NEPSAC: Phillips Andover's 11-day Field Hockey trip to Europe

Head Coach Kate Dolan summed up the tour after reflecting on the day trip to Paris to watch the US Women’s Olympic Hockey team in action.

“I think we all wished we could have slowed down time and made that last longer to absorb it all.”

Dolan and her squad were fortunate enough to witness a 1-0 win for the US against a tough South African side, in Paris.

But amazingly their Olympic jaunt was not the highlight for Dolan and her squad. Instead, the three friendly games that Andover played were where the long-lasting memories were made.

“They allowed us to interact and spend time with the club players and their coaches,” said Dolan, whose squad traveled to Ghent and Bruges to take on Belgian opposition.

 “When not on the pitch, we visited the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, and toured Amsterdam via bikes and boats. We experienced Ghent and Bruges, Belgian towns with buildings and history dating back several thousands of years. In these towns, we played our three friendly matches.”

The Belgian hosts provided great hospitality and the opportunity for the to two squads to eat together and socialize after the games proved invaluable.

“The experience was beyond anything any one of us could have imagined. Going into it, I think we all felt it would be great, and after it was over, I think we all felt an incredible sense of awe and immense gratitude,” said Dolan.

Phillips Andover 11-day Field Hockey Itinerary

“It was learning in the world, being in the world, interacting in the world – it fulfilled its purpose in every way. We learned a lot about the places we visited, traveling in general, different cultural norms, hockey, each other, and ourselves. To be in the Netherlands, where ‘hockey’ is the sport was amazing – the kids had two practice sessions with amazing Dutch and South African coaches, we got to go into the stadium where the FIH World Cup was held a few years back, and into a real ‘hockey shop’.”

Andover’s training base in central Amsterdam had hosted the FIH World Cup several times and it was there the team took on the mindset of playing in Europe.

“One of our biggest takeaways from the training was the coaches’ emphasis on playing in your growth zone where you should be making mistakes by challenging yourself!”

*This article first appeared in NEPSAC News…