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United States Field Hockey Association
A member of the United States Olympic Committee
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US FIELD HOCKEY ANNOUNCES 1998 COACHES OF THE YEAR
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – U.S. Field Hockey has announced its annual Coach of the Year
selections for 1998.
Bea Thomas, freshman field hockey coach at Moorestown (NJ) High School has
been chosen as the Developmental Coach of the Year for her support and development of
young athletes while, Lauren Fuchs, head coach at Temple University (Philadelphia, PA),
has been chosen as National Coach of the Year for her leadership in the sport’s new
Women’s Summer League.
BEA THOMAS
US Field Hockey’s Development Coach of the year, Thomas is an American classic at age
eighty-seven. A coach in Moorestown (NJ) School district since 1949, Thomas is still
actively coaching freshman field hockey and lacrosse. In 1998 both Thomas’ teams at
Moorestown High School went undefeated. She always had a winning team, and too many
championships to remember.
Unlike many coaches who wish to move on to the collegiate level, Bea Thomas always found
her passion ran toward coaching the young athlete at the local level, taking a group of
young girls and molding them into a team. "At this age, you don’t need to
motivate them, but to calm them down and teach them the skills," according to Thomas.
"No matter what level, you still have to work on the fundamentals."
A motivator of young women for more than fifty years, her athletes agree that Thomas
doesn’t coddle them, but convinces them that they can compete and succeed. Thomas was
a forerunner in New Jersey for equality in sport, demanding equality for her athletes in
the 60’s and 70’s – long before it was fashionable to do so. One of the
most famous tales about her involves a freshman hockey team which she had taken to a local
high school for a game. Upon arriving, Thomas discovered that the grass was too long and
refused to start the game until it was cut. When it was discovered that the maintenance
crew was gone for the day, Thomas convinced the school principal to get out the lawn mower
and cut the grass so that the game could begin.
Thomas’ success is measured not only by her wins on the field, but by the lives she
has touched. According to one member of her 1997 squad, "With her being out here all
these years – blood, sweat and tears – it has really been an inspiration to all
of us to work hard and achieve our goals." States Thomas, "It does your heart
good…to know you have been a small influence in their lives."
A 1935 graduate of Temple University, Thomas was an All-American in field hockey, and
served as goalkeeper for the US national squad in 1953. A lot has changed since then,
according to Thomas. People didn’t come to watch. Most didn’t understand the
sports they were watching. Now sports play an integral part in the development of these
young women helping them "to be tough, to experience success and failure, get that
special feeling of accomplishment."
From 1935-45, Thomas taught and coached at Palmyra (NJ) High School, and then took a few
years to build her family with husband Al. They have two children, Peter and Chris.
LAUREN FUCHS
When National Coach of the Year Lauren Fuchs took on the job as one of six head coaches
for US Field Hockey’s brand new Women’s Summer League, she was charting new
territory. Conceptually, the League was a far cry from the Association’s tradition of
organizing and establishing teams based on age for international and domestic competition.
In the new league, athletes as young as age sixteen were teamed with US National team and
Olympic athletes, many with 15 years or more of field hockey experience.
Most of the athletes on Fuchs’ White Team had never played together before. Although
approximately half of the athletes on Fuchs’ team were members of USFHA’s
National, Under 23, Under 19 or Under 16 teams, the balance were selected from an open
trial held in mid May with competition scheduled to begin in early June.
According to White Team assistant coach, Kathy Krannebitter (West Chester University),
Fuchs was undaunted by the challenge, "creating a comfortable learning experience for
the athletes, bringing the younger players up to speed and utilizing everyone’s
talents to the best of their ability." Continues Krannebitter, "Lauren’s
leadership included a strong emphasis on bringing everyone into the process, giving credit
where credit is due and establishing a harmonious tune among athletes and her coaching
staff. A great tactician, Lauren was able to make changes in the team’s play,
allowing the athletes and the team to get better and better with each game."
In an initial meeting with her athletes, Fuchs announced that her primary goal for the
team was "to play hard and have fun." Little did she know that her philosophy
would lead her team to the best record in the new League. The only team to complete the
season undefeated (including three shut-outs), White scored a total of 18 goals while
surrendering only 5 to its opponents.
Head coach at Temple University since 1993, Fuchs was named Atlantic Ten Coach of the Year
in 1994. Prior to Temple, she coached at Northeastern (1991-92), New Hampshire (1987-90)
and Connecticut (1981-84), her alma mater. An All-American field hockey player in 1981,
Fuchs was named as a member of the US National Team the same year. She is native of
Centereach, New York.
Previous winners of the awards include: National Coach of the Year, Karen Shelton (1997)
and Pam Hixon (1996), and Developmental Coach of the Year, Dottie Zenaty (1997) and Vonnie
Gros (1996).
Both Thomas and Fuchs are now contenders for the United States Olympic Committee’s
(USOC) Coach of the Year Awards. The USOC will hold its Annual Coaching Recognition Awards
Program September 17-19 in Houston, TX. The USOC Developmental and National Coaches of the
Year will be named at the Coaching Awards Banquet September 19 in Houston.
The United States Field Hockey Association (USFHA) is the National Governing Body for
women’s and men’s field hockey in the United States. As such, USFHA is dedicated
to the development and promotion of the sport in the United States, and responsible for
the selection and training of teams to represent the US in the World Cup as well as the
Olympic and Pan American Games. The game of field hockey is played by men and women in
more than 130 countries worldwide and second in popularity only to soccer as a team sport
throughout the world.(Posted 7/24/98)