FULL CIRCLE
Emmaus’ Annika Herbine shifts roles, but repeats as player of the year
Kim Herbine knew that there was something a little different athletically about the oldest of her two daughters when Annika Herbine reached fourth grade. The coaches let her play on a middle school field hockey team.
Annika Herbine has done a lot of playing with the older kids. She was on the varsity as a freshman and, last Christmas break, she played with the U.S. women’s national indoor team in Austria. She will be playing with the older kids again next year when she suits up for the University of Iowa.
But this year, Herbine, now a two-time Morning Call field hockey player of the year, had a chance to be the older kid. She was the captain and leader of an unbeaten Emmaus field hockey team that won its 13th state championship in a COVID-shortened season.
Herbine has the credentials as a player. She finished her career with 141 goals and 110 assists, making her the 10th known player in U.S. history with more than 100 goals and 100 assists. She was a thirdteam all-American last year.
This year, Herbine had a chance to develop her leadership skills, not just her stick skills.
“I changed in a positive way,” Herbine said. “I became more of a leader on the team. I tried to be a role model. I want everyone to do their best. I’ll do whatever it takes to help them out.”
“She was a great leader for us,” Emmaus coach Sue ButzStavin said. “She was a good person behind the scenes. She wasn’t alone. The girls all came together. … That kind of mojo was contagious to the rest of the team.”
Herbine wants to study health and human physiology at Iowa, and is looking at a possible career in nursing.
“I was speaking up and communicating more,” Herbine said. “I did not talk much when I was younger. Now I have to communicate because I’m looked up upon. That’s what really changed.”