"It's all in the Carbo-Force," sophomore defender Emily Townsend said as she crossed a rainy path after her interview with the 'Prince.'
Her endorsement of the vitamin supplement seemed either to be a piece of esoteric field hockey wisdom, the secret to field hockey's hitherto undefeated season, or perhaps a chance to have a little fun with a credulous sports reporter.
The laughter that followed her quote, however, revealed that Townsend had the latter in mind. But throughout the preceding interview, her happy-go-lucky manner hid a lot more than it disclosed. Never did she mention, for example, that she had once been considered the top high school defender in the country, nor did she recount tales of her summer tour of Canada on the United States under-19 team.
Pat on the back
Certainly, the interview reflected the manner in which she likes to lead — that is, by positive and yet amiable vocal encouragement.
"I'm definitely not a hard-ass," Townsend said. "[One of my strengths is] supporting the other players. I enjoy helping them and encouraging them with words. I talk a lot."
With such a vocal role, it is somewhat ironic that Townsend began her field hockey career when she failed to make the sixth grade cheerleading team at the Kincaid School in Houston.
"She's just a great kid and a great person to have on the field to pump people up," senior attack Hilary Matson said. "She just brings a lot of intensity and she's everywhere on the field. She's an offensive threat, which makes her even more dangerous."
Few defenders, certainly, find themselves capable of getting anywhere on the field that they please, but Townsend seems to have that ability. Having recognized her potential, the coaching staff has moved the sophomore from her old position as sweeper to a more forward position in defense, where she can support the offense and distribute the ball on the attack.
All-purpose
This versatility, combined with her work on penalty corners, has allowed Townsend to take a very proactive role in scoring points. The two goals she scored in the season opener against Boston University on Sept. 8 helped Townsend win the Ivy League Player of the Week award for the week ending Sept. 10 — and another goal in the Sept. 20 game against Columbia helped to spur her team to victory.
"She has been a starter since she got here," head coach Beth Bozman said. "She's a talented player and adds another dimension to our team."
Indeed, though Townsend spent a large part of last season unable to play due to an injured wrist, she still managed to earn a spot as a first-team regional All-American and second-team All-Ivy selection. Moreover, she finished third on the team with seven goals.
With only about eight field hockey teams active in her home state of Texas, one might wonder how Townsend developed into such a strong player. It was the sophomore's mother — a former field hockey coach — who was the main influence on Townsend. In addition, Greg Gephart — a math teacher who came to many of Townsend's games and offered tips, pointers and encouragement off the field — also had a profound influence on the defender's development as a field hockey player.
When watching Townsend both on and off the field, it is clear that she knows a lot about being a team player. Not only does she continually support and help her teammates, but she also constantly keeps them loose with jokes and funny comments.
In the end, sixth-grade dreams seem to die hard. In a lot of ways, Townsend has never given up the idea of being a cheerleader. Not making the team didn't kill that spirit inside her though, it just moved her from the sideline onto the playing field.
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