Leadership a natural progression for Windham JV field hockey coach

Lyndsay Stretch is entering her
second season as the JV field
hockey coach at Windham High
School. SUBMITTED PHOTO 

By Matt Pascarella 

Windham junior varsity field hockey coach Lyndsay Stretch has admired her coaches over the years and followed them into the profession. She has coached field hockey at various levels for seven years and this fall she will be entering her second year as the Windham JV field hockey coach.

Her aunt was a field hockey coach and a significant influence on her deciding to become a coach, she said.

Stretch played a variety of sports in middle and high school. In college, she played field hockey at the Division 2 level.

“I love the game of field hockey,” said Stretch. “It has always been with me since my youth, and the idea of giving back to my community, the way my coaches did for me and my teammates, has always stuck with me.”

She began coaching youth soccer and youth field hockey when her children began playing. Coaching was a good opportunity for her to spend time with her kids as well as get to know her community.

Stretch coached Raymond Youth Soccer in 2016 and Windham Youth field hockey in 2017. In 2018, she coached Windham Middle School field hockey, and did so for three seasons.

Her favorite aspect of coaching are the players.

“We spend a lot of hours together throughout the season, and I am honored to be a witness to their triumphs, successes, mental fortitude, and all the stuff it takes to get to these places as an athlete,” said Stretch.

At the end of a season, Stretch would like her players to walk off the field knowing the value of teamwork and building trust amongst one another. Once that is learned, great accomplishments and successes can be achieved.

“Lyndsay has been an amazing addition to the high school staff,” said Windham varsity field hockey coach Cory DiDonato. “She really helped build the athlete's skills prior to entering high school. Lyndsay has brought knowledge, skill, and leadership. She is a sounding board for me and is an incredible individual. She is compassionate and driven and has been a great asset to the program.”

As Stretch looks toward the fall season, she says that Windham has a solid senior class of athletes who are all in; she cannot wait to see what the players will bring to the field.

A big goal of Stretch’s for the upcoming season is to recruit and build the program up after some momentum was lost over the pandemic. It’s never too late to try a new sport with the chance to grow with teammates in a program run by passionate coaches.

“What makes Coach Stretch such a good coach, is her ability to build a team that’s there for one another,” said Windham JV girls’ field hockey sophomore Ava Gerrity. “She has bonded with us all which has bettered ourselves as players on and off the field. Coach Stretch has been so supportive and patient and I’m so lucky to have her as my coach.”

When Stretch is not coaching, she is a mom to three kids. Her partner Seth helps her manage the chaos. She can be seen at the soccer field, football practice or field hockey game.

Stretch also owns Petals Farm and Garden, a garden design, installation, and maintenance business with just over half-acre flower farm, which started in 2020 to connect flower lovers to nature and grow a community of flower lovers in Windham. <