“Wander in Amazement”

As many of you know, one of my favorite things about the sport I play is that it brings me around the world, allows me to experience so many different ways of life, and is primarily played overseas - meaning it’s that much more exciting to travel. Not that the sport isn’t appreciated here, but if you go to a hockey match abroad, you’ll get what I mean.

Yeah, the U.S. is fun and all, and there’s nothing like travel tournaments as a kid. Arizona, Florida, and Virginia are great - absolute solid states - and I wouldn’t trade my club-day-adventures for the world buttt

Have you ever played hockey matches in Argentina while Messi is playing in the FIFA World Cup at the same time? (Field hockey in Argentina is like softball/baseball or football in the States.) So to put it into perspective, that would kind of be like the Dodgers and Giants playing a series while the Super Bowl is going on in another country. Think about that. On and off the field hockey pitch, ’nuff said.

Obviously, we all know we have to do our part in growing field hockey in America - truuust meee. But I can’t even begin to think about everything I would’ve missed out on if I didn’t have an excuse to explore our beautiful world as much as I have.

I started traveling “alone” internationally with the Women’s USA Indoor National Team when I was thirteen years old. Next came a few club team trips across the world (literally) that our parents accompanied us on too if they could swing it. Then, more years of USA Field Hockey U19 and U21 tours followed between the ages of fourteen and sixteen before numerous Women’s Team tours from seventeen-years-old until now.

To keep it brief and not totally bore you, here’s a list of the countries I’ve traveled to just for field hockey:

• Argentina (3x)

• Belgium (will be 2x come this summer)

• Canada

• Chile (2x)

• China (2x)

• England

• Germany

• The Netherlands* (*FINALLY this upcoming summer)

• India

• New Zealand (3x)

• Peru (2x)

• South Africa

• Trinidad and Tobago

• Uruguay

Let’s take a moment for my favorites:

• Argentina’s atmosphere time and time again remains phenomenal. Their fans are some of the most passionate ones I’ve ever witnessed, and the country is beautiful. Whether it’s exploring the markets and the countryside or playing in a stadium where you can’t hear the person three steps to your left, it’s a magnificent place. (I’d be lying if I said I didn’t also venture out of the hotel with our strength coach at the time to fangirl and buy a Messi jersey at the cutest stand.)

• Chile is similar. We traveled to Santiago both times, and it’s a wonderful city, and the people are even better. If you ask my parents about their trip to come support us for the Junior World Cup years back, they will rave for hours about how much they loved it. (While you’re at it, ask them about the “mantequilla” story too.)

• China…Oh, China. I wouldn’t consider it a “favorite,” and I think I’ve experienced enough for my lifetime, but I had to give it some love. I am beyond grateful I was able to witness such a widely different, but definitely breathtaking, place. (“Breathtaking” in the sense of ancient buildings and history, but also when referring to a particular naked, yet confident, toddler outside of our hotel.)

• London, England was one of my favorite trips. The FIH World Cup was held there a few years ago in the most amazing stadium I’ve ever played in, packed to the brim with around 10,000 fans all cheering for…you guessed it…the host country. That game against Great Britain was absurd (I’ll leave it at that because I’m sure I’ll be revisiting that one in a future post) along with the rest of the tournament. Exploring the city after we were done was a blast too; there was so much to see, do, and appreciate - including being “those girls” and taking a picture with the Mounted Policemen outside of Buckingham Palace.

• New Zealand…where to begin!! My absolute favorite place by far. The views, the people, the coffee shops, the water, the caves, the restaurants, the hockey, the crumpets, the experiences…They’ve got it all. While I would say playing in a place like Argentina, or Holland from what I’ve heard, (I know…I can’t believe I’ve never played there yet) is on another level, there is nowhere like New Zealand. (Bilbo Baggins has also got a pretty cool crib - MTV missed out.)

• Johannesburg, South Africa was another city that was just awesome. Some of us on the team joke about how we “once lived in Africa” because we were there for over a month. The downtown area we could walk to had one of my favorite restaurants to this day, and I just remember enjoying every single moment and every single game. It was a beautiful stadium, and we ended up beating Germany in shootouts in the final to take gold. At the end of the tour, holding baby lions and searching for Pumba and Simone on a safari was more than the cherry on top.

I’ll say it again, and you’ll never get me to shut up about it: I am so thankful for the stories field hockey has given me and the places it has brought me. I had so much fun writing this and reflecting on my travels. So, also thank YOU for giving me a reason to.

It also seems I have way more funny, unique stories than I thought, which also means a hell of a lot more ideas for the future. It’s crazy what just sitting down and writing can make you remember - and laugh about!

While I’m at it, here are some countries that are dreams of mine to visit and not have hockey as the focus: (I couldn’t help myself.)

• France (But like Paris 2024 is calling our names too - I can feel it.)

• Greece (#1!!!!!)

• Iceland

• Italy

• Japan (just Tokyo really)

• Maldives

• The Netherlands (can’t wait to play there, but I definitely want to explore sometime as well)

• New Zealand (would love to go back and just adventure)

• Spain

• Switzerland

• Thailand

“Traveling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” - Ibn Battuta