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All the news for Saturday 18 July 2020

Hockey competition schedule announced for rescheduled Olympic Games in Tokyo


The Oi Hockey Stadium in Japan’s capital city

Following the one-year postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic, the FIH can today confirm the match schedule for the men’s and women’s hockey competitions of the XXXII Olympiad.

The hockey event was originally scheduled to run from Saturday 25 July until Friday 7 August 2020, with matches being played at the purpose-built Oi Hockey Stadium in Japan’s capital city. Although nothing has changed in terms of the location and overall running order of the matches, the Olympic hockey competitions will now start on Saturday 24 July and conclude on Friday 6 August 2021.

In line with what was planned for this year, the opening match of next year’s Olympic Games will be contested between the men of Japan and Australia, with the host nation facing a stern test from the 2019 FIH Hockey Pro League champions - Olympic gold medallists at Athens 2004 - on 24 July (09:30 local time). The opening match of the women’s tournament will be played on the same day, with reigning world champions and current world number one the Netherlands - Olympic champions in 1984, 2008 and 2012 - taking on India (20:45 local time).

The men’s and women’s gold medal matches will take place on 5 and 6 August respectively.

The announcement was made in Tokyo at a special press briefing held by the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee on Friday (17 July), which revealed the complete Olympic Competition Schedule for every sport being played at next year’s mammoth multi-sport event. 

As revealed in November 2019, the pools for the Olympic hockey competitions – the composition of which was determined by the same process applied for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 (see Appendix 2) – can be found below.

FIH site

Revised Olympic hockey dates announced

s2h Team

In a move that motivates fan across globe, The FIH announced the schedule of the postponed 2020 Olympic Games on Friday.India’s men’s team will open their Olympic campaign against New Zealand on July 24 next year. The women open against formidable Netherlands on the same day.

undefined The Olympics in the Japanese capital was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic India, who have won eight gold medals, find themselves in Pool A along with Australia, Argentina, Spain, New Zealand and hosts Japan. Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Canada and South Africa comprise Pool B.

India take on Australia (July 25), Spain (July 27), reigning champions Argentina (July 29) and hosts Japan (July 30).

In the women’s competition, India are in Pool A with the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and South Africa.

In Pool B are Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, China and Japan.

Germany are next up for the women’s team (July 26) followed by defending champions Great Britain (July 28), Argentina (July 29) and Japan (July 30).

Originally set for a July 25 start this year and a conclusion on August 7, the hockey event will run from July 24 and end on August 6 at the Oi Hockey Stadium.

The order of the matches and venues remain unchanged the FIH announced in its communiqué.

Japan and Australia open in the men’s competition while India take on the Dutch, World Cup winners and No. 1 ranked nation, to kick off the women’s event.

Four sides from each pool qualify for the quarterfinals in both men’s and women’s sections.

The men’s quarterfinals, semifinals and final will be held on August 1, 3 and 5 respectively. The corresponding women’s matches are scheduled for August 2, 4 and 6.

The men’s quarterfinals, semifinals and final are scheduled for August 1, 3 and 5 respectively, while the knock-out matches of the women’s competition will be played on August 2, 4 and 6.

FIXTURES (timings IST):
India men

Saturday, July 24: India vs New Zealand: 6.30 am
Sunday, July 25: India vs Australia: 3pm
Tuesday, July 27: India vs Spain: 6.30am
Thursday, 29 July: India vs Argentina: 6am
Friday, 30 July: India vs Japan: 3pm
Sunday, 1 August: QFs: 6 am, 10.15 am, 3pm, 7.15pm
Tuesday, 3 August: SF: 7 am, 3.30pm
Thursday, 5 August: Bronze medal match: 7 am, Gold medal match: 3.30pm

India women:

Saturday, July 24: India vs Netherlands: 6.45pm
Monday, 26 July: India vs Germany: 7.15pm
Wednesday, 28 July: India vs Great Britain: 6.30 am
Friday, 30 July: India vs Ireland: 9.45 am
Saturday, 31 July: India vs South Africa: 10.15 am
Monday, 2 August: Quarterfinals: 6 am, 10.15 am, 3pm, 7.15pm
Wednesday, 4 August: Semifinals: 7 am, 3.30pm
Friday, 6 August: Bronze medal match: 7 am), Gold medal match: 3.30pm

Stick2Hockey.com

Indian hockey Tokyo Olympics full schedule, match timings


The Indian women's hockey team booked its berth in the Tokyo Olympics by defeating USA in November.   -  Biswaranjan Rout

Indian men’s hockey team will open its campaign against New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics on July 24 next year while women’s side will be up against mighty Netherlands in its first match on the same day.

