Though they've since been knocked out, the U.S. field hockey team had an impressive run in Rio. And the squad's Pennsylvania roots run deep.
Take a glance at the Olympic roster for the United States women's field hockey team, and you'll notice a recurring theme — 12 of the 25 players on the undefeated squad are from Pennsylvania.
The state's success in the sport goes back decades. Beth Anders, the leading overall women's scorer at the 1984 Olympics, is from Norristown. Ten of the 16 players on that bronze-medal winning team were from Pennsylvania...
"To a large degree, it's self-fulfilling," USA field hockey executive director Simon Hoskins said. "The elite players become elite coaches in that area, and they help develop the next generation of athletes. It's been a virtuous cycle of ever-improving hockey, and now we're at this level that — we can compete with anyone. We're world-beaters right now, which is great to see."
...Pennsylvania's success prompted the national program to move its headquarters to Lancaster in 2013. U.S. coach Craig Parnham said the training site was moved from Chula Vista, California, so the players could train together and build camaraderie while being close to family and friends. The facility, about a 90-minute drive from Philadelphia, is appropriately named the "Home of Hockey."
Original source: Associated Press via
The New York Times
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