Different personalities of Sihota, Lee lead field hockey team
Central Michigan field hockey captains, Brooke Sihota and Paulina Lee look to use their roles to hold the balance of the Chippewas chances of winning a Mid-American Conference championship.
“The best part about Brooke and I being captains together is I think we definitely balance out each others leadership styles because are personalities balance each other out,” Lee said.
Sihota said she is easy going, while Lee is organized.
“If everyone knew us personally, they would know that holy moly, Paulina and Brooke are so completely opposite, but we get along so well,” Sihota said.
Sihota and Lee seem to have an understanding of their role as captain.
“As are coach says, ‘What’s the pulse of your team?” Lee said. “Are they happy, are they unhappy and how to monitor that and make sure everyone’s on the same page.”
Although Sihota and Lee will be leading a young team, CMU head coach Cristy Freese has given them responsibilities but makes sure not ask too much of them.
“I think that they don’t have to carry the whole burden in their play,” Freese said. “The communication and getting our team settled down or focused on the game plan is that’s something they do really well.”
Sihota and Lee add that while the team is young, team chemistry has grown from spring play and summer camps.
“We worked hard and well with our coaches, so we tightened as a team, so coming back it felt like everyone was an experienced player,” Lee said.
Freese noted the importance of them having a good relationship with the coaches.
“That’s important too because they’re not just the players captains, they’re the coaches captains too, so they have to be able to communicate with me as well as the team,” Freese said.
Much like their personalities, Sihota and Lee bring different things to the field.
“Brooke’s greatest thing that she brings is just knowledge of the game and the ability to read the game,” Freese said. “Paulina brings something different to the field. I think she’s such an athlete; she’s got great speed and I feel like now as a senior, she just has a real good sense of the game plan.”
One facet of the game fans will find both players in is during the penalty corner.
Sihota is the inserter and Lee is the stick-stop. They have been key contributors in the penalty corner for much of their careers.
“Last year actually, there was a point where both of them were injured and I really thought that hurt us not only on their overall game, but the fact that it just took two people out of our penalty corner unit,” Freese said.
A prelude to their future success is their previous accolades.
Sihota was a second team all-MAC selection, last season, while Lee earned the Bill Boyden Leadership Award along with holding a 3.85 GPA.
However, a MAC championship is the main objective they are striving for this season.
“To be honest, they would rather be remembered as bringing our team to a championship in their senior year,” Freese said.
Sihota and Lee agree with that assessment.
“You want to leave a legacy right? We haven’t won a MAC championship since 2005 and I think coming out as seniors and captains, both Brooke and I want to leave that legacy, that in 2011 we got our MAC championship,” Lee said.
