In her final field hockey season with Cape Henry Collegiate, this week’s Athlete of the Week, senior Alexandra Land, is serving her third year as captain of the Field Hockey program and is seizing the opportunity to lead a group of young and talented student-athletes. Ten games into the season, Alexandra, affectionately referred to as “Zan,” has become the consummate leader and has the Dolphins focused on another run deep into the postseason.

“As co-captain and senior, Alexandra has been a leader both on and off the field.  She brings a positive, competitive, and driven attitude every day while demanding the same of her teammates. The tenacity she brings has made this team better every day,” Head Coach Kate Kinnear said.

The senior Field Hockey star has become the primary focus for each opposing team, and Alexandra has owned the responsibility. Despite the challenges and frustrations that come with being the focus of a game plan, Alexandra has not skipped a beat as she consistently keeps teammates engaged and finds her opportunities to produce points. She is currently tied for the fourth leading scorer in the conference with 15 points behind her six goals and three assists.

Over the course of play last week, Alexandra was instrumental in a 1-0 victory over Walsingham and followed her performance against the Trojans with a one-goal and one-assist outing against Steward School. With two wins throughout the week, the Dolphins currently boast a 9-1 record, and much of the success is credited to the leadership Alexandra exhibits day in and day out.

“Alexandra has proven to be a quiet but inspirational leader; when she speaks her teammates listen.  The way she carries herself on and off the field makes it easy for her teammates to follow her lead and is one of the main reasons we are having the season we are,” Coach Kinnear finished. “We are lucky to have Zan as a captain and look forward to seeing more amazing things as we close the season and head into the playoffs.”

Her leadership abilities extend well beyond the field of play. She is an extension of the coaching staff, holding teammates accountable while giving praise where praise is due.

The senior Field Hockey captain will be sorely missed next fall but will continue to hone her skills at James Madison University. The Dukes’ Field Hockey Program will gain an exceptional athlete with tremendous character to back up her play on the field. As Alexandra keeps her sights on the 2018 Field Hockey season, she and the rest of the Dolphins’ Field Hockey Program aim to defend the 2017 Division II State Title.