Kauffman, Tagliente Ready To Return To Field Hockey Turf
10/5/2001 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 5, 2001
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Check out Howard Thomas's story on the official website of U.S. Field Hockey.
Former Maryland field hockey All-Americans Kate Kauffman (West Lawn, Pa.) and Carla Tagliente (Cortland, N.Y.) are anxious to join the U.S. National Team as they finally return to the turf when to host South Africa in a four-game East Coast tour, Oct 13-20.
Kauffman and Tagliente, two of the most honored Terrapins in program history, currently serve the No. 1 collegiate team in the country as assistant coaches. The duo will take a break from the squad to rejoin the Red, White and Blue once again for this special event.
The tour will take the teams to Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass. (Oct. 13), The University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn.(Oct. 14), Springfield (Mass.) College (Oct. 16) and the team's new US Field Hockey Training Center at Virginia Beach, Va. (Oct. 20). Tickets for the games are $5 and are available at the gate and through the U.S. Field Hockey National Office at 719-866-4567.
The games mark the first time the U.S. women have played official matches on U.S. soil since 1998, and signify the team's first competition since July. The South Africa matches will take on added significance after the team was unable to attend last month's World Cup Qualifying Tournament in France following the terrorist attacks in the United States. The U.S. will instead try to earn its way to the World Cup against the Qualifier's seventh-place team, India, in a three-game series at a date yet to be determined. The South Africa games will provide some much needed preparation for the all-important series.
"This team has been training for so long and building up for that event the whole year, that the Qualifier will be difficult to replace," said U.S. coach Tracey Belbin. "I am sure when this team finally gets to the field, there will be plenty of emotions - immense patriotism, points to prove, excitement to finally play someone. But I know that when we finally have the opportunity to play, it will be with passion and fervor."
Belbin's team for the tour includes 1996 Olympians Tracey Fuchs (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Kauffman and Jill Reeve (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.) in addition to Kate Barber (West Chester, Pa.), Natalie Dawson (Berlin, N.J.), Jill Dedman (Orange, Conn.), Kelli Gannon (Escondido, Calif.), Tara Jelley (Greenfield, Mass.), Tracey Larson (Morrisville, Pa.), Kristen McCann (Allentown, Pa.), Melanie Meerschwam (Amstelveen, The Netherlands), Kim Miller (Virginia Beach, Va.), Mimi Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.), Peggy Storrar (Mahopca, NY) and Tagliente.
The team currently resides in Virginia Beach as part of U.S. Field Hockey's residency program.
The 10th place team at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, South Africa's squad for the tour includes Olympians Pietie Coetzee, Inke Van Wyk, Carina Van Zijil, Lindsey Carlisle, Kerry Bee, Luntu Ntloko and Susan Wessels. A long-time USA nemesis, Coetzee scored both goals in a 2-1 South Africa at the 1998 World Cup, and joined the USA's Fuchs on the 1999 FIH President's XI All-Star team in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the FIH.
The South Africa Team also includes Caroline Brit, Candace Forward, Jonke Koornhof, Jenny Wilson, Julia Henry and Melinda Vos. South Africa Junior World Cup team members Marissa Alves, Marsha Marescia and Sophie Mayer will also step up to the senior team for the tour. South Africa is coached by Rosalind Howell.
In addition to the games, members of the U.S. and South Africa teams will conduct clinics for players of all ages and skill levels at local stops along the tour. Clinics are scheduled for 6:30-8:30 p.m., Oct. 12 at Seacoast United (Hampton, N.H.) and John Smith Soccer Center (Milford, Mass.), 6-8 p.m., Oct. 15 at Springfield College, 5:30 -7:30 p.m., Oct 18 at the International Sports Center (Cherry Hill, N.J.), 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Oct. 18 at the Marple Sports Arena (Broomall, Pa.) and 9-11 a.m., Oct. 20 at the Virginia Beach Training Center in Virginia Beach
Cost of the clinic is $25 per person and space is limited. For more information on the clinics contact Dean Nakamura at US Field Hockey's National Office at 719-866-4365.
