Like their counterparts in soccer, elite field hockey players often eschew the United States in favor of countries such as England, Spain and Germany.
This happens because America has no premier league for its best players. It doesn't have clubs in which average athletes can compete against men and women from other clubs.
The U.S. has only a national team, which is why many college-graduate field hockey players leave for Europe to play in a club system much like soccer's.
Assistant coach Ali Johnstone left for Canada after she graduated from Ohio to play for the national squad.
After Canada, Johnstone went to Hamburg, Germany, to play in its premier league. Because she played for a top-level team, it paid for all her expenses.
Field hockey was my job
Johnstone said. And to me that was pretty much the most exciting thing ever. That doesn't happen in hockey usually so I was pretty happy with that. It was fun. It was one of the best times I've ever had in my life.
Johnstone said playing in Europe is a way for graduated field hockey players to develop their skills, and, if they're good enough, make a living.
You don't make money playing field hockey in North America Johnstone said. You can get a decent job and play hockey over in Europe and have a lot of your expenses paid for if you're in the top level. It's an awesome option for girls.
The squads in European countries such as Holland and Belgium are for more than just the best athletes. Most clubs have many teams for players of all ages and talent levels.
Coach Neil Macmillan played for the Havant Hockey Club in England for 10 years, starting at age 17. He said his club fielded 10 men's and four women's teams.
Macmillan found America to be much different from England when he came to the U.S. to coach. He said that after they graduate in England, field hockey players can get into coaching or partake in recreational leagues.
Which is a shame
Macmillan said. For a lot of the players who are going through their senior year
it's the last they'll play in terms of organized field hockey.
Former Bobcat Marcy Dull knows this better than most. Dull was named Mid-American Conference Tournament MVP last season after leading the Bobcats to their third league title in four years.
Although she possessed the skill and resume to try out for the U.S. national team or a club in Europe, Dull said she never considered the possibility because she didn't gather enough information before she got a job.
I didn't really consider playing anywhere after I graduated
Dull said. I think a lot of that has to do with there's very limited opportunities (to play field hockey) unless you want to go overseas.
Dull, a finance major, found work out of college at a wealth management firm in New Jersey. She plans on coaching high school field hockey players as a way of channeling her competitiveness.
It's kind of a shame
she said. It's not that I have any regrets or anything
but just the idea of being a professional athlete and having that be your job is pretty cool.
Dull added that she hopes the current Bobcats have more options than she did to play field hockey after graduation.
I just wish the girls that are playing now
when they get out of school there's a couple more opportunities for them to play
Dull said, and they are able to take advantage of them.
