VISTA – Vista High field
hockey coach Gail Petty paused to think of the right word to
describe starting midfielder Sasha Larsen.
She watched the 5-foot-10 senior take shots from the top of the
circle with co-captain Brittany Pulice. The duo practiced the drill
at least 10 times before breaking for an intrasquad scrimmage. Then
the word finally came – deceptive.
"She has long legs and doesn't always appear to be as fast as she
is," said Petty, in her 10th year at Vista. "She can see things
happen before they happen. She's fast with and without the ball."
| The Spin
Favorite band: No Doubt.
Favorite food: Fettuccini Alfredo.
Favorite book: "The Count of Monte Cristo."
Favorite movie: "Guys and Dolls."
Favorite sport other than field hockey or
softball: Volleyball.
Favorite athlete: Derek Jeter.
Hobbies: "Driving my '62 Chrysler. I don't
have a lot of extra time."
Most influential person: Her mother Kathy,
Vista's assistant coach. "She's exactly what I want to
be. She's a wonderful mom, she works hard, she's
athletic and she cares about other people."
| |
Teammate
Stacey MacBeth watched the scrimmage from the sideline. Also a
returning starter, MacBeth said she's glad to be on Larsen's team
and not facing her from the other side.
"She has dodges and tricks that no one else can do," MacBeth
said. "Even though you know she's going to do it, you still can't
get the ball."
Larsen, 17, smiled when told of her coach's and teammate's words.
She's the tallest player on the Vista squad and usually taller than
any of her opponents. An All-San Diego Section choice in 2003,
Larsen said being deceptive can be a bonus.
"It's nice because you know other people are going to be talking
about how tall you are," she said. "They either don't think I'm that
fast, or they're going to be intimidated because they think I'm too
good. It's good either way."
A two-sport athlete who also plays softball, Larsen said she
likes being different. She drives a bubble-gum pink 1962 Chrysler
300, while her classmates drive trendy Hondas and Toyotas.
"It's a boat," she said, laughing. "It's unique. It's fun. I can
spot it in the parking lot a mile away and can remember where I
parked."
Larsen's commanding presence on the field was a key last season
for Vista, which finished second in the Palomar League and advanced
to the section playoffs.
She said a key to the Panthers' success was the team's close-knit
relationship, especially the bond between her and Pulice. The best
friends have played field hockey together since middle school.
"Other teams don't know that we know each other so well," Larsen
said. "They don't understand that I know exactly where she's going
to be every single second."
The senior said inspirational notes from Petty also gave the team
a boost. The coach would send each team member a quote-of-the-day
message in class on game day.
"It really makes a difference," Larsen said. "You're sitting in
the middle of class and all of a sudden you think about how great
it's going to be to play."
Vista moves from the Palomar to the Avocado League this season
and joins San Dieguito, Fallbrook, San Pasqual and Rancho Buena
Vista. Petty said the competition is expected to be tougher, but her
team is experienced and up for the challenge.
"It's going to be one of those seasons where I feel like if we
can get the momentum going it's going to be very successful," Petty
said.
Larsen's personal goal is to earn a college scholarship. She's
been recruited by several schools, including University of the
Pacific, Holy Cross and Northwestern. Larsen, who's earned a 4.13
grade-point average and plans to major in pre-med, prides herself on
the number of assists she records rather than goals. She said it's a
part of her treating the team like family.
"I try to take care of the team and play defense," she said. "As
long as points get scored, it doesn't matter who does it. Anyone can
just stand there and put a stick on the ball. Our girls do it
differently. It's a combined effort for the goal."
Denise T. Ward can be reached at (619)
718-5304 or at denise.ward@uniontrib.com
