Field hockey-football rivalry highlights larger sports inequities

PHOTO: The Davis High women’s field hockey team meets at halftime on Sept. 14.

By Colette Quaas,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff-

Football is one of the most popular sports at Davis High with Friday night games being the go-to social event. Students from all grades, friend groups and backgrounds gather to see the home games. 

Field hockey, although currently on a league winning streak, does not have the same kind of support.

The difference between the treatment of the Davis High field hockey team and the football team calls attention to sports inequities based on popularity.

“Priority facilities for sports teams are based on many factors, but to list a few we take into considerations: is the sport in or out of season, is the event a game or practice, can the sport be played in any other locations, or is the sport specific to a facility?” DHS athletic director Jeff Lorenson said. 

Both teams make sacrifices so that the other can use the field. 

“Commonly, we have situations where we have had to adjust [our schedule] to other sports’ schedules,” sophomore football player Santiago Huitron said. 

However, this was not always the case. 

DHS alumni Beth Hogan started coaching the varsity Blue Devil field hockey team two years ago.

“In 2019, we did not always get our full turf time and JV was expected to practice half their time on the grass field that was not maintained,” Hogan said.

Players on the field hockey team continue to feel the impact. 

“We’re not allowed to practice at night when it isn’t as hot because the football team has to practice and it’s rough on us because it’s always really hot when we practice,” senior captain Julie Thomas said. 

Both field hockey teams, JV and varsity, practice from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays on the turf. Temperatures at these hours go as high as 100 degrees, with the turf making the temperature at least 10 degrees hotter on the field. Football hops on the turf straight after. 

Currently in her third year of coaching, Hogan cites the changes she has made in order to create a more equal balance between the two sports. 

“I have learned to advocate more for the field and to not back down from having equal time,” Hogan said. 

Field hockey also feels the effect of being a lesser-known sport in terms of fan attendance.

“We do not get the same school support or fans that sports such as football, volleyball and basketball get,” Hogan said.

Many field hockey games are attended exclusively by the player’s parents, with little to no student support. 

“We definitely play better when we have a crowd cheering us on. We don’t want to embarrass ourselves in front of people we know, so we tend to play better with people there,” Thomas said. 

Football, on the other hand, has a large number of fans. Student support is at an all-time high under the Friday night lights. 

“I am happy with the amount of family and student support at games because it motivates us to play better,” Huron said. 

With students becoming more aware of the issue, school clubs have been showing up to both sports to show their support. The one such club, the Blue Devil Pride (BDP) club, frequently brings their support, motivation and megaphone to the stands.