Pine-Richland’s Jessica Albertson is an anomaly.
While the Western Pennsylvania high school may not boast the most glamorous high school field hockey record, the Class of 2024 Ram helped maintain the program’s five-year winning streak last season when they captured the title of Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League champions.
“[Pittsburgh] is a growing area [for field hockey,]” she said. “We’re trying to build the Western Pa. zone. Pine-Richland has made somewhat of a name for itself. I don’t know if people know who we are, with winning WPIAL five years in a row, it does give us recognition. I think in a couple of years, I feel that we’re going to move through states.”
A candidate on the USA Today’s 2023-24 player of the year watchlist, Albertson is a rare find. When asked how she felt about the national recognition, she was coy and calm. USA Today hasn’t announced its selected 2023 player of year yet.
“I was like, ‘oh, wow, there’s me,” she said. “Sometimes I’m not being sarcastic, but people think that I am. I was surprised.”
When she talks about her love for the game, she said she was a backyard learner. She played by herself and occasionally attended a youth camp held at nearby colleges, which is when she investigated whether the college was a good fit for her needs.
She’s not a USA Field Hockey member. Never played club. And, she didn’t promote herself on any major online recruiting profiles.
She hardly spent a dime on recruiting efforts, and she didn’t drain herself emotionally, or go overboard with training. She said she simply loves the game.
Her talent, and academics, was enough for Slippery Rock University to offer her a spot on its 2024 Fall roster. Months after she was recruited and committed, Albertson ultimately decided not to take the Division II spot.
She said becoming a physician’s assistant is her focus, but there’s always room for maybe. Her hope for Western Pa. and field hockey, however, hasn’t changed.
“There are a lot of girls now playing on club teams,” Albertson said. “Several of them have done Nexus, USA Futures. Almost everyone I know has honestly played for Venom or [Team Golden Triangle.]”
She enjoys talking strategy; so, she’s not ruled out becoming a coach. Supporting the Rams could be in the cards, she said.
“I would probably say our Peters Twp. game was the toughest game,” Albertson said of the 2023 season. “Tight game. Only won 1-0. They’re going to be a good competition. They’re tough. They matched our athleticism. We’re known for being fast and being able to run a whole game. They were able to match that. That’s something we weren’t used to. It made us a little panicky. We were able to tip one ball in and win that game. Some of the teams, they seemed to use big hits to get down the field, especially when we’re in our press. We were just able to get around people.”
The Ramlies, as they call themselves to support culture building and bonding between upper classmen and incoming athletes, go to work during the off season and try to pull as many athletes together as possible throughout the summer, Pine-Richland head coach Donna Stephenson said.
“The girls have said it’s like a second family to them,” she said. “At the end of the day, I think that’s what matters most. The girls are able to compete on a high school sport team. Some girls will go and play at higher levels. But, we’re not having the numbers that play at the next level like District 3 or 1. Not every girl is going to play in college but they should all have the opportunity to have a great high school experience.”
As high school athletes are preparing for pre-season, they will soon get to share in a special experience of cheering for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The moments are shared highs and lows in a community, and hopefully a catalyst for more girls to join in the sport in Western Pa.
“We’ve seen the best field hockey in the state,” Stephenson said. “We’re going to keep working toward that.”
Pine-Richland has traveled to District 3 to play in a field hockey tournament at Lower Dauphin.
“Hopefully, we’ll start to get some more games with District 3 teams prior to state time,” Stephenson said. “We need more experience to see how they play.”
The traveling distance can be a deterrence, but it’s well worth it for the players, she said.
Pine-Richland has been to the Class 3A first round of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament for the past seven years.
“We’re not a breeding ground,” Albertson said. “I would love for Pine-Richland to be able to win the state championship. I feel like every year we keep improving. My freshman year, it was a blowout. My sophomore year, it was better. Last year, we actually were able to score in the first state round. Looking to win in that first round. In a couple of years, we eventually win a state championship.”
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