Photo: GoBonnies
BY JONNY WALKER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
With the score tied 1-1 on St. Bonaventure University’s all-purpose field, junior Sydney Hayward stepped up from her center back spot and into opposing Niagara’s 18-yard box. She tracked her teammate’s free kick — a high, arching ball — and jumped over defenders to head it past Niagara’s goalkeeper.
Hayward’s goal, coming in the 77th minute, would prove to be the game winner. She called that game a night she will never forget.
“Our team’s energy on the field felt different, and it was our first team win of the season,” said Hayward.
But Hayward might not have gotten the opportunity to score that game winner in late August if Bonaventure hadn’t named Donny George its head coach in January. Upon his arrival at Bonaventure, George quickly realized Hayward’s on-field potential, leading him to name her a starter before the season.
But first, George said he immediately noticed Hayward’s upstanding character.
“First and foremost, she’s an amazing person,” said George. “She has amazing leadership qualities, on and off the field.”
Under former head coach Steve Brdarski, Hayward played a combined 163 minutes over her first two seasons, making zero starts. Under George, Hayward has played all 810 of a possible 810 minutes across Bonaventure’s 9 games so far this season. The first-year head coach recently named Hayward a team captain.
“Even though she didn’t get many minutes her first two years, Sydney has still consistently been one of the hardest working [players] on the team, and it has shown tremendously under coach Donny,” said Bridget Kennedy, Hayward’s fellow starting back this season and roommate since their freshman year. “She’s always asking questions and strives to be better.”
George said Hayward impressed him during his team’s offseason trainings and practices.
“I said this — I think in preseason — I strongly believe Sydney is arguably up there with the best center backs in the conference,” said George. “Sometimes we’ve had players [where] it just takes a coach believing in them or giving them confidence. And that’s something that we’ve certainly done with Syd.”
Under George, Bonaventure added a second starting center back to its lineup, switching its defensive formation from a back three to a back four. Hayward said she recognized the change as an opportunity to compete for a starting job.
“I have earned a leadership role on the team as a vice captain,” said Hayward. “This, along with being an upperclassman, has driven me to become more of a voice and a role model — as well as set a good example for the underclassmen on and off the field.”
Watching Hayward step into an expanded role this season, Kennedy said she couldn’t be any happier for or prouder of her friend.
“It’s almost like a breath of fresh air having her next to me to provide more support in the back and work more together as a unit,” said Kennedy. “She and I work really well together, and I think that her physicality and dominance in the air has complemented the back line and our team very well.”
Both Kennedy and Geroge commended Hayward’s physicality, citing her ability to win tough headers and make hard tackles.
“Sydney has always been a physical defender, and the way she plays fits our new style of play that coach Donny introduced us to in the spring,” said Kennedy.
While Hayward has emerged as a ball-winning menace on defense this season, she’s also developed into an offensive target in free-kick situations. In back-to-back games against Niagara and Robert Morris University, Hayward knocked home free kicks, earning her that week’s Female Student-Athlete of the Week honor from GoBonnies.
“I fancy her winning the majority of her defensive headers in our box, and I fancy her winning a lot of our attacking hitters when we’re in their box,” said George. “And that just shows how much of a competitor [Sydney is] and how much she wants to win the ball — regardless of if she’s taking it from somebody or if she’s attacking it.”
Hayward, an education major, said she takes her academics at Bonaventure seriously and is especially proud of her two Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll selections.
And while both George and Kennedy praised Sydney Hayward the player, they both raved about Sydney Hayward the person.
“Sydney is an incredible human — she cares, she’s compassionate, she’s very, very smart,” said George. “Sydney comes into our office, and we have amazing conversations about things outside of soccer. She’s a very bright kid. She’s polite. She’s humble — just overall a great human being.”
Kennedy seconded George’s assessment.
“All I can say is that everyone needs a Syd in their life,” said Kennedy. “She’s always someone you can talk to about anything, and she’s always there to listen and be supportive. She has such a kind heart and pure soul.”
walkerjc20@bonaventure.edu