Eight-time men's champion India have been clubbed along side Australia, Argentina, Spain, New Zealand and hosts Japan in a tough Pool A, while Pool B consists of Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Canada and South Africa.

The Tokyo Olympics was originally scheduled to be held in 2020 but has been postponed by a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian men’s team, which won its last of the eight Olympic golds in 1980 Moscow, will next face Australia on July 25, followed by matches against Spain (July 27), reigning Olympic champion Argentina (July 29) and Japan (July 30).

In the women’s competition, India is placed in Pool A along side Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and South Africa, while Pool B is made up of Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, China and Japan.

After its Games opener against Netherlands on July 24, the Indian women’s team will play Germany (July 26), Great Britain (July 28), Argentina (July 29) and Japan (July 30).

The hockey event was originally scheduled to run from July 25 until August 7 August 2020, with matches being played at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Japan’s capital city.

Besides the revised schedule announced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Friday, nothing has changed in terms of the location and overall running order of the matches.

In line with what was planned for this year, the opening match of next year’s Olympic Games will be contested between the men teams of Japan and Australia, while the opening match of the women's tournament will be played on the same day, with reigning world champion and current world number one the Netherlands taking on India.

The top four sides from the two pools in both men and women’s competition will qualify for the quarterfinals.

The men’s quarterfinals, semifinals and final are scheduled for August 1, 3 and 5 respectively, while the knock-out matches of the women’s competition will be played on August 2, 4 and 6.

Indian men's hockey team Olympics schedule (All timings in IST)

Saturday, July 24 - India vs New Zealand - 6.30 am
Sunday, July 25 - India vs Australia -  3 pm
Tuesday, July 27 - India vs Spain -  6.30 am
Thursday, 29 July - India vs Argentina -  6 am
Friday, 30 July - India vs Japan - 3 pm
Sunday, 1 August - Quarterfinals - 6 am, 10.15 am, 3 pm, 7.15 pm
Tuesday, 3 August - Semifinals - 7 am, 3.30 pm
Thursday, 5 August - Bronze medal match (7 am), Final (3.30 pm)

Indian women's hockey team Olympics schedule

Saturday, July 24 - India vs Netherlands - 6.45 pm
Monday, 26 July - India vs Germany - 7.15 pm
Wednesday, 28 July - India vs Great Britain - 6.30 am
Friday, 30 July - India vs Ireland - 9.45 am
Saturday, 31 July - India vs South Africa - 10.15 am
Monday, 2 August - Quarterfinals - 6 am, 10.15 am, 3 pm, 7.15 pm
Wednesday, 4 August - Semifinals - 7 am, 3.30 pm
Friday, 6 August - Bronze medal match (7 am), Final (3.30 pm)

Sportstar

Sreejesh: ‘Improved India has potential to break Olympic medal jinx in Tokyo’


P.R. Sreejesh feels that Indian hockey has progressed by leaps and bounds in recent times.   -  Special Arrangement

Having encountered both success and failure from close quarters in a career spanning 14 years, national team goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh believes a “much-improved” India has the potential to break its Olympic medal jinx in Tokyo next year.

The Indian men’s hockey team has a rich Olympic history, winning an unprecedented eight gold besides a silver and two bronze medals.

India’s last success at the quadrennial sporting extravaganza, though, came 40 years ago in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, where it won the last of its eight gold medals.

However, Sreejesh feels that Indian hockey has progressed by leaps and bounds in recent times.

