the rest bring drinks. And if you are doing the walk-a-thon bring your $15 in TOMORROW!

I hope everyone faired well with the storm, I barely got hit with anything so I hope the same goes for you all. See you all tomorrow and BEAT TOWNSHIP!!!!!

Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it. George Halas

Thank you MS'ers!

We had a great day at Northern Burlington field hockey. The team welcomed our middle schoolers and got to know them a bit better. The middle schoolers were taught by our awesome High Schoolers and I think a lot was learned on both sides! The girls also did a hard conditioning but stuck it out, and I think have a new found hatred for Burlington Twp :) Great job to everyone today!!!

Girls: Katie Ireland has graciously opened up her home to have a pasta party Thursday after practice. I will fill you in on the details tomorrow, but a heads up and keep those stomachs empty on thursday!

Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.

George E. Woodberry

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y

The team got our first win today over Pennsauken 2-1. Nikki Kotelnicki scored both goals and we got some impressive play by our underclassmen. However it was a team effort and the girls agree that as soon as they started playing together that was when the game turned around. I am proud of their resiliency to keep fighting after being down 1-0. That type of attitude is essential in close games. 

Tomorrow we begin to prepare for our game versus RV on Friday. I'm pretty sure the girls are just as excited as I am, and I know that if we play our game the way we can, we'll have win #2 under our belts.

Thank you to all who came out to support today and I hope to see you all on Friday!

"When you have prepared and the opportunity presents itself, victory is close by; determination will lead you to it. "

Way to prepare girls! Now lets do it again Friday!

Learning Experiences

We had a tough loss yesterday to Holy Cross in overtime. However as much as it stung, the girls truly have come a long way. We are still no where near where we want to be, but the girls continue to improve everyday and that is something we continually strive for. Tomorrow we face Pennsauken in our first home game of the season; the team, coaches, and I are extremely excited to play on our own field. I think the girls are ready for their first win and have the hunger to do so tomorrow.

Girls: a reminder to bring in you $15 if you are participating in the walk-a-thon by THURSDAY. You can give your registration in to Jacquie K, Meghin, or Danielle.

A special thanks goes out to the Kotlenicki's for hosting the team Pasta party tonight. The girls had a wonderful time and the food was delicious!

"Simply wanting to win means nothing. Dedication, determination, hard work and heart gets it done!" Unknown

Team BBQ Fun

Hello Northern players, family, and friends! Thank you to all who came out to the team BBQ today. It was awesome to meet a lot of the family, of these wonderful girls! A special thanks goes to Mr. Kelly for bringing his grill and cooking up those delicious burgers and hot dogs. It wouldn't have been a BBQ without a grill!

Varsity and JV: please wear your blue jerseys on monday and remember to do your Buddy Bags. We will be leaving school at 2:45, so make all the equipment is picked up, we left WAY too late on thursday, lets get to Holy Cross at a reasonable time.

Freshmen: you have practice on monday from 2:45-3:30 so make the proper arrangements for rides.

Everyone: We will be having a team pasta party on Tuesday at the Kotelnicki's after practice. A list will be hung up on the bulletin on what to bring on Monday.

Again thank you to everyone who attended the BBQ! I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Northern Burlington-1 Moorestown-8

So we finished our first game as a team. Not exactly the start we wanted, but the girls were able to maintain some of the goals they established in the preseason. We'll continue to stay positive, and focus on what we need to work on. The girls know their weaknesses and will work on building on that. Way to stay positive today girls and fight to the final whistle! Also congrats to Danielle Pandl on her goal!

"You have no choices about how you lose, but you do have a choice about how you come back and prepare to win again." ~ Pat Riley

Mow Down Mo'Town!!!

First off, Congrats to our seniors for finishing their LAST preseason at Northern! That's a feat you should be proud of! Another congrats to our Preseason Olympic winning team... NETHERLANDS! They almost always took gold in the dress up and did well with team challenges.

So now that preseason is over, we begin our exciting season. The girls and I have high hopes for this season and know that with a positive attitude and a good work ethic we can achieve our goals. Tomorrow our season starts with Moorestown. We are excited for a tough game against them and embrace our underdog status with the hopes of an upset. I hope all the girls get a good nights sleep for their first day of school as well as their first game!

Parents, as a reminder, we have our team BBQ on Saturday from 11-1. If all the parents could arrive at 10:45, I would like to have an extremely brief meeting with you all to formally introduce myself. I hope you all can make it! (And girls please remind your parents if they don't read the blog!)

Thank you everyone for your support of the team during preseason! I am sure your support will continue throughout our season, and look forward to seeing you all on the sidelines. Go Hounds!!!!

