Coach’s Return to the Talawanda Field

OXFORD, OH — The Talawanda High School Field Hockey team has seen victory before. Consecutive seasons in 1996 and 1997, the team was led to the state quarterfinals by head coach, Janet Holmes. Now, Holmes has made her return to the Talawanda Field Hockey team, in her third stint as head coach.

Holmes has been playing field hockey since the eighth grade, beginning on an intramural team and joining the school’s team the following year. She played all four years of high school for Talawanda High School’s Field Hockey team, playing varsity three out of those four years. Following high school, Holmes went to Bowling Green State University to play for their team, but sadly was only able to play two years there, because the school cut the team due to funding.

Before Holmes’s return to the team, the field hockey players were coached by Kate Byrd. Byrd was head coach for nine years, and in her final season with the team no goals were scored. Since the change in coaching the team has scored a total of six goals, and got their first win in two years.

“I think that the team is a lot more coordinated and our players are a lot more serious about being involved in the team. We definitely have a lot more enthusiasm because I think the coaching system is more enthusiastic, and we’ve actually scored goals and stuff which has definitely impacted how we continue to play because we’re like, ‘Hey we can do this now, let’s keeping doing it,’” said Kel F., a sophomore player, on the changes to the team since Holmes’s return.

Holmes has coached the Talawanda Field Hockey team twice before, a total of nine years coaching the team, and now she’s returned with hopes to help the program. “I remember how fun it was when I played and when I coached, and I wanted to bring Talawanda Field Hockey back to the glory days,” Holmes said on her return to the team.

With her return to the team only one question can be asked: Is the third time really the charm?