“I feel like there is not much of a difference now, we have shown that in our FIH Pro League matches earlier this year, that we can beat anyone, and not just beat, but also dominate them with our style of play.

“With one year left for our preparations, I think it (Tokyo Olympics) is going to be the biggest tournament for me as well, and something tells me that it is going to be a huge year for Indian hockey,” he said.

“We can really bring that elusive Olympic medal back to our country if we perform to our potential in Tokyo next year,” Sreejesh was quoted as saying in a Hockey India release.

The 32-year-old experienced goalkeeper, who had represented India in two Olympics (2012 and 2016), is standing at the twilight of his career and, by his own admission, he has high “aspirations” from the postponed Tokyo Games.

“The Tokyo Olympics is really something that I look forward to with huge aspirations. We have managed to bring in so many improvements across various aspects of our game, with our fitness being even better than most teams in the world,” the former captain said.

“I think we have really improved on our technical side of things with a good structure, and brought more flair and dynamism to our attacking. I see so many younger players also coming in and performing extraordinarily against the top teams, which was something you would rarely see before.”

Sreejesh, who captained India at the 2016 Rio Olympics, said that just like any other athlete he too dreamt of becoming an Olympic medallist when he started out.

“I also had a very specific dream throughout my career, and that has been to win an Olympic medal for my country. The first time I stepped out as an Olympian in 2012 at the London Olympics, it was an experience I can never forget,” he said.

“The whole excitement around the team, and in the Olympic village is something you don’t experience, even during a World Cup. I was 24 at that time, and we were in a very tough pool with eventual gold medallist Germany and silver medallist The Netherlands.

“I remember throughout the pool stages, we ended up conceding first against Netherlands, Germany, and South Korea, but were also able to equalise shortly in those matches. We had a good team, but I think we struggled to finish off those matches and it cost us. That tournament was a chance for me to learn so much.”

Sreejesh said the 2012 London Games, his first Olympics, was a nightmare for Indian hockey as it finished last in the 12-team competition.

“So when we were returning back home as the last placed team, it really bothered me and I decided that I’ll do everything to help my team get better in all departments so that when we play in the Rio Olympics in 2016, we are competing for the podium,” he said.

“Post 2012, I think our team really started working towards it as a collective unit. We started following a different approach towards big matches against strong teams, and I think our good performances in the 2014 Asian Games, 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2015 FIH World League Final, really helped build our confidence.”

He also said that India had high hopes of a podium finish in 2016 Rio Games but a bad outing in the quarterfinals against Belgium dashed its hopes.

Sportstar

Wise words and great memories from three Olympic old-timers

Sarah Juggins


Willard Harris (TTO), Mark Pearson (CAN), Amy Baxter (USA)

From the colorful and vibrant Rio Olympic Games to the exhilarating performance by Argentina men as they were crowned Olympic champions, to the steadfast and ultra responsible roles undertaken by Olympic officials, the Pan American nations have always played a starring role in the Olympic field hockey competition.

With the Tokyo Olympics now hopefully taking place this time next year – delayed for 12 months because of the Covid-19 pandemic – it seemed an apposite moment to look back at previous Olympic Games through the eyes of three members of the PAHF hockey community.

Willard P Harris, from Trinidad and Tobago, is an experienced administrator: currently he is the chairperson of the PAHF Competitions Committee and a member of the Education Panel.

In 2008, Harris was selected to be a Technical Officer at the Beijing Olympics. He was just the second technical officer from Trinidad and Tobago to be appointed to an Olympic Games, which made the moment even sweeter.

“I was surprised initially,’ says Harris. ‘And delighted of course. My family were elated. Apart from the appointment itself, visiting China was a major thing for them. My wife and sister-in-law immediately made plans to travel as well and, through a colleague from another island, they were able to make the necessary bookings. I had my own little fan club.”

Harris describes the “electrifying” atmosphere at the Olympic Games as one of the stand-out memories from Beijing, along with the lifelong friends he made as the third team dug in and worked their competent magic to ensure the competition ran smoothly.

