Page 4 - Rochester Athletics - Summer 2013

Covering All the Bases with the Hutchinson Family A Conversation with Wendy Andreatta, Field Hockey Head Coach

Sports have meant a lot to Jim and Harla there and was honored as the Big East How would you describe the Rochester
Hutchinson and their four children, including Rookie of the Year, a three-time First Team athlete?
their youngest daughter, Sara ’12, who served All-Conference selection, and was named
four years as a pitcher on Rochester’s softball the Most Outstanding Player at the Big Students here are adept at multitasking, they
team. She was the team’s co-captain in her East Conference as a senior, among other are excellent students, they are exceptionally
junior and senior years and was named a Lysle achievements. She went on to earn two hard-working, and they are passionate about
(Spike) Garnish Scholar-Athlete in her senior master’s degrees in English and journalism their studies, their sport, and their school. At
year. Sara was also part of the University’s and has been coaching for 15 years. other schools, it is not always possible to be
Graduate Engineering at Rochester (GEAR) successful at so many diverse interests, but at
program in biomedical engineering, which When did you start playing feld hockey? Rochester, it is expected and encouraged that
made it possible for her to earn a bachelor’s student-athletes pursue all of their passions.
and a master’s degree in just fve years. I grew up playing ice hockey in Canada,
and I frst picked up a feld hockey stick as a What does it mean to you to be a coach?
“The athletics department and the freshman in high school. I immediately fell
engineering programs are really stars at in love with the sport. There was something I am honored to be a coach because it allows
the University,” says Jim, a commercial real unique about it, and I really liked being out in me to empower young women through
estate investment advisor and former college the sunshine instead of a cold ice arena. Field athletics. With only 42 percent of women’s
football player and crew member. “Both Harla hockey has shaped my life and has translated college teams led by female head coaches, I
and I feel it is important to give back to a This past season, Wendy Andreatta guided into a career. feel it critical to demonstrate that women can
program that has given our family so much.” the University of Rochester to its greatest be successful coaches and help their student-
season in the history of its feld hockey Are there any themes that run through your athletes be strong, independent, confdent
“Softball is a relatively new sport without a program. As head coach, she led the life and career? women.
huge loyalty base or a lot of funds,” adds Harla, Yellowjackets to a fnal record of 18-6 and
a statistician with her local school district in and when to follow, and knowing how to a spot in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Division III Athletics have always been a part of my life. You do a lot to inspire young women through
the Chicago, Ill., area. “Contributions support celebrate success and deal with losses.” Championships—a frst for the 38-year-old My brother is a sports radio host in Toronto, sports. Can you speak to this?
equipment purchases, facility upgrades, and program. In six years at Rochester, Andreatta and his wife is a sports writer for the Toronto Through my work at Rochester, I started
recruitment eforts—all of which help the Although Sara did end up being recruited holds a collective record of 73 wins and 43 Globe and Mail. My father played hockey a local club called Finger Lakes Field
softball program remain competitive.” by Division I and Division II schools, she and losses, placing her second in career wins collegiately in Canada and only recently hung
her parents were drawn to the approach of at Rochester and the best in the program’s up his skates after years of men’s league Hockey and teach the sport to local girls
Sara’s entry into softball came early. At three- Division III schools. The Hutchinsons were history. hockey. My sister also played feld hockey in in kindergarten through high school. Our
and-half-years old, she tagged along to her particularly impressed with Rochester for college. My husband played ice hockey in University of Rochester team also won a
older sister’s T-ball practice on the team her its academic focus and fexibility, athletic In a ftting tribute, she was chosen as the college, and his father played it professionally. grant through USA Field Hockey that enables
opportunities, 2012 Dita/NFHCA North Atlantic Region us to introduce the sport to city school
“The athletics department and the engineering reputation, and size. they ended up making something that could Coach of the Year by members of the National What makes coaching at Rochester unique? girls who otherwise would never touch a
feld hockey stick. I am fortunate that I can
really change people’s lives. At Rochester, you
“Sara’s always been a
programs are really stars at the University,” says Jim, smart, athletic young have the opportunity to engage in what you Field Hockey Coaches Association. Earlier The combination of strong academics and provide opportunities for girls to beneft
a commercial real estate investment advisor and woman,” says Jim. love and yet have the room to expand your in the fall, she and her assistants, Ashley athletics is in line with my philosophy of from what sports can ofer them: confdence,
Smeltzer and Alexis Vangellow, were named
former college football player and crew member. “Although the GEAR horizons.” the Liberty League Coaching Staf of the Year. where athletics should ft into a student- greater self-esteem, improved academic
“Both Harla and I feel it is important to give back to program is academically Under her leadership, players on the 2012 athlete’s collegiate experience. Here at performance, and career success.
Rochester, I fnd that our student-athletes
a program that has given our family so much.” challenging, the Sara notes how sports provide opportunities team were honored for their achievements: are always encouraged by their coaches and What do you do when you aren’t coaching?
atmosphere here made it to also learn about time management, seven earned All-Liberty League honors,
possible for her to thrive.” leadership, and commitment. “From year one, fve earned All-Region honors, and two were professors to follow their passions in both My husband and I are the proud parents of
mother coached. Sara sealed her love of the our coaches set up study halls and helped us named All-Americans. their academic and athletic careers. With Owen, 6, and Lucas, 4. Our family loves to
support from both ends, students thrive and
game then and continued to play throughout Sara completed the GEAR program in work with our teachers whenever schedule gain well-rounded experiences. camp, bike, play hockey on our backyard rink,
her youth. She participated in travel leagues 2013. Throughout her time on campus, conficts came up. I remember several exams Andreatta (then Brady) graduated from the and enjoy ice cream at Lickety Splits on the
and school teams as a shortstop and a pitcher. she was involved in a number of academic being proctored by coaches during the NCAA University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s Erie Canal in Fairport, where we live. We often
and entrepreneurial activities in addition tournaments. And during Senior Design Day degree in English and anthropology, where
The Hutchinsons underscore how important to athletics. She and a group of fellow last year, the softball team left for the NCAA she earned magna cum laude honors. She bring the boys to watch the Yellowjackets
compete in a variety of sports. We are so
coaches are, even for young athletes. “Sara engineering students designed MonoMano tournament, but I had to stay back to give an was a standout Division I feld hockey player fortunate to be part of the Rochester family.
was lucky to have the same coach throughout Cycling Control System, which allows some engineering presentation. Andrea Golden,
her youth,” says Harla. “To encourage a people with disabilities to steer, brake, and the associate director of varsity programs,
sense of teamwork, the girls did everything shift gears with one hand while they ride a volunteered to drive me to Connecticut for
together. If one girl went to the concession recumbent bicycle. The team even received the tournament after my presentation. That
stand, she would ask all of them. They learned outside funding to support the project and kind of support makes it possible to excel.”
to get along with everyone.” has since earned international recognition
for it. Next up for Sara: she starts another
“One of Sara’s college essays was even titled master’s degree program at the University
‘Everything I Learned, I Learned from Softball,’” “Being familiar with working on a team of Washington this fall, one focused on
adds Jim. “The essay wasn’t about sports per served Sara well in this venture,” says Harla. prosthetics and orthotics. She is looking
se but really about getting along with people “Five engineering students from diferent forward to working with patients and hopes What’s your story? Your story is an essential part of the University of
who are both like and unlike you, interacting backgrounds started the project. Although to someday work with veterans. “Rochester
with them, understanding when to lead they didn’t know each other at the beginning, prepared me well for the future,” says Sara. Rochester’s story and refects the spirit and diversity that is Rochester.
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