The Olympic Club & Greenwich FHC Make History at 2024 Adult National Club Championship
69 photos
NEWARK, Del. – After three days of intense competition, the champions of the 2024 United States Field Hockey League (USFHL) Adult National Club Championship (NCC) have been crowned! 20 teams, 10 seasoned officials, and over 390 athletes participated in 42 games over the long weekend. The Olympic Club and Greenwich made Adult NCC history by becoming the first three-time champions in the women’s and men’s divisions, respectively.
The tournament kicked off on Friday, July 19 at Fred P. Rullo Stadium at the University of Delaware in Newark, Del. The event opened with a Discover Field Hockey clinic organized by USA Field Hockey, which introduced 30 new players to the game. The clinic was led by several qualified USA Field Hockey coaches, including Lance Wood, Meredith Bynum, Maggie Jones and Gena Piper; and created a great learning experience for the kids and some new field hockey players!
The clinic was a festive way to get ready for the main event – a tournament of men’s and women’s adult club teams competing for the title of national champion. Many of the boys and girls from the Discover clinic stayed to watch the games and were honored escorts for the first four teams onto the pitch, adding to the excitement of the event’s opening.
The Adult NCC hosted two divisions; men’s and women’s. In the men’s division, eight teams earned a bid as either league champions or regional club champions. The women’s division included 12 qualified teams from across the country. The event was truly national, with all regions represented. Several teams qualified in both the men’s and women’s dvision: Greenwich, Lone Star, Minutmen, and dc Dragons.
Due to unforeseen circumstances that snarled air traffic nationwide, Ventura County Red Devils (VCRD) were delayed in their arrival from California. The men's teams, particularly Philly Premier, flexed their game schedules to accommodate for the sudden change, allowing the tournament to flow without forfeits. VCRD played back-to-back games on Saturday, borrowing hockey sticks, shoes, and even shinguards. The cooperation, kindness, and flexibility displayed by the teams was a true testament to the sense of community they share.
The men’s division pool play ended on Saturday with the dcDragons (2-0-1) on top of Pool 1 and VCRD (3-0-0) on top of Pool 2. By Sunday, all eight teams were ready to enter the high-stakes elimination round.
The men’s semi-final matches saw the dcDragons take on the second-place team from Pool 1, Miami Surf, while VCRD took on the second place team in Pool 1, Greenwich. The two matches featured great hockey, and did not leave fans disappointed. Both matches turned out to be upsets, with Miami Surf besting the dc Dragons,1-0, and Greenwich upsetting VCRD, 2-1. After finishing second in their respective pools, it would be Miami Surf and Greenwich who advanced to the final.
In an epic game that went off just after noon under hot and humid weather at Rullo Stadium, Greenwich and Miami Surf battled it out for the title. It was Greenwich who prevailed by a shutout score of 2-0 in the end. Juan Manuel Valdez, who was also a member of the Greenwich team that won the Adult NCC in 2016 and 2017, scored the winning goal off of a short corner deflection. With this year’s win, Greenwich became the first team to claim three Adult NCC titles.
It was a sweet victory for the Greenwich team, who had invested a great deal into the tournament. The team plays year-round in the NEFHA league and participates in practices together. Team captain Val Debouche admitted to having planned his honeymoon around the tournament, returning with new his wife and captain of the Greenwich women’s team, Brittany Debouche, just in time to compete. Immediately following the event, Debouche left for Paris, France to represent Osaka Hockey as the headline sponsor of the USA Field Hockey Women’s National team competing in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The tournament was live-streamed through SportsEngine Play, a platform that offers livestream and replays of games. Debouche highlighted the usefulness of the platform, which allowed his team to analyze the competition in preparation for each game – an investment which paid off for Greenwich in their semi-final match against a tough VCRD side.
The women’s division was deeper, featuring four pools of three teams each. After the pool plays matches concluded, it was Lone Star on top for Pool 1, Running on Empty for Pool 2, The Olympic Club for Pool 3, and Atlanta FHC for Pool 4. In the ensuing crossovers, Lone Star faced dc Dragons, Running on Empty took on reigning champions Washington FHA, The Olympic Club faced Strikers, and Atlanta FHA faced Greenwich.
In crossovers, the teams who had finished first in their pool play prevailed with the exception of Greenwich, who finished second in their pool but were able to defeat a tough Atlanta FHC side. Greenwich went on to beat Running on Empty in the semi-final to reach the final. The Olympic Club defeated Strikers in the first crossover, then faced Lone Star in the semi-final match, where they eked out a slim 1-0 victory.
The stage was set for the championship rematch between the Olympic Club and the Greenwich Rovers. The Olympic Club was no stranger to the finals, having finished on top of the podium twice before, and came in determined to win again this year. Both teams practice and play together regularly, making for a particularly competitive match-up. The Olympic Club struck first with a goal in the first quarter, which set up a relentless attack by Greenwich on the Olympic Club’s defending circle. This went on for three more quarters, as Greenwich continued to test of the Olympic Club’s defense – which stood rock solid.
The Olympic Club finally found a break with ten minutes to play in the fourth quarter when a long arial pass was sent into the circle and found Savannah Devarney alone with the Greenwich goalkeeper. Devarney dribbled the ball to gain a better angle and knocked it in for what would ultimately be the game-winning goal. Down 2-0, Greenwich worked hard to answer and finally found the back of the cage with a goal from Caroline Turnbull with under a minute to play. The Olympic Club defended for the final minute to claim a 2-1 victory and their third title as Adult National Club Champions.
Devarney, who is the founder of the Olympic Club, has been invested in her team’s culture from the beginning. She credits the team’s third Adult NCC crown to its various leaders for their dedication and commitment to helping cultivate that team culture. She also noted that while the Bay Area isn't known for having lots of field hockey opportunities like on the east coast, she has seen athletes move to the Bay Area after college because of the high-caliber of play they can experience playing for the Olympic Club.
The Adult NCC team captains nominated the all-tournament teams and MVPs for each division. Congratulations to the following athletes:
For more information about the 2024 Adult National Club Championship, visit the event page. Fans can also watch replays of all the games here.
Adults at any level can benefit from playing field hockey locally at all competitive and commitment levels. Play for fun, meet new friends, or for those very committed, help your local team and organization qualify to be the next USA Field Hockey National Club Champion! Click here to explore the adult field hockey database.