While technical officials might not have the physical preparations that the players and umpires go through, they still have their own training. For Harris this meant reading up on the technical duties required at an Olympic Games. He also had several conversations with the current PAHF President Alberto Coco Budeisky, for who this was a second Olympic Games experience.

During the competition itself, pressure builds for everyone. For Harris, Technical Officer duties involved engaging with top level administrators and officials to ensure all the necessary information was gathered for and during the match. Each official played a crucial role in ensuring that the match progressed smoothly. Looking back, Harris says it was important to just settle into the role quickly and believe in your own capabilities to do the task at hand.

“There were some challenges, particularly around the disciplinary process, but we were able to bond as a group of officials. It also helped that my wife was in Beijing, although not at our hotel. It helped to be able to chat to her”.

“I learnt so much, technically and socially. I also developed life-long relationships. From a PAHF perspective, I have been able to share the knowledge and experience to help others prepare to officiate at World level hockey events.”

Eight years later, Harris was part of the Rio 2016 Officials team as a member of the Jury of Appeal and Chair of the then Appointments Committee.

Also part of the umpiring team in Rio was USA umpire Amy Baxter, (née Hassick), about to blow the whistle at her second Olympic Games. For Baxter however, her standout Olympic memory had been made four years earlier in the stadium at the 2012 London Olympics.

“To be honest I don't even remember the match or who they played, but the pride and support of the Great Britain supporters was astonishing. The noise made by the supporters was deafening. The stadium music pumping "London Calling' as we walked out for the team anthems was purely electric. I remember grinning ear to ear, and I believe [Great Britain’s] Helen Richardson was standing to my left. As we ran out, she leaned over and said, 'this is pretty amazing, isn't it?'. All I could do was nod my head. The bass of the music, the cheers from the crowd just left a permanent mark in my hockey memory.”

A similar experience took place in Rio 2016 when Argentina women took on Australia. Baxter recalls that it was a night-time game and, an hour before the game, the stadium was packed with Las Leonas fans, singing, chanting, banging and “cazooing".

In both London and Rio, Baxter took the opportunity to watch some other sports. She saw her first ever women’s rugby match in Rio and in London she was one of a 70,000-strong crowd watching the USA women’s football team.

Baxter herself had held aspirations to be a national team player but was cut from the squad six months before the 1996 Atlanta Games. Umpiring was her way back onto the national stage and she grabbed the opportunity fully.

She recalls that the email informing her that she had been selected to umpire at the 2012 Games pinged into her mail box at 2am. “I sat straight up, read it five times and shook my now husband awake. I just yelled at him that I was going to London. I'm a pretty private person so I actually kept the news to myself until the list became public.”

Leading into both Games, Baxter says the preparation was intense. “There was this enormous pressure not to let ourselves down. For both Games, I just worked so that I was as fit mentally and physically as I could be, however for Rio I had to take extra care of my fitness because I was suffering a bad back (spondylolisthesis).”

No-one who has participated in an Olympic Games can separate that time into a bubble. The impact of being involved in something so magnificent inevitably touches other aspects of everyday life. And so it is for Baxter: “There is the whole experience of travelling widely. Then there is the fact you spend a lot of time on your own: it’s how you deal with that. There is the mental pressure you put on yourself to do the game justice, let alone the pressure from the fans, athletes, coaches, people watching the game on TV and social media.”

Baxter says the experiences have helped her learn how to control her reaction to pressure in all walks of life. “I now know I can only control so much. I’ve certainly learned to ‘breath’. My mantra is ‘white cloud in, grey cloud out’. And I’ve learned to laugh at myself and not take things so personally.”

Baxter has this advice for the umpires preparing themselves for the challenge of the Tokyo Olympic Games: “Soak it in. Enjoy it all. Your bus trips to the venues, the walk to the stadium, your colleagues, your flat mates, the environment, the city, the people, the fans, every sport.

“Prepare for each game. No one will ever be the same. Prepare before the match with your partner. I always like to do it away from the venue. My personal, mental needs, dressing, thinking, my own 'groove' was paramount in my preparation. Being yourself is crucial too. Don't lose yourself or your personality. And communication is key, especially with your umpire colleague. You'll have umpires you have worked with many times and know their rhythm, timing, plan of action, and then you'll have those you haven't worked with as much. A good solid pre-game discussion is well worth the time for yourself, your partner and the players.”

