The dream lives on....

My last post was before the World Cup, and a lot has happened since then!!

A huge thank you to everyone who followed and supported us during one of the most exciting tournaments I have played in to date!! USA Field Hockey definitely made some waves in the field hockey community and it is only just the beginning. We are very proud of our overall performance, but we know it is just the start of something greater to come!! (We won our pool of 6 undefeated, putting us into the Semifinals vs. Australia, but fell in penalty shoot-out, and lost 2-1 to Argentina in the 3/4 game). It took a little time away before understanding just how great a 4th place finish really was in the grand scheme of things. We went into the World Cup ranked 10th, and after a disappointing finish at our last major tournament (the Olympics), this is was a huge step for our program. It was difficult to make the semifinals and not come home with a medal of any color, but I know it is just going to give our team more motivation going forward. It really is only the beginning for us! I hope you keep following us and supporting us; it should be a fun ride!

We are back training in Lancaster, PA after a bit of time off to recover from a very strenuous build up to the World Cup. It was nice to have a break and finally get some quality time with my family, friends, and my dog! :)

Now that we are back in training, we are focusing on continuing to push the tempo of the game and our consistency at the top level. Our next competition is in New Zealand in October, and we are excited to get back into games, with a few new players and a few others in new positions. Also, it will be interesting to see how the game changes with the replacement of two 35 minute halves to four 15 minute quarters. I think the tempo will be much higher with the added breaks, as well as the reduction of total time in the game. It should be fun and exciting! Our sport is one of the few where rules are in constant change. Field hockey is constantly adapting and evolving, and it is fun to be a part of a team who looks to define the game going forward.


I also wanted to give everyone a heads up that I have new blog topics coming! Blogs will be much more frequent and should be a lot of fun! Not just updates on what we are doing, but some on my favorite foods/recipes, as well as some skill videos and motivational topics!!! Follow, comment, and give suggestions!