Interview with an Athlete: Cathy Cinque

Photo Courtesy of Charger Athletics

Photo Courtesy of Charger Athletics

Kenny Sorrentino: How are you doing today?

Cathy Cinque: I’m great, thanks.

KS: To introduce you, you play defense on the field hockey team.

What was it like transitioning from high school field hockey, to a club sport, to what is now an NCAA sport?

CC: It was fun getting to play in those three different facets. High school to club was easy. Club was more for fun; it wasn’t serious just friends hitting a ball around. Club to NCAA was hard. We weren’t in the shape you need to be in to be DII. It was more time consuming and a lot more effort. We had morning lifts, then conditioning, then two hour practices, and then straight to class. We would end the day in study hall. Then repeat the next day.

KS: What was it like, that first gameday on the “Smurf Turf” as an NCAA sport?

CC: It was weird because I definitely felt different playing on the DII level versus when I played on the blue field as a club member. My heart felt like it was in my stomach because it seemed to matter more to me to put all my effort in this time around.

KS: How do you prepare for a game?

CC: Before games, the team would usually meet and have lunch at Bartels, then we’d all head up to North together, change, see the trainer, and meet back in the locker room. We played music really loud and joked around, then we’d meet with Coach and Morgan for a little pep talk and game plan.

KS: What’s a normal day of like for you, as a student-athlete?

CC: Last semester it was wake up at 6AM, 6:30 get to the locker room to change, 6:45 stretch, 7AM lift until 8, 8AM practice until 10. Then we’d go to class and every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we had a two-hour study hall at the annex. It felt crazier than it sounds I guess.

KS: If you could change anything about your day-to-day schedule, what would it be?

CC: I could have changed something last semester it would have been not to start the day so early; I like to sleep.

KS: When did you first play field hockey?

CC: Freshman year of high school

KS: What’s your favorite memory from field hockey?

CC: Favorite memory ever: I scored a goal on defense when I was a sophomore in high school.

Favorite memory on DII: the bus ride after we had our first goal as a team.

KS: What’s something that Head Coach Kelsi Lykens always preaches?

CC: She’s really into improvement. So it doesn’t matter where or how you start, but where you end up. I remember she got super excited, jumping up and down, genuinely happy when we all went up in weight during lift or we ran a faster sprint.

KS: What’s something that not many people know about field hockey?

CC: It’s not as boring as it looks. People always say it’s all stop and go, which is sometimes the case, but it’s so much more fun, although you have to like running.

KS: Last question, what is your favorite color?

CC: Purple.