And the final message from this umpire sums up her generous and unassuming attitude: “I like to walk away from a game knowing that I did the best that I could for it and the players. No one got injured, no major injustices happened, and the right team won. All around great sportsmanship from both teams, and no one notices the umpires.”

Our third interviewee, Canada’s Mark Pearson, is a veteran of Beijing and Rio. Canada missed out on qualification for the London 2012 Games, so the midfielder had a long wait between his first and second Olympic experiences.

The fact there was such a long wait meant that the walk out onto the pitch for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games was an incredibly special moment for Pearson and his team mates.

“The two Olympic Games presented hugely different experiences for me. At the 2008 Games I was a wide-eyed youngster who was a little over-awed by the Games experience. I was less of an impact player on the field too and was more of a role player looking to contribute wherever possible up front.

“By the time the 2016 Rio Games had rolled around I was a much more experienced player, comfortable in my own skin on and off the field and was much better equipped to really absorb and appreciate the Games experience.”

It was one of his teammates who broke the news that he would be on the flight to Beijing. Pearson recalls: “I was sitting at the kitchen table at my mom’s house and one of my teammates called me as he had seen the email before I had a chance to. It was very emotional for me as I was on pins and needles for weeks leading into the decision. I was a youngster at the time and certainly not feeling like I was a 'guarantee' to make the team.”

As soon as he received the news, Pearson’s family kicked into action to book flights and accommodation. He says with a smile: “There was the momentary panic from my family as they tried to figure out how they were going to be able to get over to China and find a place to stay for a reasonable price.”

Fast forward 12 years and Mark Pearson stands on the brink of another Olympic campaign. With 274 caps to his name, Pearson now has the experience of two World Cups, a host of other top-level international events and time spent playing in the German league. He has also fought back from a career-threatening Achilles injury. He is far removed from the nervous youngster who was waiting to hear whether he was selected for Beijing. However, there is little doubt how much selection for Tokyo 2021 would mean.

“It would be an incredible honor for me and the perfect cap off to my career,’ he says, “and especially satisfying after working so hard to get myself back healthy after my Achilles tendon rupture.”

The 33-year-old has matured into a senior statesman and ambassador for the Canadian team and as such he has spoken out on two issues that have hit the headlines recently.

In the first of these, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) took an early stance on pulling out of the Games as the Covid-19 pandemic began to strike across the globe. COC attracted some criticism for this move, but Pearson believes it was the right decision.

“I think it was unfair of the IOC to keep asking athletes to risk their own health and the health of those around them to continue trying to prepare for sport during a global pandemic,” he says. “It was also important to consider that while all the hockey teams had already qualified for the games there was still 50 per cent of athletes who had not had a chance to secure qualification at that point. There was no chance that all those events were going to be organized fairly and safely prior to the Olympic Games. It was the right decision and I'm happy the COC took a stance.”

On the second issue, which has seen the potential softening of the IOC’s stance on political protest at an Olympic Games (“Rule 50”), Pearson says he is still undecided where his feelings lie on the matter. On the one hand, he is a firm advocate for freedom of expression, but he also believes that politics should not impinge on sport.

“I've thought long and hard around this issue and was recently on an athlete conference call with a number of Canadian athletes where we discussed the pros / cons and dove into the historical context of Rule 50 itself.

“I am still a little split on the issue and while I am most certainly in favor of preserving freedom of expression for athletes, I think that sport itself, especially the Field of Play, should at least attempt to remain an apolitical sanctuary.

“it should be a place where athletes can safely put down their differences and come together in celebration of sport and friendly competition. Ultimately there are few things left in this world which bring the world together and look to unite people the way the Olympics can.”

Pan American Hockey Federation media release

It's not a simple yes or no for hockey coach Wallace

By Jugjet Singh


FILE PIX: National men’s junior coach Wallace Tan.

Malaysian men's junior hockey coach Wallace Tan is in a dilemma.

