The varsity hockey team has been hard at work as of late, returning to the ice this season with another winning record. They set their sights on a playoff game on Thursday, Feb. 27, but unfortunately lost 9-2 against the formidable Rye Country Day School team. Though their postseason didn’t extend as far as they had hoped, fans were still able to enjoy the winning season.
Their playoff run was accomplished in a previous game against Hamden Hall, in which they won 7-2, their best all-around team win of the season, according to junior Co-captain forward Colton Bischofft. Bischoff was itching to take the team on in his first playoff game as Wyvern yet.
Bischoff was accompanied by his teammates that day along with his father, whom he described as his biggest motivator this season. “He comes to as many games as he can, if not all of them,” Bischoff said. “He lets me know what I am doing well and what needs work so I can improve my game.”
Besides his father’s support, Bischoff counts on his team’s close-knit dynamic that has helped them get to where they ultimately ended throughout a tumultuous season. “Our team chemistry and trust in one another is our biggest strength,” Bischoff said. “Above all else, everyone gets along, so we trust that everyone is where they should be on the ice.”
The returning upperclassmen have a responsibility to set a positive example for newcomers at the onset of the season. “They look up to us—they have told us that before,” Bischoff said. “Us older players take that to heart, and go as hard as we can in practice so they feed off our energy and get better.” The team has found that this is a great strategy for improvement.
Think about an older teammate, sibling, or close friend—in watching them do something well, it is not uncommon to want to push yourself harder to accomplish the same goal. It’s this same principle that has been at play for the varsity hockey team this season.
One of the very first things everyone on the team does before the start of the season is write a goal for themselves and a goal they want to see the team achieve in the season. These reminders stay with the players throughout the season as a form of encouragement and motivation to keep putting in hard work in practice in games as the season goes on.
“One goal I set for myself before the season was to do all I can so this team can be the best version of itself,” Bischoff said. “The team’s two goals before the season were one: make the playoffs, which we have accomplished this year, and two: every time you touch the ice, you have to give it your all.” It was this intentional playing and focus that allowed the team to achieve a winning record and have a run at the playoffs.
In preparation for their playoff game, the team relied on laser focus coming down the stretch leading up to the big game. The team prepared by watching film of previous games and of their opponents’ games and going through practice in game-like scenarios.
“These were all new experiences for us, to wear this jersey together and to be in this playoff position together,” junior Co-captain Ryan Munz said. “There were a lot of nerves building up that we saw in one another’s practicing that week, which is good because when we got into the game, the anticipation was gone and we could play our game.”
Junior Co-captain Dalton Smith also did his part ahead of the playoff run, making sure his teammates (including newcomers and returning players alike) were fully prepared to face off against Rye Country Day School.
The Wyverns’ successful season would not have been possible without their goal-setting and trust in one another. The team looks to continue utilizing these skills in the 2025-2026 season!
