Legacies aren’t built overnight—they’re crafted over decades, through quiet commitment, early mornings, and selfless decisions. For Coach Bruvik, her legacy at Stuart is not just measured in wins, but in the players she’s helped grow.
One of Coach Bruvik’s most cherished memories is coaching the field hockey team to its first Mercer County Championship during her time at Stuart. She took great pride in seeing her players’ hard work pay off and witnessing their growth both on and off the field.
Bruvik became a physical education teacher simply because she loved gym class and had great coaches and PE teachers herself growing up. She also genuinely enjoys staying active. In fact, she enjoys going on many runs and golfing in her free time. Her passion for field hockey was inspired by her own coach at Princeton High School, Joyce Jones, who motivated her to become both a player and eventually a coach. Bruvik first started playing field hockey in sixth grade at John Witherspoon after a PE teacher encouraged her to try it.
How Has Field Hockey Changed?
Over the years, Bruvik has seen the skill level and strength of players improve dramatically, as well as their ability to make smart moves without committing fouls. There is also a much stronger emphasis on player safety now, which she believes is essential.
Journey to Stuart
Bruvik first came into contact with Stuart while working as a substitute teacher in the Princeton Regional School District. She then took a full-time gym teacher position at St. Paul’s for grades K-8. During this time, she coached field hockey and softball at Princeton High School while also substitute teaching. In 1986, she received a call offering her the coaching position at Stuart. The following year, a physical education position opened up, and she began both coaching and teaching full-time at Stuart.
When her daughter Kelly was playing field hockey at Bucknell University, Bruvik stepped down from the head coaching role to become an assistant coach so she could attend her daughter’s games. After Kelly graduated, the head coaching position at Stuart opened up again, and Bruvik returned as head coach.
She jokes that her involvement with the Sacred Heart community was unplanned—coming from a background where Stuart was a big rival and games against them were major events.
Current Role and Philosophy
Today, Bruvik serves as both the field hockey coach and a PE teacher at Stuart. She says she has learned a great deal of patience over the years. She values teaching her students the importance of hard work, commitment, and dedication. “I believe I learn just as much from my students as they learn from me,” she reflects.
The most rewarding part of her job? Coaching—whether on the field during games or at practice. “I really want to be out there, and I know my players want that too.”
Looking Forward
Bruvik hopes that graduates will continue to give back to the community—whether at Stuart or elsewhere—by coaching young athletes and running clinics. She encourages players to keep playing beyond their time at Stuart and to carry the values they learned with them wherever they go.
When asked when she plans to leave Stuart, her answer is simple: “All I can say is I’m not done yet.”
