And the Winner Was…The Heat

One hundred and eight degrees combined heat and humidity on the turf of Gay Field Wednesday afternoon caused officials to call off the field hockey game between Clayton Greyhounds and JBS Bombers. All agreed the health and safety of the players was at risk. So the opportuntity was there to talk field hockey, even thought there was not going to be a game.

Clayton High School Greyhounds New Head Coach

Head coach at Clayton High School and newcomer, Darby Hogan, began her field hockey career as a team member of Ladue High School field hockey team. Now coaching for the rival team of her alma mater, Hogan said about adding orange to her wardrobe, “I’m really excited about it. Everyone is welcoming. I’m super excited about playing Ladue.”

Hogan played collegiate field hockey and lacrosse at Lindenwood University where she was also a field hockey graduate assistant for two years. Prior to coming to Clayton, Hogan coached Lacrosse at Whitfield School. She said, “I couldn’t have a smoother transition. I am really happy to be over here.”

With only two seniors, the Greyhounds are a young team. Hogan hopes to attract more girls to the sport and plans to build the program, camaraderie and bonding between the players. In the meantime, Junior Christina Difelice, senior and goalie Thalia Sass and senior Kate Harrison will be a triple threat this season.

Off the field Hogan teaches Journalism at Clayton High School and is the editor for the school newspaper.

John Burroughs Seasoned Head Coach

Meridith Thorpe, JBS Head Coach began her impressive field hockey coaching career as assistant at Ohio State where the Buckeyes stayed in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association top-20 and achieved the Big Ten tournament semifinals both years she assisted. From there, she coached in Virginia for a few institutions including her alma mater, the University of Virginia Cavaliers, for six seasons. She was Assistant Coach for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes prior to coming to JBS, her high school alma mater.  After ten years at the college level, Thorpe found her way back home to St. Louis.

Thorpe said, “I had a great experience at Burroughs and it is really rewarding to come back and give a little bit back to a place that has given so much to me and my family.”

Thorpe was the first Virginia field hockey player named a NFHCA first-team all-American. She was named an all-American four times and three of those years as a first team selection. She was a member of the U.S. National team and is a three-time Olympic Festival participant.

“This is my third season at Burroughs. To bring the knowledge that I learned as a player and a coach at the division one level and to be able to try to instill that in these girls is really fun,” said Thorpe.

One lesson she hopes her players learn this season is the importance of taking it one day at a time, staying in the moment, enjoying the process and not looking too far ahead.

The Field Hockey Guru of the Midwest

Kelly Yates has earned the title, “Field Hockey Guru of the Midwest,” because for 30 years she has been actively involved in the sport. She has also held a number of other titles including NFHCA Second Vice-President.  As a player, she helped Southwest Missouri State win the 1979 National Championship title and was inducted into the Missouri Hall of Fame in 2010. She coached at Lafayette High School for 12 seasons and was at Saint Louis University as coach for nine years. She has officiated at the high school and collegiate level. Currently, Yates is the founder and director of Gateway Field Hockey.

Gateway Field Hockey originated in 1985 and is the first and longest running field hockey club in the Midwest. Run by Yates, her husband Joe and two daughters, the Gateway club program offers winter, spring, summer and fall leagues for kids from second grade up and hockey camps in 12 cities throughout the U.S. and hockey tournaments.

Now in its 14th year, the Gateway Field Hockey Classic will be held this weekend at the Anheuser Busch Stadium. Beginning Friday at 1 p.m. 48 teams will play 78 games over the Labor Day weekend with an additional 40 games played Monday. With 24 teams competing last year and 48 teams this year the tournament has nearly doubled. The teams are divided into 12 pools. Each team will play three round robin games to result in 12 pool winners.

The high school teams will play Friday, Saturday and Sunday and the JV, freshmen and the little girl club teams will play Monday. Teams are coming from Chicago, Louisville, California, Texas, Ohio, Chicago, Wisconsin and Oklahoma.

“It will be exciting to see who wins the pools,” said Yates.

Yates has plans to expand the Gateway Field Hockey Club program with a new indoor facility located in Chesterfield. Yates said, “It is going to be called Gateway Sports Center and it is going to be the first indoor field hockey place in the Midwest.”

Kelly Yates picks top 10 Field Hockey teams.

1. John Burroughs
2. Villa Duchesne
3. Lafayette
4. Nerinx Hall
5. St. Joseph's Academy
6. Ursuline Academy
7. Cor Jesu Academy
8. Marquette
9. MICDS
10. Ladue

Kelly Yates picks top 10 Field Hockey players.

1. Charlotte Martin– JBS
2. Kate Barber – Lafayette
3. Demi Wideman – Villa
4. Sydney Tamaso – Villa
5. Claire Townsley – MICDS
6. Alex Friedman – Whitfield
7. Molly Trevethon– Nerinx Hall
8. Hayley Bokern – Nerinx Hall
9. Corrine  Murphy– Lafayette
10. Hayley Wright– St. Joe

Kelly Yates picks top Field Hockey Goalies.

1. Mary Altepeter– Visitation
2. Abby Frerotte– JBS
3. Liz Rill– JBS
4. Josie Mullin– St. Joe