Athletics — Sarah Astlig Berliner

I have always loved being a part of a team, and I’ve been able to grow as a player, teammate, and mentor through field hockey, lacrosse, and sports nutrition.

Field Hockey

I’ve played field hockey for four years, and this season I’m a captain. I run summer and fall workouts, build the practice plans for a team of 30–40 girls, and coordinate and communicate between the coaches and the team. During games, I’m the team’s designated speaker — the player who communicates with the refs on any issues. I represent the team during sports showcases at our district’s middle school to recruit future players. Additionally, as a student-athlete leader I was selected to attend the Colonial Valley Conference Sportsmanship Summit that focused on sportsmanship and its place in interscholastic athletics. My passion for field hockey and cooking led me to design a guide to sports nutrition plan for the team, How Do I Fuel?, scroll down to view. Finally, for four years I’ve led our fundraising events and this year broke the record!

Central Jersey Coaches Association — Honorable Mention

The Trentonian — Second Team

Team — Most Improved Player

NJ.com — Top 50 Point Leaders, 2026 Season

Mid-game action!
The captains at Senior Night
Restarting play
My co-captain and me after a win!
Mid-game action!
My three teammates and me receiving the Central Jersey Coaches Association award
Post-win celebration!
Corner insert

Lacrosse

I began playing lacrosse in high school as a complete beginner, and have been on the varsity team for the past two seasons. Starting fresh in lacrosse has enhanced my ability to step outside of my comfort zone, take risks, and accept mistakes as they are made. As well as that, being a less experienced player on the team has taught me to ask questions and seek advice from other players, all in pursuit of the success of the team. I have also learned effective ways to cheer on my teammates and make them feel seen and valued for their accomplishments! Although I am no Olympian when it comes to lacrosse, this sport has taught me that growth is attainable through hard work and resilience. It has also taught me how to be a successful captain in my other sport, Field Hockey.

Team media day
My sister and I
Mid-game action!
Mid-game action

Sports Nutrition

Combining my love of cooking with sports, I designed and distributed a sports nutrition handout, How Do I Fuel?, to my 40 field hockey teammates so that the team could learn how to fuel-up properly for games and practices.