Western Reserve Academy is proud to announce the appointment of Maria Russell as the new head coach for field hockey. Russell’s experience in the game is studded with accolade and accomplishment, having played for the Bobcats at Ohio University while earning her degree in Early Childhood Education. She also earned her masters in Administration at the university.
At OU, she was a four-year starter as a forward, leading the Bobcats in goals. She earned the Gladiator Award as a freshman and was named First-Team All-MAC as a sophomore. Russell received Offensive Mac Player and Scholar Athlete of the Week repeatedly, as well as making appearances on the Dean’s List. She ended her college career with 32 goals and 9 assists, as well as the Presidential Academic Award.
It’s this winning balance of athleticism and academia that make an athlete, and a coach, a standout, and it proves she’s a perfect fit for the Reserve family. Most recently, Russell taught second grade in Virginia while simultaneously serving as an assistant coach for the Roanoke College field hockey program.
Russell’s love of the game shines through her conversation, and it’s a clear reason why she was drawn to coaching.
“I knew I wanted to be more involved and share my passion [for field hockey],” she shared. “I just love it. I love teaching my girls and watching their ‘a ha’ moments happen — when they start to figure things out and show growth. It’s incredibly rewarding. I always tell them, this is a fun game. You’re going to love it. And I promise you, if you work hard at it, you will see the reward.”
Her coaching style is inspired greatly by her high school coach, with whom she still speaks to regularly. Russell lights up when she talks about her, and it’s obvious that she was a role model, advisor, teacher with a tremendous impact. For Russell, the power of relationships and mentorship is an essential ingredient in building a powerful program, and it’s what drives her own coaching philosophy.
“I think my style is very hands-on and based on building relationships and mutual respect,” she said. “You’ll work hard for a coach you respect, and when you feel seen and understood, that relationship is easier earned. And you build on that with the team dynamic as well, making sure you respect each other, lift each other up.”
Russell has developed ways to practice and encourage this, implementing habits such as post-game acknowledgments. At the end of each game, win or lose, Russell calls her team together to circle up, and one by one, players acknowledge a teammate, sharing a meaningful moment or impressive feat from the game. Her only request is for specifics — no “you played a great game” but instead “you played a great game because of XYZ!” This is followed by clapping, leading to what she calls a popcorn effect of positivity and appreciation.
“My greatest seasons, the times where I felt like I accomplished the most with my team, were the years when I felt like my team was the closest, when we all cared for each other and just had the greatest dynamic,” said Russell. She sees true power in sportsmanship and camaraderie, and it’s a sturdy scaffolding on which to build a successful and ambitious program.
Russell is a Hudson native and is thrilled to return to her hometown, drawn to the reputation and close community of Reserve. This move brings her closer to family, which includes a new six-month-old nephew, of whom she is a doting, devoted aunt! Among her family is Mya, her beloved husky, whose zoomies are on rest while she recovers from an ACL injury (we wish Mya a swift recovery!) Outside of campus, you might find Russell enjoying all manner of active activity and the company of friends and family.
We wish Russell a warm welcome to our community, and we look forward to an exciting season ahead.
