My first practice was awkward and brutal. It was the typical august day, temperatures well above eighty degrees and the sun was scorching the field. I was so concerned with what I had on (, which was athletic shorts, a regular graphic tee, color socks and running sneakers) and what impression the coaches and team would get from me. They would just assume that I was just another girly girl that wouldn’t fully commit to getting down and dirty on the field.Most likely because of my long acrylic nails and curls flowing from my head but I had a very good explanation for that. The practice was on the same day as my senior portraits so I was usually dressed up for practice, with lip gloss and earrings on. Besides my anxiety of wanting to be taken seriously as an athlete, everyone seemed to be more skilled than me, therefore, I was worried. I didn’t even have the proper equipment other than my ball and stick. No shin guards, no cleats, no mouth guard and no field goggles. I was totally unprepared and embarrassed. The varsity coach was hostile and pressuring towards the team and towards me on my first day of practice. Coach Meanie was very determined for us to dominate this season, whereas I just wanted to try my best and give it all I could. She was very vocal on how she felt about our performance at practice and on the field during a game. I got a taste of this during my first practice because I was hitting the ball with the wrong side of the stick, which is illegal in field hockey. On the other hand, The junior varsity coach was the complete opposite of Coach Meanie. She was understanding, accepting and willing to bring me to my fullest potential of being a field hockey player. Therefore she was my favorite coach.