Field Hockey Team Plays First Game on New Field

The field hockey teams made history on October 13, as they hosted Highland Park for the first game on the new water-based turf field. The varsity team kicked off the two games with a victory, as Vivian Todora ’23 scored the first goal on the new field. JV played in the second game and also picked up a win. Paige Farris Chisholm ’87 is the Field Hockey Program Director and Head Coach. The 2022 season is her 19th at FWCD. In a nice twist, Highland Park’s coach was FWCD alumna Elena Casement ’19. 

FWCD’s new field features a new “wet” field hockey field  -- considered the gold standard in competitive field hockey and comparable to fields played on during World Cup and Olympic Field Hockey matches. The water-based turf surface, manufactured by SporTurf™, uses a water cannon irrigation system allowing FWCD to “weather the field” before games and practices. The field is completely flat with no crown whatsoever, enabling field hockey players to maximize speed and performance. FWCD is the first school in DFW and the third in the state of Texas to implement this field surface technology, providing a valuable site for the sport of field hockey in North Texas. 

“I absolutely love our new field! It is so much better than I could have imagined,” said Carly Walker ’24. “I can already see a step up in our program, and I know that will continue for years to come. I am excited to make new memories and create new traditions on this field with my teammates.” 

Field Hockey Assistant Coach Tara Gordon ’12 played field hockey at FWCD and at Northwestern University. “I used to travel across the country for opportunities to play on a water-based turf field. Now our girls have their own elite field right in their backyard,” Gordon said. “When I walked out for our first practice, I felt like I was at a college field hockey practice. That field is a game-changer and shows where Country Day fits in within the field hockey world.”

FWCD broke ground on the field in May 2022. Twenty-one families funded the project, which included turf on the stadium for football, soccer, and lacrosse and a new, state-of-the-art track. 

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