Page 147 - WHS FH 2014

and a goalie staring out from the end line at up to 10 players from the other team. Outmanned, the defense is
forced to play at such a disadvantage until teammates race into the play from midfield to even up the sides. The
fly's job on penalty corners is simple and succinct. As quickly as possible, the player "flies" to the ball in order
to disrupt the play. "Fly sets the tone for the defensive corner," said Fazio. "She's the initial girl who goes out
there and gets her stick in the way. She's almost sacrificing herself."

One of the coach's most important jobs during the preseason is finding the right player who has all the tools to
be a solid fly.

"You have to have speed and not be afraid," said Wilton head coach Deirdre Hynes, who has led the Warriors to
three straight Class M championships and the top seed in this year's FCIAC tournament. "Finding speed is easy.
Finding the two together is the hard part. But there's a third component. From there, it's having field hockey IQ,
too." Each corner, after all, is different.

Some plays have their big gun stop the ball at the top of the circle and rip a drive on goal, hoping it makes it
past the fly and everybody else in the way of the goal. Other plays might fake the initial shot and pass off to a
teammate at a different angle. Sometimes the ball doesn't even go to the top of the circle, but towards one of the
side players.

The fly has to figure it all out ... well ... on the fly, so she'll be in the right place at the right time.

"The best way for a fly to go out is to be confident," said Wilton senior Megan Cunningham, who has played
the position for Wilton for the past two seasons and has often manned that spot for her club teams, as well. "If
you have a good mindset, you'll do well. You have to be positive and say I'm not going to get hit and I'm going
to stop this. And, if I don't, I've got the trail behind me."

The fly might be the first person out, but the players behind her are just as vital to stopping a corner. The trail is
the second player out, looking for a dish-off, or ready to pounce if the fly can’t disrupt the initial entry pass.

Plus, there are two "posts" that stand guard to defend against offensive players who like poach for goals from in
close. The goalie, meanwhile, is following the ball and looking to cut down on any angles a perspective shooter
may have.