WATTS UP: Sydney Watts sends the ball up the field in action for the Amherst College field hockey last fall during her junior campaign. Watts, a former Princeton High standout, has been a starter on defense for Amherst the last two seasons and will serve as a co-captain of the team this fall. (Photo Courtesy of Amherst Athletic Communications)

A rash of injuries paved the way for Sydney Watts to get some playing time during the latter stages of her freshman season with the Amherst College field hockey team in the fall of 2013.

The former Princeton High standout made the most of the opportunity, holding her own at left back as Amherst went 13-3 and advanced to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) semifinals.

That breakthrough led to the 5’2 Watts becoming a fixture in the lineup, starting 32 of 33 games over the past two seasons on the defensive back line for the Purple and White.

“A lot of our starters were getting hurt so in the last regular season game; I ended up going in halfway through and that was like the turning point for my career,” said Watts, recalling her opportunity to contribute.

“It was huge. It was a culmination of work that we had all put in and when they actually needed us, we had to jump in and play.”

Next week, Watts heads into her senior season as a team co-captain looking to culminate her Amherst career in style.

“I think this season is a huge season for us because we have a lot of returning starters,” said Watts.

“We need to get out from the get-go with a ton of
energy and confidence but at the same time take practice as seriously as we would games. Sometimes the midweek practices can get to you so getting that all-around focus and game day mentality all the time would get us on the right track.”

Despite suffering some graduation losses, Amherst stayed on the right track in Watts’ sophomore season, going 12-4 overall.

“We transitioned from having our center forward, center mid, and center back all graduate after my freshman year,” said Watts, who had three assists in 2014.

“It could have been seen as a growing year but we turned around and made it into something where we showed our strength.”

Last year, Watts found herself on an island along the Amherst back line due to a change in formation.

“This past year we played four midfielders with two center mids, switching from playing four forwards,” said Watts.

“In that sense the outside players were really crucial because we didn’t have anyone who could pop over. It left me with more defensive responsibility. The left back is the hardest spot to be because you are playing on your weaker side compared to whoever is coming at you.”

Popping up at the right time helped Watts produce a major highlight of her career in a 2-1 overtime victory against Williams in the 2015 NESCAC tournament.

“We had a center back pass from one side and it got intercepted and they come down and got a first shot and then they got a second shot,” recalled Watts.

“The goalie was down and out of nowhere, I appear in the footage. I don’t know where I was or how I got there. I made a crazy defensive save I could never
replay or do again. It was the coolest play of my life. It was at the end of the first half, nobody had scored and that save changed the momentum. We scored right after the start of the second half and they had a last minute goal at the end of the second half and then we won in OT.”

Watts headed to Prague, Czech Republic for the spring semester of her junior year but received a cool honor prior to the trip as she was named as a co-captain of the team for the 2016 campaign.

“I was super happy to be there but bummed to be away from the team because captains were announced just before I left,” said Watts.

“I was happy to hear that I was named captain but not being on campus and being a captain is a tough spot to be in. I was playing catch up and trying to get in touch with all the incoming freshmen and the other players and also trying to play myself. I was in New York City working for the summer; it was hard to get to but I made it work.”

Before Amherst starts preseason training on August 31, Watts will be honing her leadership skills.

“As a captain we go up three or four days early and do a leadership symposium with “Amherst Leads,” which is super exciting,” said Watts.

“All the Amherst captains from every season get together and do a whole leadership program and then we dive right into preseason right after that.”

Having started playing field hockey when she was 11, Watts is trying not to dwell on the approaching end of her career in the sport.

“I honestly feel this is like any other season, not like it is going to be my last,” said Watts, a ZAG Field Hockey/NFHCA All-Academic selection majoring in psychology who is looking to get into the business world after graduation.

“That is kind of nice because it hasn’t hit me yet, hopefully it hits me after the season.”

With Amherst dueling with national powers Bowdoin and Middlebury for NESCAC supremacy, Watts knows that the Purple and White needs to make strides to achieve a memorable season.

“Bowdoin was undefeated all season until the national championship game when Middlebury took them out,” said Watts. “It is great competition so hopefully we can figure it out this year.”