Below are pictures from our last dress up day...

 Germany

 Argentina

 Japan

Netherlands

Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.~ Vince Lombardi

Practice is INSIDE Today

Girls practice will be inside today so please bring your sneakers and an extra sock to put on your stick (just incase). We will be doing uniforms and a team meeting from 2:45-4:15. Then practice in the West gym from 4:15-5:30. Please have your parents plan on picking you up at 5:30. See you all then!

Reminders

Hey Girls!

I hope everyone had a nice relaxing Labor Day weekend! Just a few reminders...

Tomorrow we scrimmage West Windsor Plainsboro North. The bus will be leaving at 2:30. So far the weather doesn't look so nice, so keep checking the blog to see if the scrimmage is still on.

If you haven't already done so, please give me a head count for how many in your family will be attending our Team BBQ, this Saturday.

And lastly, our LAST dress-up day will be Super heroes. The coaches will be judging the best individual outfit, so go crazy! (Creativity is DEFINITELY encouraged!)

I hope you all get a good nights rest, and get ready to play!

"One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team." ~ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Day 13, Lean and Mean!!

Another productive practice! You girls are working hard and are definitely learning the concepts. I hope you girls can implement all we taught you today into tomorrow's scrimmage.

Reminders, we are leaving the school AT 8:30 so be at the school before then, and if you need to see Ms. C, get there at least an hour ahead of time.

If you haven't already given me your head count for the team BBQ, please do so ASAP.

Our last dress up day (and day of preseason!) is Wednesday. Dress in your best superhero outfit (real or made up!)

Thank you to the Nutt family for hosting the team today for a pool pasta party. I'm sure the girls enjoyed jumping into the pool after their runs today!

Lastly, congrats to Germany for winning gold in today's decades dress up! It felt like we stepped back in time. Here are some of the pictures...

" Persistence can change failure into Extraordinary Achievement " Unknown

Day 11... (we forgot to make up a rhyme!)

Another hard day. We had an impromptu scrimmage with Collingswood, which was definitely helpful. The score may have been one sided, however we as coaches, and as a team learned a lot about what we need to work on. And that is what you have to keep in mind. Take this opportunity not as a negative outcome, but a situation upon which we can learn upon. So please girls... 

"Don't give up. Don't EVER give up!" Jimmy Valvano

Day 10, Yes we can!!!

Hey Girls!

So the scrimmage is ON for tomorrow. We will be playing at Collingswood at 10am. The bust will be leaving at 8:30 so make sure you get there ahead of time. We should be arriving back at Northern no later than 1pm.

Because of the scrimmage, the dress-up day scheduled for tomorrow is moved to Thursday. Also, please start to get a head count for the Team BBQ on Saturday September 8th, and let me know ASAP so we can get an idea of how much food to bring.

Also our first game, was originally scheduled for Friday September 7th, it is now Thursday September 6th.

Lastly Courtney has graciously offered to have a Pool party at her house this Thursday. The time is still to be determined, but check the bulletin board on what to sign up for to bring.

You girls created some great goals and expectations today. Now it is very easy to say what you want to do, but only you girls have the ability to make it happen.

"Well done is better than well said."  ~Benjamin Franklin

Day 8, feeling great!!!

Our first FULL week is done! We had another fun, productive practice. The girls continue to work hard and their skills are showing definite improvement. Our first scrimmage is Monday at Salem. The bus will be leaving at 9 am so make sure to get to the school around 8:45. Wear a blue shirt, black shorts, and blue socks. Also make sure to bring money so we can stop on our way back. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors make sure you fill out that paper, and bring it to me on Monday. Please make your answers truthful. I hope everyone enjoys their weekend and rests up for another hard, productive week. Also enjoy the photos from today's practice...

Congrats to Germany and Netherlands on winning golds today! Germany for the Holiday Dress Up, and Netherlands for the Monster Challenge.

Day 7: No more wakin up at 11!

Another awesome job! Just a reminder of we went over today. The bus for the scrimmage on Monday leaves AT 9, so make sure you are at the school around 8:45. Also wear a Blue colored shirt, black shorts, and blue socks (because we all want to be like Coach Search!) Make sure you bring some money with you as well since we will be stopping somewhere and have a team "linner"(lunch/dinner). If your parents are driving you home from the scrimmage (or any scrimmage or game for that matter) a parental note must be handed in ONE day before the game/scrimmage. Keep your heads up girls, your doing AWESOME! Just please keep in mind, that only YOU know your limits, so be smart. I'm looking forward to your Holiday getups tomorrow!

