Co-captains Miller and Picketts reflect on Princeton field hockey

Recently, 'Prince' contributor Anne-Marie McGintee sat down with the field hockey team's two senior captains, Claire Miller and Cory Picketts.

'Prince': How long have you been playing field hockey?

Both: Since the seventh grade.

P: What do you love about the sport?

Claire Miller: Spandex and mouth guards. Definitely the French braids and I can't live without my ribbons.

Cory Picketts: Yes, the mouth guards ... especially the ones that make you look like you don't have any teeth. And, I really like wearing my knee braces. [pause] Seriously though, I like field hockey because it's an intense, fast-paced sport that makes you think.

CM: Field hockey combines the thinking and passing of soccer with the challenge of mastering a stick, like lacrosse or ice hockey.

P: What do you consider your strengths on the field?

CM: My long stick reach and my speed, which are both important for a midfielder.

CP: I'm one of the strongest girls on the team, so probably my hit. Good field vision is also essential for a center back position.

P: Was it a hard transition as seniors to get a new coach this year?

CM: The hardest part for me was during the two months when we didn't have a coach. Before anyone was hired, our team was like a bunch of orphans. Cory and I were left in charge and it was a lot to deal with. But once [head coach] Kristen [Holmes-Winn] and [assistant] Melissa [Mecagge] came here, it's been great.

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P: How has the season been going so far?

CP: We have a small team, but each player has really stepped it up. We've had flashes of brilliance, but then there have been times when it's been somewhat difficult for us to come together for a full seventy minutes.

P: How does it feel to be Ivy League champs?

CM: It just feels good to know that we've protected the legacy and are continuing a tradition.

CP: Especially since going into the season, people didn't know what to expect, not that our team would do poorly, but our Ivy League competitors saw that we graduated so many seniors and thought it would be a transition season for us.

P: What has been your most memorable field hockey moment at Princeton?

CM: There isn't just one, but if I had to pick my most recent it would be our Senior Day. It was a beautiful October day at Class of 1952 Stadium, and we played Old Dominion, who we always have good games with. Our whole team played really well and Cory's brother hung up a big sign for us in the bleachers.

CP: I really liked Senior Day too and obviously going to the Final Four was really fun. Hopefully, we'll be there again this year.

CM: The best is yet to come.

P: Who is your most hated opponent?

CM: Oh, a spicy question. Probably some of the Ivy League teams because they don't just come out to play good hockey; they come out to try and kill us. CP: Definitely Ivy League teams — but also Maryland and Michigan.

CM: Yes, another one of my favorite moments was knocking Michigan out in the first round [of the NCAA Tournament] last year. There's just something about them.

P: What kind of role have your teammates played in your life?

CP: [jokingly] Shower buddies ... ha ha! No, they make Princeton my home away from home. When you come to campus, they are your family.

P: Explain the famous field hockey Halloween tradition.

CM: The coaches pick the costumes for the players, usually with something in mind to make fun of that person for something or to tease them a little bit. We do the same thing for the coaches.

P: What did you dress up as this year?

CP: Kelly Osbourne. It was fun to get punked out. I wore a black wig, funky jeans, fishnets and a shirt that said, "Rock and Roll Saves Lives."

CM: Mango from Saturday Night Live. For four straight years, I have been in minimal clothing. I guess the coaches think I have a little bit of an attitude. Sassy, that's the word. I wore a gold brassiere with a red beanie and rainbow spandex with a built-in bulge. This year, we also started a new tradition where we go out in public with our costumes. We went out to eat at a Hibachi restaurant ... got a lot of looks that night.

CP: Yeah, I did the worm across the restaurant floor.

P: Each teammate gets to contribute a song to the music mix for games. Which did you pick?

CM: "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston ... which by the way, if you don't like you should be shot on sight.

CP: AC/DC's "Hells Bells" — it's a team favorite! Also, Guns and Roses' "Sweet Child of Mine."

P: Why should people be fans of the Princeton field hockey team?

CP: Because we're good! We are Ivy League champs. Also, our parents put together some great tailgates. It's a wonderful atmosphere when everyone gets together.

CM: Orange bloomies! And because we have an awesome history of success.

P: Lastly, has athletics enhanced your Princeton experience?

CP: Yes, I have so many more memories, from road trips to holiday parties, and have made great relationships with my teammates.

CM: Definitely, my teammates are my best friends.