Feeling like Mavericks

Ron Counts, Staff Writer
Published: November 23, 2008

While most people are getting ready to loosen their belts and binge on turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce this time of year, three Eastern View field hockey players are preparing to travel cross country to play on the biggest stage of their young careers.

“It’s a huge honor to be part of this,” EVHS junior Morgan Martin said. “It’s a big deal. We’re going to be competing against the best teams in the country.”
Juniors Martin and Jackie Bedsaul and senior Taylor Queen will travel to the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Ca Nov. 27-30 to take part in the National Field Hockey Festival — the world’s largest amateur field hockey event, according to usfieldhockey.com.

“It’s intense out there,” said Bedsaul, who is making her second trip to the event. “The talent level is unbelievable. You see the best players from all over the country.”

This year marks the 13th that more than 4,000 athletes, representing 225 teams from 24 U.S. states, Canada and even Zimbabwe will ascend on southern California. Women’s teams of all ages — as well as coed and men’s teams — will strive to be crowned champion of their division during the four-day tournament.

Martin, Bedsaul and Queen are members of the Virginia Mavericks, a high-school team that competes in the under-19 division, which happens to be the tournament’s biggest division.

Bedsaul — a three-year starter at right midfielder and a second-team all-Battlefield district selection this year — made the trip to Indio a year ago, and she still remembers the impression it left.

“It made me realize how high the level of competition is out there,” she said. “I saw so many girls from every state, which makes me bust my butt even more because colleges want the best.”

This grand stage is nothing new to Bedsaul. In addition to having been there before, she also got to watch her sister compete in a similar event four years ago, and she is quite familiar with the Mavericks’ coach, Herndon High School field hockey coach Phyllis Pierce.

“She’s a great coach,” Bedsaul said of Pierce. “I’ve known her for a long time. She’s easy to work with and I don’t think I’ll be as nervous as I was last year because of that.”

Martin has been a starting sweeper at the varsity level for the past two years, and was also a second-team all-Battlefield selection this season. She will be making her first appearance with the Mavericks when the games begin on Thursday.

“I’m just really excited,” she said. “I think it’s going to be incredible, fun and challenging.”

Queen — a two-year starter at left forward — is also making her debut with the Mavericks, and she knows how beneficial this type of event can be to her future plans.

“I think being around so many different players is going to boost my confidence,” Queen said. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for more college coaches to see me, and hopefully want me on their teams.”

The festival is very valuable to high school players because of how many college scouts it attracts, but Bedsaul knows that getting noticed is only half the battle.

“Doing well will do wonders for my confidence in playing college field hockey,” she said. “But I’m still going to push it 100 times harder during my senior year.”

Ron Counts can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 166 or