He would like his boys to play for their states in the Razak Cup in September but the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) hold the key to that door.

The Junior Asia Cup, which offers semi-finalists a ticket to the 2021 Junior World Cup, was supposed to be held on June 4-12 in Dhaka, Bangladesh but Covid-19 came into the picture.

"I would like to see my players play in the Razak Cup but since the AHF have yet to announce the new dates for the Junior Asia Cup, I can't make any commitments just yet," said Wallace,

"I was told that the World Cup qualifier will be held before the end of this year. So it might clash or be too close to the Razak Cup. I will wait for the AHF announcement and then have a discussion with the MHC (Malaysian Hockey Confederation) on the best option."

The Malaysian men are a shoo-in for a semi-final spot, as they will be up against traditional rivals India, Pakistan, South Korea, Japan and China.

"We want to be among the top-four, and this team are capable of achieving the target. And so, I need to keep the players on their toes as the AHF might hold it anytime this year," added Wallace.

Malaysia's bid to defend their Hockey 5s gold medal, won at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, has been affected by the postponement of the 2022 edition to 2026.

Meanwhile Vietnam announced that field and indoor hockey will not feature in the 2021 Sea Games.

"So many tournaments have been postponed and we need to have a re-look at our training plans.

"However, the focus right now is the Junior Asia Cup, and once it's done with, we will start planning for the rest," said Wallace.

New Straits Times

Saga rumbles on as Hockey Ireland lodge appeal to SDSI

Stephen Findlater

In the latest twist to the saga over the European club allocations, Hockey Ireland themselves confirmed they have lodged an appeal for arbitration to Sport Dispute Solutions Ireland (SDSI).

It comes in the wake of three separate clubs putting in separate appeals earlier this week. Lisnagarvey’s challenge to an independent appeals panel was the catalyst, arguing successfully Hockey Ireland’s decision to keep the 2018/19 Euro qualifiers in place was “without reasonable rationale”.

Hockey Ireland have accepted that decision of the appeals panel but say the focus of the final determination was too narrow and did not take into account a wide range of knock-on effects.

“The committee focused on Lisnagarvey Hockey Club’s appeal without any, or insufficient, regard to the consequences of such a change to the broader Hockey Ireland decision,” a statement on the issue said.

“The outcome of the appeal impacts on the decisions, regarding club selections and their ranking, for all of the respective European Hockey Competitions in 2020/2021.”

With the EY Hockey League declared “null and void”, 2018/19 champions Three Rock Rovers had originally been given first spot by Hockey Ireland with runners-up Garvey second.

The Ulster club, however, were runaway leaders of the men’s league with their appeal saying the “best-placed team at the time” of lockdown would be the one to best serve Ireland’s interests and ranking on the European stage.

The appeals panel, however, only ruled on the individual case and did not make a further judgement on what happens next with the women’s rankings remaining the same while fourth place Three Rock retained the second men’s spot despite sitting in fourth place.

As such, both Banbridge – second in the men’s league – and women’s leaders Loreto believe a precedent has been set with the latter hoping to swap places with Pegasus.

Hockey Ireland recognises this disparity and has called for both to “pause” their appeals on hold until their SDSI case has been heard.

To add to the complications, Three Rock have already appealed to SDSI with numerous questions surrounding the protocols of the situation.

The EY Hockey League usually only brings the second Euro seeding with the top spot decided by the Champions Trophy playoffs which were not played.

There is also a question of timelines with the appeals panel sitting three weeks after Hockey Ireland’s Rule 20 would normally allow.

Usually, Hockey Ireland would submit its European entries by July but the European Hockey Federation has extended the deadlines due to the pandemic to September, giving time for all appeals to be heard.

Irish Examiner

Athlete Spotlight: Jess Jecko



Each athlete that wears the red, white and blue has a unique story to how their careers came to fruition. From the junior level to the senior squad, USA Field Hockey is putting national team athletes under the spotlight to share their journeys.

