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HUMANS OF STEVENSON

Emma Gladstein, 2023 MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Year
Six year old Emma playing field hockey.
Six year old Emma playing field hockey.
Marlee Gladstein

“I started playing field hockey between kindergarten and first grade; I can’t exactly remember my age. My mom was my coach, and I was just thrown into playing. My mom was a lacrosse player. Though, she did play field hockey in high school. However, lacrosse was her thing. I played lacrosse for a little bit, but field hockey stuck for me. It was my thing. I liked the fast-paced environment and the need for lots of practice. It doesn’t just come easy; you have to work hard for it. It’s just fun for me; practicing and learning new skills. I like having to work for it and having to work hard to improve. It wasn’t until around middle or high school that I started taking field hockey seriously and playing for real. My parents supported me by sending me to recruiting camps and clinics, and I played on club teams and in tournaments—some of the most expensive things in sports. When I’m playing field hockey, I feel a sense of relief. It’s my happy place. Field hockey has been my everything for so long that it is such a calm and soothing feeling when I get on the field. To get ready for a game, I wake up and start my hair. I need to have good game-day hair. I usually do a couple of braids. Then I do my roommate’s braids. After that, we usually go to the locker room, and I braid other people’s hair. I’m not very superstitious about anything. After braiding, I have to get my knees taped by our athletic trainer, Gabby. That’s who has to tape my knees. And I have to have the same color tape every game. And I wear the same rash guard under my shin guards every game. They’re like dog paw prints, and there’s a big hole in them because I wear them every game. I have to wear them. They bring me good luck. And I always put on rash guard, rash guard, sock, sock. So, maybe I am a little superstitious. At the beginning of every game, I’m always on the field looking for my mom. It’s been my thing ever since I started playing. I always have to find my mom in the stands. It gives me a sense of, okay, she is here. I’m fine. I can do this. Once I find my mom and look around the field, I’ll look for my team. I’m on the forward line, helping them out. I look to see where my teammates are so I can position myself right so I can help them position themselves right. I can see my teammates running around next to me. Then I look to the goal. I look at the goal a lot. When I’m on the field, all I think about is scoring. My mindset is to score, score, score. I’m a forward, so I love to score; it’s like my job. But usually, my mind is pretty blank. I kind of just let everything go because if I overthink, I’ll mess up. So, my mind just kind of goes empty, and I let my instincts take over.” – Emma Gladstein

Emma and her Mom, Marlee Gladstein, posing with the 2021 Field Hockey Championship trophy (Mark Cambell)
Emma and her mom, Marlee Gladstein, posed with a tournament medal in 2016 (Kayt Stead)

 

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About the Contributor
Miya Reed
Miya Reed, Reporter
Miya is a sophomore business communication major with a professional minor in entrepreneurship and small business development as well as an additional minor in marketing. She is from a small town on the Canadian border called Franklin, Vermont. Outside of her involvement with The Villager, Miya spends her time visiting local coffee shops and enjoying slow-paced mornings with her cat Pudding.
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