For the past years our Eureka High School Field Hockey program has used the powerful slogan of ‘40%’. Head Coach Melissa Menchella, explained the meaning behind the number.

“The 40% is all about mental toughness. The concept is that when you think you have given everything you have, you are really only 40% done… It means that we always have a reserve tank that we can tap into when the going gets tough, and that there is always more to give. It just takes that extra drive and desire to reach that untapped reserve tank of energy,” Menchella said.

Players and coaches are challenged to give their all for each game and practice no matter the circumstances.  Menchella believes that the mental side of sports heavily impacts athletes’ play.

“If we believe in ourselves as a team and dig deep, wanting to outwork our opponent no matter what skill level they have compared to us, we will be able to give our opponents one tough game. There’s no stopping a team or an athlete that believes in themselves and knows that they can do anything they put their mind to,” Menchella said.

Our Field Hockey team challenges themselves daily by improving their mental game. Senior Captain, Maddie Erb, has great insight on how they accomplish that.

“It’s about feeling confident but not cocky, not going into a game thinking you have the game won before you step on the field, but having confidence in your team,” Erb said.