It’s a common conception that siblings can have an extra, unspoken bond between them, even more so if they have a twin that shares the same goals and aspirations. Jess Jecko and her twin, for instance, wanted to be goalkeepers, a dream that she made reality all the way to the U.S. Women’s National Team.

Although these ambitions were originally rooted in soccer, Jecko found field hockey for the first time at the age of 13 through a summer league invitation by a friend’s sister.



“I debated between soccer and field hockey, but the ultimate decision was my twin sister and I both wanted to be goalies,” said Jecko. “She stuck with soccer goalkeeping, and I switched over to field hockey. The sport was something new and exciting. I feel in love with the game and just wanted to continue to get better.”

Combined with field hockey, Jecko also participated in softball and basketball at Sauquoit Valley High School in Sauquoit, N.Y. Up until her senior year she envisioned herself playing softball at the NCAA level. That all changed when she was offered a spot on the roster at Syracuse University, her dream school, something that was planted in her since watching the Orangewomen in her first field hockey game as a high school freshman. The speed and fierceness of the collegiate game stayed in her memory as that experience prompted Jecko to attend clinics run by the Syracuse staff and student-athletes.

“I really enjoyed the challenge and intensity of these sessions,” continued Jecko. “Being close to home was a bonus, but ultimately it came down to Ange Bradley, Syracuse’s head coach, taking a shot on me because Syracuse was the only Division I school to show interest in me." 

Although her path was chosen, soccer still remained close to her heart as she drew inspiration from U.S Women’s National Soccer Team superstar Abby Wambach.

“It was a dream come true, and I could not pass it up,” continued Jecko, regarding her offer from Syracuse. “As a young athlete seeing the success of Abby Wambach inspired me to chase my dreams. She inspires me still to this day.”

As soon as she knew she would be an Orangewoman, Jecko found a home away from home with the CNY Field Hockey Club. From the get-go, members of the club welcomed her with open arms as CNY competed at various tournaments around the state and country, some of which she had no idea even existed. At the same time, her bond grew with her new teammates, many of whom were also getting ready to make the leap to Division I competition. Jecko credits this experience in getting them all up to speed for the impeding intensity of the NCAA.

Jecko went on to have a memorable career in goal at Syracuse. In 2014, she helped Syracuse reached the Division I National Championship, falling just short against the University of Connecticut, 1-0. The following year, Jecko’s senior season, the team returned to the championship stage, this time claiming victory in the final game. That same season, she was named All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Second Team, NCAA All-Tournament Team and led the ACC in win percentage and goals against average.



While making a statement on the college pitch, Jecko was also a notable participant in the U.S. Women’s Olympic Development Pathway. In 2014, she competed in the Young Women’s National Championship where she earned a trial for the U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team. She recalled going through her trial severely dehydrated, to the point that she did the exact opposite of impressing the onlooking coaching staff.

“I thought I blew my shot,” said Jecko. “It made me realize how rare this moment was. I thankfully was selected for the U-21 team. Putting on the USA jersey at the U-21 level made me even hungrier to wear it on the senior level.”

She didn’t have to wait long for the latter to come true. In 2016, following graduation and a fresh national champion, Jecko was invited to tryout for the senior USWNT. She once again fought through the natural nerves of performing well and ultimately earned a spot on the squad. She earned her first international cap for USA in 2018 during the team’s run through at the Four Nations Women’s Ibaraki International Tournament against Korea, where she also picked up “Queen of the Game” honors in the 2-1 victory. Much like her past big game-time moments, emotions were high but her focus was prime.



“Happiness, determination, pride and ready to battle with the girls around me,” recalled Jecko. “There’s nothing more rewarding than having your hard work pay off. Go USA!”

As she continues to battle in goal for the red, white and blue, she keeps a piece of her soccer roots close to her heart through a quote she heard her freshman year at Syracuse by Wambach, “Motivation is internal, and motivation has to happen on a continuum, you have to continually motivate yourself to go out and push yourself beyond your own limitations.”

Until the call to resume international play happens, the New York native continues to train at home while coaching young athletes in a safe fashion.

