Lane Herbert

LANE HERBERT

Playing Field Hockey at Northwestern University Fall of 2021
Greenhill School (K - 5th)
Greenhill School (6th - 8th)
Greenhill School (2017 - 2021) Varsity all four years

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From Lane:
Favorite Field Hockey Memory? Why?

My favorite field hockey memories are probably all of Adam's cards. I vividly remember two of them, one most recently at Disney, and they never cease to put a smile on my face. There is just something about how fast Adam can go from 0 to 100 and fight for us on the sidelines that's unforgettable and awesome.

What was your most exciting recruiting experience?

My most exciting recruiting experience was probably when Tina first told me I had interest from Northwestern. I had just joined Pride and was still quite intimidated by Tina when she told me after one of the indoor practices at SWIS that she "needed to talk to me." Of course, my stomach dropped to the floor - because that never sounds like a good thing. Then after practice, I hesitantly walked up to Tina only to have her ask me, "so how did you like Northwestern?" and of course I said, "I loved them, I thought they were great!" and said "Great, because they really liked you." And that was that. I could feel the blood returning to my body and felt a little bit more calm again. I just remember walking away from that conversation and my mom and I looking at each other thinking- what on earth just happened, this is unreal!

Why are you playing field hockey in college?

The merch- kidding! In all seriousness, field hockey has brought me so much joy and passion that I can't imagine a college experience without it. I love all the aspects of field hockey that allowed my game and skills to grow so that I could feel myself getting better and the work paying off. I can't wait to compete at the next level and join a team that challenges me in every aspect of my game.

What have you been doing to prepare?

I have been doing my packet which is running, lifting, and core/hip strengthening. I have also been doing yoga to help my body recover and I like to swim to keep up the aerobic capacity and get in a little non-impact cardio. I have also just been trying to play as much as possible. A very wise coach once told me the best way to get in field hockey shape is to play field hockey - so I have tried to do just that. I'm just focusing on being in the best shape - skills and fitness wise for the fall season.

If you could give one piece of advice to younger girls who want to play field hockey in college, what would it be?

My biggest piece of advice is to try to have perspective. We are all on different paths and recruiting looks different for every person. So the only thing that you can do to ensure you meet the goals you want to, is to work hard and do your best at the opportunities you have to play. One of the greatest coaches, Mike Singletary once said "Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play." This quote has stuck with me and been even more significant this past year with the pandemic- sport is a gift and the opportunit to play is something to always remember.

Who was the most influential person in high school?

Tina by far. Joining Texas Pride was the best decision I could have possibly made in my field hockey experience. Tina is one of the most hardworking, driven, and determined people I know. Her love for the game and passion for the players that she works with inspired me throughout my time at Texas Pride. Through every set back or loss, Tina was always there to motivate and tell me what I needed to do to get better so those things wouldn't happen again. She has never let me down and has always been accepting of my situation. Tina is a wonderful role model who lives and breathes the motto of #hardworkpaysoff.

Favorite post practice/ game snack?

French fries. No, I'm just kidding Tina - don't worry. I like the Halo oranges or clementines and I also like bagels and cliff bars.

What pre game rituals do you use to hype yourself up before a game?

Before a big event, I like to re-grip my stick so that it is absolutely perfect. It is kind of like a reset button for me and a way to clear my mind the night before. And to hype myself up... definitely music.

What made you want to be a college field hockey player?

I have always liked being apart of a team. Ever since I could stand I was on a team all the way back to pee-wee soccer. I love the atmosphere of a team and facing challenges together. There is no better feeling than working together for a common goal, or when something you have spent hours practicing actually comes together in a game. I think that field hockey has helped me grow as a person and I am super excited to continue that next year.

What was one of the toughest experiences?

