Hockey in Atlanta seems like an oxymoron. For a city that saw the departure of two separate hockey franchises, one is hard-pressed to find a home for the sport below the Mason-Dixon line. For those looking to put stick to ball, Emory is home to a co-ed club field hockey team.
Sophomore defender Jaime Schechner explained that despite sharing a name with ice hockey, field hockey is played very differently.
“[In ice hockey] … you can use both sides of the stick, but in field hockey you can only use one side,” Schechner said. “That’s a huge difference. It’s kind of like lacrosse or soccer in the same kind of format [and playing style].”
Field hockey may be less familiar to those from the South or West, but the sport has a solid presence in New England and the Northeast, and is often cited as one of the world’s oldest sports.
Senior captain midfielder Erin McSally grew up in the Northeast, having played field hockey since she was 12 years old. Although Emory does not have a Division III team, McSally made it a priority to join the club team as a freshman.
The team is a blend of casual play and competitive spirit, according to McSally.
“When I joined the team, I immediately got the vibe that, while we compete, we are a community first,” McSally said.
Reflecting on her field hockey career at Emory, McSally said her experiences traveling with the team were among her favorite memories. Beyond the exercise, McSally said she appreciated the community and social aspect of the 15-player team.
“My freshman year, we went to Nashville to play Vanderbilt,” McSally said. “My favorite memories come from me driving together with the team. It’s kind of like a road trip experience. When players first join the team, it’s a great way to get to know everyone outside of practice.”
Schechner added that she enjoys the team tournament experience. Growing up in Boston, Schechner played field hockey in middle school and high school. When she arrived at the club activities fair her freshman year, Schechner made a beeline for the field hockey table.
“We all really come together,” Schechner said of the tournament experience. “I’ve also really enjoyed the friends. … We have players of all grades and grad students, so it’s really cool to get to know all of these people.”
Like McSally, Team Coach Cassidy Artz said she first got involved in field hockey around the age of 12. Artz said has been obsessed with field hockey ever since her father suggested that she try the sport.
After playing on the Emory club field hockey team as a graduate student, Artz decided to turn to coaching.
“I looked at Emory for undergrad, and a big draw was the club field hockey team,” Artz said. “While I didn’t end up going [to the College], I always remembered that Emory had that strong club team. When I went to Emory for grad school, I was able to [join the team].”
While working with physician recruitment at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital and studying at the Rollins School of Public Health, Artz hopes to continue to spread her passion for field hockey as long as possible, through coaching.
Although the team welcomes players without any field hockey experience, Artz loves coaching those with soccer experience as those skills are directly applicable to field hockey. She enjoys watching Atlanta United soccer games because the movements of the players mimic the positioning of field hockey players and the fluidity of field positions.
Even if you don’t have soccer skills, McSally markets field hockey as a great stress reliever and productivity booster.
“Exercise and getting outside is a great stress relief and also makes me study better and study harder,” McSally said. “I think it is really easy for students to think, ‘Oh, if I don’t go outside, I’ll have more time to study.’ But in the long run, [team sports] will benefit you more.”
There are few better ways to enjoy the fall weather and relieve stress than by hitting a ball really hard with a stick and experiencing the support of a close-knit team.
Sammy John (20C) is from Sarasota, FL, majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology with an Ethics minor. A diehard sports fan, Sammy writes about international soccer and as any self respecting Indian religiously follows cricket. Sammy co-founded Emory Table Tennis Club in 2018, and he enjoys playing soccer and ping pong to unwind.
