David Passmore has a tough job as the pinnacle coach of the U.S. ladies’s nationwide discipline hockey group. The group isn’t simply the 19 gamers who he selected earlier right now to play for one in every of three Olympic berths within the last-chance “repechage” event in Ranchi, India subsequent month. The pool of gamers, in line with Passmore, goes to must marketing campaign into the subsequent season of the FIH Professional League.
“[T]he Professional League matches following the Olympic Qualifier will present these athletes who missed out the chance to play with the United Eagles once more,” he mentioned in an announcement. “Participant load and welfare will probably be key at the moment.”
However that assumes that the U.S. will make the Olympics. The final time the States performed in a multi-team qualification occasion, the States certified in 2008 in a event in Baku, Azerbajian.
For the American group to make it, it might want to get prime performances from veterans like Ashley Hoffman, Danielle Grega, Kelsey Bing, and Meredith Sholder. I believe goalkeeper Kelsey Bing goes to must have the event of her life to get to an Olympic berth.
However I believe the barometer of the group goes to be how the American assault will probably be pushed. Thrilling gamers like Beth Yeager, Ashley Sessa, and Sanne Carles must use their incisive and dynamic play to the fullest so as to have the ability to put strain on their opponents.
The US, in a pool with host India, New Zealand, and Italy, might very nicely discover itself in a must-win third match in opposition to the Ferns earlier than crossing over to play both Japan or Germany within the semifinal spherical.
A tough job, certainly.