I can't pinpoint one event but just dealing with confidence in my ability to play. I kind of started behind in the recruiting path - coming from Texas, starting late, joining Pride later than most, not being able to practice as much as everyone else etc. And for a long time my struggles with confidence would affect my game. I wouldn't trust myself and believe in my ability to play and that would translate onto the field. But with time, I have been able to work on that and it made me work harder. I'm not saying that I don't not struggle with confidence issues now but I have been able to separate them so they don't take away from it. But I do believe that struggling with that has improved my mental game, I play better when I believe in myself and I have found a way to reset during a game if I ever feel like I'm getting in my head.

Year you began playing field hockey? How?

I started playing field hockey in seventh grade on my high school's middle school team. Funny story- I didn't really want to go but my mom had played in high school and said it was a blast so I trusted her and went. Turns out she was right and I have been hooked ever since!

From Tina:
Favorite Lane Moment (old) / why?:

I remember when Lane was competing in her first Festival tournament with us. It was Fall of her sophomore year. This team had a challenging fall season and we really weren't sure how they'd do at Festival that year considering they had a tough schedule. Well, the team did fantastic. One main reason was because Lane had an exceptional tournament. She was fast, skilled, dominant and played like the incredible player she is. She was finally starting to become that great player we all now know. This kicked off her recruiting, but it was a solid standout tournament for her.
Lane's high school season was really tough for her. When she was a junior, Lane was a part of every single goal by either scoring or assisting with each of the goals that season. Her success resulted in her being named a NFHCA 3rd Team All American that Fall. I was very proud of Lane for taking a tough situation and simply making the best of it and still giving it her all when she could have easily just not bothered.

Favorite Lane moment (new)/ why?

It felt like Lane lived in Houston during the pandemic and most of this past year. Last summer, she was here at least 3 times a week training as often as possible. And wow, did her skills get sooo good during this time. She was in internship and summer league and here for the fundamental sessions...and here all the time. It was pretty fun to have Lane here all the time and have so much time working with her. She's an incredible player and person, and we love having Lane around.
Lane was selected to the Rise Stars and Stripes Game this year at Nexus. To know that three years ago she went to NFC's as a raw, athletic player, but struggled....and see how far she has come in that time...This selection was a testament to her hard work. And proof that her hard work has truly paid off She's a U21 athlete, so to be selected to that game was an incredible accomplishment for her. We are so proud of you, Lane :)

Story we will forever tell about Lane:

Lane is the epitome of commitment. For almost four years, she has driven over 4 hours to practice (both directions) at least once a week and many times more. She would come to Houston for practice, then join any other practice that was appropriate and coach some younger groups on top of it on a Sunday. In the summers, she would come down for camps as often as she could many times make the trip back and forth from Dallas every day that week. While she was in Dallas, she would work out on her own every day. Literally every day. Working on her hitting, stick skills, anything that she felt she needed work on. And not to just get proficient, but to be excellent at it. And when she was excellent, would continue to work on it to be even better. Her commitment to the sport and her excellence is incredible and a story we will tell forever.

Favorite Lane recruiting moment/ why?

When I first sat down with Lane, she told me her number one choice was Northwestern. She loved the school and just everything about it. It was where she wanted to go. At the time, Lane had a lot of developing to do, but she had all of the intangibles to become an exceptional player. So we created plan to help her become that exceptional player in addition to accomplish her goal of trying to get to Northwestern. Lane, as you will her over and over again through this, executed this plan above and beyond what anyone could expect. She was recruited earlier because of her tremendous growth in such a short time, and she hasn't stopped. I was so proud of Lane and the player she became in one year due to all of her hard work.

First memory of Lane / why?

I remember watching Lane play when she was playing for a different club. Her friend wanted her to come play for us, so had me go over and watch her play for a little. Once I saw her play, it was evident she had the potential to become great. Would need to work really hard, but it was definitely within her ability. When they first approached us about coming to Houston, I laid out the expectations to her family, and they were 100% in. To say Lane followed through on that expectation is an understatement. She has made sooo many trips to Houston. Many times she would drive down her multiple times in the same week. It's incredible the commitment she has to her success and to the sport. The 9th grade Lane would never have expected to be the player she is today. We are so proud of her for that.