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In the fall of 2020, new Baler head coach and Baler field hockey alumna Samantha Moran returned to help the program, intending to stay for a short time after graduating earlier in the year.
“I loved my head coach, and she was still the head coach when I came out to help out,” Moran said. “I didn’t really have the intention of staying or sticking with it. It was more to fulfill my time.”
Six years later, Moran was promoted from assistant coach to head coach, becoming the fourth head coach in the program’s history since its inaugural season in 2015.
“I have a deep passion for field hockey, and I also love coaching,” Moran said. “It’s so fulfilling. These girls are amazing. I’ve tutored in the past, but something about coaching the sport and being able to transfer my passion for the sport and watch these girls play is truly amazing.”
In addition to her new role, Moran has a full-time job outside of Hollister and is a current student at Arizona State University studying statistics.
As a Baler athlete from 2016 to 2020, Moran primarily played midfielder under former head coach Molly Macierz Svihus, who is now an assistant coach on the team. As a member of the program during its developmental years, Moran helped lay the foundation for a new generation of Baler field hockey players.
As an assistant coach, she helped lead the team to four consecutive playoff berths from 2021 to 2024, including back-to-back league championships in the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Gabilan Division in 2022 and 2023.
Last season, the field hockey program had 22 players. The team finished fourth in the PCAL Gabilan Division, missing the CIF Central Coast Section playoffs by one spot. The team finished with an overall record of 5-8-1 and a league record of 5-5-1.
This season, Moran said she and her team are looking to build on last year’s performance.
Before the start of the season, Moran and several field hockey players spoke to girls trying out for volleyball and flag football, two popular fall sports at the high school. They informed the students about the field hockey program and encouraged those who were cut from the teams to try out for field hockey.
Moran was able to recruit the players who were cut from other sports teams, bringing the total number of players in the program to 41.
She said she is also looking to build a larger coaching staff and improve the field hockey program in her own way.
Moran named juniors Alexia Monzo and Paige Pierson, sophomore Bella Guzman and senior Kayla Reams as players to watch this season.
Reams is also planning to continue her field hockey career after high school at Alfred University in New York. The captain and left defender said the coaching change has been positive.
“I think everything’s gotten really positive, our culture’s gotten a lot more positive and she’s an amazing coach,” Reams said.
Carlee Mayo, a captain and left forward on the team, said she has enjoyed learning Moran’s coaching style.
“It’s been great,” Mayo said. “It’s definitely been a little different to see how her coaching techniques are, but I really enjoy it.”
Brooklynn Green, a captain and midfielder on the team, said the coaching switch has been “good.”
“So far we’re looking really great on the field,” Green said. “I’m really excited to see where the new coach can take us this season.”
The Balers were scheduled to play three straight games this week on Sept. 21-23.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriter, Hollister Rotary, for helping expand the sports coverage around San Benito County. Rotary is a nonprofit organization that conducts humanitarian projects, encourages high ethical standards, and works toward world understanding. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour and Taylor Farms.
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