Olympics Coverage- USA Women’s Field Hockey
The US Women's team after qualilfying for the 2008 Olympics
So, for only the second time since women’s field hockey named an Olympic sport in 1980, the US Women’s field hockey team has made it to the big games! They just barely missed making the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and came even closer in 2004, missing the Athens Olympics by a loss to Argentina in the Olympic trial finals. This year, however, in a stunning display of athleticism and calm under extreme pressure, the women’s team rallied in the finals and made the Beijing Olympics! Unfortunately, the men’s national team didn’t make the Olympics this year (and never has). Because of the strange phenomenon that is United States sports (case in point: American football and real football) women’s field hockey has taken much deeper root in the United States than men’s field hockey; in every other country in the world, men’s field hockey is far more popular than womens’. Because of this, men’s field hockey has never become established in the international field hockey spectrum. Which is a shame, because guys who play field hockey tend to be extraordinarily attractive.
10 of the 16 players on the US team roster are from Pennsylvania. The northeastern region of the United States is the most competitive and intense in the country. Most nationally and internationally ranked players come from the Northeast, and, within that region, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York are the most competitive states. Virginia is the exception to the “Northeast rule”–the national traning center is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Hence, quite a few good players hail from the Virginia area.
Hardcorest FH goalie in the world. Literally.
My personal favorite player on this year’s Olympic team is goalkeeper Amy Tran. She is currently ranked No. 1 goalkeeper in the world. She defies any and all stereotypes that goalkeepers are the “chunky” players who don’t feel like running. She is probably faster and more agile than any of the players out there on the field. Plus she is hard frickin’ core-dreadlocks down to the small of her back and lip, ear, and eyebrow piercings. Fantastic.
At 6:30 this morning, the US team took on Argentina in the first round of the 2008 Olympics. They pulled through with a tie: 2-2. This was FANTASTIC news for the team; Argentina, who is ranked No. 2 in the world in women’s field hockey, defeated them 4-2 in the finals of the 2007 Pan American Games…the US team must have come back with a vengeance! The U.S. team fell behind, 2-0, just 10 minutes 46 seconds into the game. Then Keli Smith (University of Maryland grad) scored a goal midway through the first half. Angela Loy (Virginia Beach/ODU) scored the tying goal late in the second half. This goal was absolutely textbook: a teammate took a drive purposely wide of the goal from the top of the circle with just 5 minutes to go, and Loy was right there for a quick deflection straight into the right corner of the goal. The goalie never had a chance.
The team faces Japan on Thursday (no doubt the footage will be aired at about 3 in the morning-not very many people care to watch field hockey). Thank God for DVR. Japan’s hockey team defeated the good old US of A in the Olympic Trials a few months ago…here’s hoping that our ladies can pull through once again.
-Panedhiel