"The body achieves, what the mind believes" Unknown

Day 6, Use dem Tricks!

Two more practices left until our first scrimmage! Another hard practice but you girls continue to amaze  your coaches. For all your hard work, you girls have earned a shortened practice tomorrow. So remember practice ends at 5, please use that extra hour to rest up your body and just relax!

A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. Colin Powell

Think hard girls, what's YOUR dream?! What are YOU working towards?!

Day 5 Still Alive!

We had a very successful Tahiti Tuesday! The girls worked extremely hard in practice and enjoyed a nice pasta and pool party afterwards, thanks to the Kurzweils! Below you can see the girls creativity come alive again. I can only imagine what they all have planned for Friday!

 Japan

 Argentina

 Germany

Netherlands

"It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters." Paul "Bear" Bryant

Day 4... We want More!

Another day done, and another day I continue to be impressed with you girls! Keep up the good work and remember to wear you Tahiti Tuesday attire as well as bring your bathing suit for the Pool Pasta Party, and don't forget your $3! Good work girls! GO NORTHERN!!!!!

Get Ready for the First FULL Week

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! We have another hard week coming up, but I know you girls will have the motivation to succeed. Another reminder that those of you that have to do the Impact testing, meet at Mrs. C's office AT 2 (that means get there before 2). Also practice will be starting at 3pm Monday through Thursday this week. Lastly we will be having our first Pasta Pool Party on Tuesday so please bring $3 and check the bulletin board on what you can sign up for and bring to the party. I hope you girls enjoyed your first dress up day, I know the coaches enjoyed seeing all your creativity, below is your team pictures from Friday...

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying." ~ Michael Jordan

Day Two is Through!

Another awesome practice girls! You girls did a tough run today and stuck through it well. That is what will help you win those close games. Your hits are also improving tremendously! Keep practicing them and don't be afraid to ask questions. I'm not kidding when I say, you girls show tremendous potential. With your heart, positive attitudes, and skills, you girls will be a team to be reckoned with. Also congrats to Team Argentina on their Air Dribble gold medal! :) I hope you all are getting your Freaky Friday outfits together for another fun productive practice tomorrow!

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.”  Anatole France

Day One n Done

First day of preseason is in the books. You girls did a FANTASTIC job today. Keep the same positive attitudes and work ethic and it will be an awesome year! I hope everyone gets a good nights rest, eats well (and right!) tomorrow morning, and comes back ready for more. We will be meeting on the field to start, but make sure you check the equipment list posted on the bulletin board in the locker room prior to coming out. See you all tomorrow!

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best.” ~ Tim Duncan

TOMORROW!

Preseason starts tomorrow!!! Make sure you are AT the field by 8:00 am, NOT arriving at 8:00 am. I hope everyone gets a good nights rest, and I can't say it enough, get hydrated and eat well!

"Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better." ~ Pat Riley

2 DAYS!

Preseason starts in 2 DAYS!!! In order to help your coaching staff, if you own a shirt with your name on the back, please wear it to practice on Wednesday, or wear a shirt that you don't mind writing your name on the back of it. I will be bringing sharpies. Again please keep hydrating yourself and eating well! See you all in 2 days!!! Go NBFH!

*And please note, our GCIT scrimmage has been cancelled and the Ewing scrimmage is Varsity only, adjustments have been made on the game and practice schedules.

Countdown is ON!

Less than a week until preseason!!! Make sure you all are staying hydrated and eating well!

CORRECTION!

Sorry girls, the start date for Preseason is Wednesday August 15! See you all there!

Preseason

The official start date for preseason is August 15th! I will be working on the practice schedule all day, so hopefully that will be posted later. Also make sure you have your physicals handed in! Currently we only have around 15 physicals for field hockey that includes freshmen. If you want to be sure Mrs. O'Neill has your physical you can shoot me an e-mail and I can confirm if we have yours or not. So everyone get ready and remember to pass the blog address around to everyone you know who's playing, and tell them to send me an e-mail at NorthernBurlingtonFH@gmail.com. See you all on Wednesday August 15th!

First Post!

Hello Northern Burlington Field Hockey players, parents, and fans!

This first post marks the beginning of the Northern Burlington Field Hockey blog. Through this blog I will post the game schedule, practice schedule, and any other important information that you will need. You will also be able to use this blog as another means to contact me, and stay as up to date as possible for any happenings. I hope everyone's summer is going well and you are all prepping for the upcoming season. I know I'm ready for an exciting season, and hope you all are too! :)

Sincerely,
Ms. Ritter