story by MARIO BOUCHER
Field hockey is the most widely played form of hockey on synthetic turf, with 11 players on each side working to outscore their opponent by pushing a small ball into the goal using a curved stick. The game is played in four quarters and is a staple of top international competition, including the Olympics and the World Cup.
Players can only use the flat side of the stick, making control at speed a constant challenge and requiring quick grip and positioning adjustments to change direction. When the action tightens inside the shooting circle, a defensive foul can lead to a penalty corner—one of the game’s most intense and pivotal moments. Fast and physical, field hockey rarely lets up.
According to the International Hockey Federation, the sport is played in more than 130 countries around the world—reflecting its widespread appeal. Here in the Triangle, two coaches are making sure more kids get a chance to experience it firsthand.
Bull City Field Hockey
A former full-time assistant coach with the Duke University field hockey program, Wesley Ann Boersma was a new mom providing backyard lessons to local kids at the request of parents. “I started a family and a club at the same time. I was the only coach for all of these age divisions at one point.”
Today, Boersma co-owns and leads Bull City Field Hockey in Durham, which competes in the U-12, U-14, U-16, and U-19 age groups through the nationally competitive Legacy teams and the development Academy for local and regional play. Little Bulls is an introduction program for children ages 4–9.
The teams train on water-based turf at Duke, the same Division I surface that prioritizes ball speed, uniform roll, and traction. The results have been remarkable. The U-19 team reached the national final in June 2025, only to fall to the powerhouse WC Eagles from Pennsylvania.
“Getting to the final felt like we won it. It has been a Cinderella story. People were going crazy because North Carolina has never been a powerhouse in field hockey, and we got the team to the finals,” says Boersma, who was named USA Field Hockey’s National Coach of the Year in January.
At press time, the U-14, U-16, and U-19 teams had become the first three age divisions in program history to qualify for the National Club Championship in the same year. The tournament was scheduled for June 22–30 in Virginia Beach.
Boersma, who holds a Master of Science in education and pedagogical sciences from Erasmus University Rotterdam, is focused on character development off the field, built around a core mantra: no complaining, no excuses. “Individual character development creates a strong culture. When they go to college or get jobs and run into adversity, they’re going to have more tools to cope, having participated in sports.”
Wesley Ann Boersma, named USA Field Hockey’s National Coach of the Year in January, co-owns and leads Bull City Field Hockey in Durham. Photo courtesy of Wesley Ann Boersma
Carolina All Stars Field Hockey
Meghan Fulton, director of Carolina All Stars Field Hockey, also started with a small group of girls seeking lessons.
The club, which provides year-round training in Chapel Hill and Durham, runs an Academy program for beginner and intermediate players ages 5–15, focusing on access, fun, and long-term development in a low-pressure environment.
“We have sticks and all the gear available to any athletes who may want to try the sport without purchasing their own,” Fulton says. “We do not want the inability to get a stick to prevent any child from learning the game.”
Coaches are a mix of current and former college athletes who serve as role models. “The kids can see themselves in their coaches, and that is where dreams begin,” she adds.
Reid Miller, a former Carolina All Stars athlete now coaching at the Academy, competed with the USA Field Hockey U-21 national team in Santiago, Chile, bringing home a silver medal last year. Fulton says, “How cool is it that she joined our program as a young girl with a big dream, and now she is playing at the international level?
“When you learn and play field hockey, you join a large international community that loves the sport.”
Members of Carolina All Stars Field Hockey participate in a fast-paced, exciting sport that promotes physical fitness while developing teamwork, leadership, and lifelong friendships.
Fulton, who earned a Master of Arts in athletic training from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, adds, “We want to continue to expose young girls to our great game and show them just how far it can take them.”
Field hockey is a fun, dynamic way for participants to stay active and build lasting leadership skills. Bull City Field Hockey hosts a summer camp in late July, with fall registration available at bullcityfieldhockey.com.
CarolinaAll Stars runs a mini camp July 30–31, and its fall academy begins in September; more information is available at carolinafieldhockey.com.
Top featured image: Bull City Field Hockey’s U-19 team is all smiles at the 2025 national final. Photo courtesy of Wesley Ann Boersma