Gilroy High School senior field hockey players Erin Magill and
Kelly Perkins are the first in school history to play in the
sport’s top division in the state’s best tournament, the California
Cup.
By Greg Chapman Staff Writer
Gilroy – Gilroy High School senior field hockey players Erin Magill and Kelly Perkins are the first in school history to play in the sport’s top division in the state’s best tournament, the California Cup.
The field hockey program has seen drastic improvement since the first days of co-coaches Adam and Erin Gemar’s beginning 10 years ago, and Magill and Perkins lead the way for future Mustangs.
“The level of play has sky rocketed in these past few years,” Erin Gemar said. “Each year we’re setting new heights, making everyone in the field hockey program proud to be apart of something that’s growing so fast.”
Gemar said it’s an exciting time for the program because the level of play has improved, and she gives credit to the girls interest and dedication to the sport and program as reasons for the its growth.
Magill, who will attend the University of California-Berkeley in the fall, and Perkins, who will attend the University of Pacific in the fall, both were in love with another sport before field hockey, but committed to the sport and the dividends are now paying off.
They hope to follow in the footsteps of players such as Karlie Sandoval, who is now playing on the Division I level for Boston University.
Perkins played soccer 10 years before coming to high school, and before field hockey all Magill wanted to play was softball. But both stopped playing other sports because of the conflicts with field hockey.
The two GHS field hockey stars got a taste of what play will be like this fall at the California Cup and admit that the level of play was increasingly higher than high school, however they feel they can adjust to the style of play.
“It’s definitely a higher playing level,” Perkins said. “The rules are a little different, but it’s not something that can’t be adapted to.”
Three things about the competition level that Perkins pointed out was the pace of the game, the running required and not as many calls as high school.
Perkins said the level of play the players she was playing with and against made the game faster and it caused more running because their passes were good, which makes players have to get back on defense faster. She said the abilities of the players also made for fewer calls because it wasn’t like high school where officials tried to keep players safe.
Even though the tournament was a challenge for the players, it was a good experience.
Magill’s enjoyed playing with her Cal teammates and said it was a good experience because she has gotten to know the players and has learned how to play with them.
On the field, she played a position that she had never played before, but her teammates gave her pointers when they got to the sideline and made her aware of things she never thought of doing because the game is different at the high school level.
The Mustang field hockey program could expect to see many players competing at the highest college level, with Magill and Perkins paving the way.
“We’ve always had good teams, but never won CCS, or anything else,” Magill said. “It’s good because now GHS will get the recognition that it has always deserved.”
Magill said she wouldn’t be surprised if other girls also went on to play Division 1 field hockey because the program and players have improved.
Two players that are getting looks are sisters Amanda and Laura Spellman, and they could be teammates of Magill and Perkins next season.
Perkins said the sisters are getting attention from both UOP and Cal.
The two best friends, Perkins and Magill, will see each other a lot during the field hockey season because UOP plays a majority of their home games at Cal’s field.
When asked if they will keep in touch, Perkins, who got her schedule and has already marked down the dates of the games at Cal, said, “Oh yeah, a lot.”
