(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) caption: BAKING TIME: Stuart Country Day field hockey player Colleen Baker enjoys a break during a preseason scrimmage. Junior Baker chipped in a goal last Saturday as Stuart blanked the George School 8-0 to improve to 1-1. In upcoming action, the Tartans host Freehold High on September 16.

New Coach Lambi Enjoying Challenge as Stuart Field Hockey Makes Progress

Bill Alden

Julie Lambi has experienced plenty of season openers as a star field hockey player for Towson and then as a coach at Dickinson and West Chester.

But Lambi still felt plenty of butterflies last Thursday getting through her first game as the new head coach for the Stuart Country Day School field hockey team.

“It was different, high school is a different beast to conquer and there are things that are more nerve-wracking than others,” said Lambi, reflecting on her emotions as Stuart hosted Newton High.

“For the most part, things like adapting to the game and the speed of the game and the players. It is a new challenge; it is something different for me.”

While Lambi was disappointed to see her club fall 3-1 in the opener, she saw it as a plus to get the game under her belt.

“To be honest I am glad the first game is over, now we can settle into the season,” said Lambi, 27, who set the all-time scoring record at Towson with 44 goals and 23 assists. “It’s obviously not the outcome we wanted but it is a step in the right direction. We are going to take it, learn from it, and grow.”

Lambi saw some growth in the loss to Newton. “I thought we started pretty well but we got away from our game plan for a little while,” said Lambi, whose club jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first half on a goal by Angela Gallagher only to see Newton respond with two goals in a 90-second stretch just before intermission and then tack on another early in the second half.

“The second half was a much better effort all around. I thought the urgency was better; we played with more confidence and with authority to want to score. We wanted to get the ball down in our attacking area.”

Stuart got some confident play in the opener from its trio of senior stars, Kristi Hallowell, Whitney Charbonneau, and Lara Agnew.

“They did a good job but we need everyone to contribute,” said Lambi, who got a better all-around contribution last Saturday as Stuart blanked the George School 8-0 with Charbonneau and Tiara Little scoring two goals apiece and Hallowell, Agnew, Gallagher, and Colleen Baker each getting one.

“Sometimes it falls into an individual responsibility when it should be a team effort.”

In Lambi’s view, the Tartans did distinguish themselves with their valiant effort in the defeat against Newton.

“They don’t give up; they are truly passionate about playing and they always give their best effort,” asserted Lambi. “They love the sport, they love learning, and they love getting better.”

The Stuart players have shown their love of learning in the way they have responded to their new coach.

“They have been more than welcoming to me; they appreciate any of the feedback I have given them and they have taken it,” added Lambi. “I still think they are trying to feel me out a little bit as well as me trying to figure out what kind of team they are.”

While the Stuart team has traditionally been a title contender in the Mercer County Tournament and in state Prep competition, Lambi is more concerned about day-to-day progress than her squad’s playoff prospects.

“To get better is really the goal of the season for me,” said Lambi, whose club hosts Freehold High on September 16.

“Just to continually improve every game, everyday, every practice. If that happens, then I think we will achieve our goals.”

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