Ali Hadley Prepares for Stellar Season

On Monday Night, Ali Hadley started off her last season of field hockey with some serious power. The Lady Lions came out victorious, sweeping Methuen, and Hadley scored one of the two goals for Chelmsford.

Hadley, who is co-captain of the team for the second year in a row, hopes that the summer work she put in this year will help her game this season.

“We worked two days a week with hard workouts that would improve our footwork, our speed and reaction time; it definitely helped out a lot. I wouldn’t be where I am without that,” Hadley said.

Hadley has improved on her game each year that she’s played. As a freshman, she made varsity; and used the opportunity to learn all that she could about competition in high school.

“Sophomore year I came back stronger than I was, and I was chosen as an All Star in the MVC; we had a good year. After that season, I was elected by my team as one of three captains for my junior year," she said.

Last season, Hadley was chosen for the All Conference team in the MVC, a level above the All Star Award that she was given the season prior.

“Now I’m back, a captain again, and ready for more," she said.

Hadley’s strength in the game is getting the ball up the field. She has proved to be great at doing this, and the defensive player and her team made it to the t last season.

After the high school season was over last fall, Hadley traveled to Kentucky to watch her older sister Jaime play in the D-II Field Hockey l. The Riverhawks returned to Lowell with the NCAA title.  Watching such an exciting game inspired Hadley to work even harder at her sport.

“To be there for that, and watch them made feel like ‘I want that, I want to be part of something like that.’ I was in tears on the sidelines watching. It was really cool,” she said.

Hadley, who is one of five seniors on the team this year, has high hopes for this season.

“This upcoming season, I really hope we excel as much as [possible]. It would be awesome to end our season as MVC champs. We’re definitely striving for that,” she said.

“Individually, I’d like to improve as much as I can, hopefully be seen by college coaches, and help out my team, to get us where we want to be," she said.

Hadley said that if all goes well, the team will be better this season than they were last year.  The Lady Lions also have a good track record of improving throughout the season. Hadlely and the Chelmsford High field hockey team plan to buckle down and focus their energy on playing the season strong.

“[Another goal is to make] States with a high seed. We have high expectations this year, and were hoping for a big outcome," she said.