2008 Woodie Awards
MU continues success with Reeve
Miami's field hockey coach brings experience, energy to young squad
Katie Morgan
Issue date: 4/10/07 Section: Sports
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Reeve came to Miami in 2004. Though it was her first head coaching job, Reeve wasn't new to the coaching world. From 1993 to 2002, Reeve worked as an assistant coach at Dartmouth, Penn State and William and Mary.
"At first I was like unsure of her because I knew she was an Olympian so I didn't know what level she was going to expect from us," junior midfield Laura Seidel said. "She was a down-to-earth coach and her experience let us know where we could go with our future."
Even before getting into coaching, Reeve knew it was her calling.
"I knew I would be a teacher, and coaching comes very natural to me," Reeve said. "My want to pursue coaching comes from my dad, he is a football coach."
Before her coaching career, Reeve worked to learn as much as she could as a player.
"I used every opportunity I had to ask questions," Reeve said.
Prior to her coaching career at Miami, the 'Hawks head coach reached the pinnacle of field hockey play.
A defensive player, Reeve was an All-American at Old Dominion, where she graduated in 1993. She was a captain on the U.S. national team, competed in three World Cups and in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
"I once heard someone suggest that I was the best defensive player in the world; that's when I thought, that's it I can retire," Reeve said.
The squad has taken a lot from Reeve's experience in the Olympics by watching video of her games.
"We've watched some of the Olympic game tapes of her and analyzed them and what we could take from them," Seidel said. "We took some plays from them and we've incorporated them into our play."
Her personality and impact influences her Miami team daily.
"Someone with such a high credibility has really helped the program," junior back Courtney Furia said. "She's been through all the same stuff that we've been through."
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