USFHA media release

2020 USA Field Hockey Humanitarian Award Winner: Tori Whitcher



COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Following the announcement of all winners, USA Field Hockey is individually highlighting each recipient of USA Field Hockey's 2020 Annual Awards, presented by Longstreth. This week, USA Field Hockey is honored to feature the 2020 Humanitarian Award winner Tori Whitcher.

"I am so grateful and honored to win USA Field Hockey's Humanitarian Award," stated Whitcher. "Spring was a tremendous challenge for me and I had my low moments. When I got the news that I was nominated for the award, it reenergized me and gave me positive momentum so I could continue supporting the community. Plus, it validated all the hard work, my team, our volunteers and I put in this spring." 

Whitcher grew up spending most of her summers playing in Holland where she worked and played with different levels of athletes and coaches, including gold medal Olympians and NCAA national champion coaches. She went on to play at the University of Richmond where she earned her degree in business administration.

She continues to use her field hockey and business knowledge as a co-owner of Sport EuroTour, a family-owned company that is built around giving high school American field hockey players the opportunity to travel abroad and experience European field hockey culture from a training and travel standpoint. Whitcher is dedicated to the game through her endless pursuit of helping athletes develop a passion for the sport while simultaneously building them into confident, goal-driven individuals.

Whitcher constantly provides guidance to athletes everywhere regarding college-recruiting, goal-setting and advice on how to create good habits. She also aims to develop athletes that are proud of their accomplishments on and off the field.

Most recently, she has hosted free weekly seminars online to help the field hockey community through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Her topics covered everything from mental health awareness, to creating drills at home and offered outside resources to stay active and mentally fit during quarantine. Whitcher embraces the field hockey community by connecting players as much as she can.

"Owning a field hockey summer tour and camp family business during COVID-19 has been a true lesson on resilience and mental toughness," continued Whitcher. "I believe my entire field hockey career prepared me for this moment. What do you do when you have to cancel all events? How do you prepare during a pandemic? What do you say to your campers? How do you handle the finances? Not only that, but how do you support your campers, their families, your coaches, staff and the community, when you know they are also struggling? I must have missed that day in business school when they answered all these questions."

She also promotes other clubs and programs on her Instagram page and is a constant supporter of field hockey athletes everywhere. Additionally, Whitcher takes a well-rounded approach to athlete development, addressing the importance of improvement and awareness both on and off the field. She has helped change the way many young American athletes view the sport and promotes the love of the game in a unique and refreshing way that hasn't been seen before.

"I needed the field hockey community just as much as they needed the webinars and content my team and I created," said Whitcher. "During a lonely and scary time, the light of my spring was showing up on screen two nights a week, interviewing other experts in our industry and connecting with the thousands of athletes, coaches and field hockey families in our group chat. This spring, I hosted twenty five free webinars, plus a few paid virtual events, with over 10,000 attendees total. By athletes simply showing up, a supportive community organically evolved. I learned you can create deep connections virtually, and through that experience, you can deliver impactful world-class resources that are accessible to all."

The experience Whitcher continues to give athletes has a large impact in shaping who they become as future athletes in sport. Her passion for connecting people together and sharing a common love of field hockey contributes to the community and to add to it all, in her free time, is a varsity high school coach.

"First and foremost I want to thank my dad, Bob Whitcher, who is also my business partner, mentor and rock," said Whitcher. "He and I had more than a few sleepless nights navigating all the new technology and softwares. I also want to thank more than two dozen volunteers who came on my webinars, including Simon Hoskins, Caroline Nelson Nichols, Steph Cooper, Alex Difelice, Nyree Dardarian, Tanya Nongera, Meghan Stocks and Rony Jacober. I also want to thank EuroTour's Director of Goalkeeping, Emily Snowden, who helped me create seven free goalkeeper webinars plus four wildly successful virtual goalkeeper events. I also want to thank our talented college interns who helped me create content and do research behind the scenes. Definitely a huge shoutout of course to USA Field Hockey. Last but not least, whoever nominated me, and everyone who voted, thank you!"

Congratulations once again to Tori Whitcher for winning the 2020 USA Field Hockey Humanitarian Award.

USFHA media release