Bonnie Dana ’18 is a current co-captain and four-year member of the Girls Varsity Soccer team. She has played defense for four years and utilizes her love of and skill in the game to help elevate the Girls Varsity Soccer team. Commenting on Bonnie’s ability, teammate Meredith Moran ’19 said, “Whenever I’m on or off the field, I always know that Bonnie has my back. She’s an inspiring person to play with and leads by her hard work, her determination on the field, and her love for the team and sport.”

How long have you been playing soccer?

I’ve been playing soccer since I was six. I started out playing with my best friend. Her mom was my coach. We had a great team, and after that I never really stopped playing. I love the game. I think it’s beautiful – looking at the angles, seeing where you can play, everything.

How have you brought your previous soccer skills to Hotchkiss? How do you contribute to the team?

I’m a quiet person, and I think I lead more with actions than with words. I tend to work really hard in practice. [My co-captains] Ellie [DeSouza ‘19] and Katya [Giffenig ‘19] are more leaders socially, where[as] I’m more of a leader on the field, which works well for us.

How has the team evolved since Prep year?

[During Prep year we] had a lot of great players, but we didn’t really bond as a team. In more recent years, we’ve done more team bonding.  Because we have 10 Seniors on the team, we know each other well, and as a result, we can play well [together]. [Besides that] I don’t think a lot has changed. I loved all the captains I’ve had in the past, and I [try] to do what they have done. They used to send out really good game day emails, and I want to do that. The captains are a big part of what make the community special.

How does the team bond?

We take a lot of off-days. For example, one of our off-days last year was just sitting in a circle and talking about our highs and lows of the day, and so we got to know each other more. We learn and care more about each other in the process.

What are some challenges the team is facing? Any goals for the year?

We have such a good team, it’s going to be difficult figuring out who’s going to play. That’s a real challenge! Also, it’s going to be hard to prepare the lowerclass [students] for when the Seniors leave. We have such a strong Senior class that it’s going to depend a lot on the Upper and Lower Mids. That’s going to be a challenge for us as Seniors, leaving them with enough to work with. Some goals for this year: I would really like to win Founders again. That was really cool. We also made it to the quarter finals of New Englands, and I would love to make it to the finals. I really want to beat Loomis.

Describe what is it like to make it so far in national/regional competitions.

We go through it all as a team. We’re there for each other when we win and that’s always exciting, but we’re also there for each other when we lose. Last year, when we lost the quarter finals, there were a lot of people who were upset, but we knew that the next year we would come back stronger. Those games are what make us a good team and what bring us together. Last year, winning in the [New England’s] semi-finals and getting to the quarter finals gave us a lot of confidence, and I think we have all of that confidence again this year. It’ll help in the coming season.

What are some memorable moments?

[During] Prep year, I struggled. I was really hard on myself. Someone on the team was very supportive of me, and she was always there for me. That made me feel like a real part of a team and of a family. [Other memorable moments include people who] wrote poems and gave away candy. It’s a general appreciation for the team. 

Any words of wisdom?

Make friends with your teammates, because it helps the entire team play better when you’re friends with each other. Also, if you get on bad terms with someone, clear it up.