‘They’re doing a really good job of creating some real big passion,’ Wilson head field hockey coach on current state of USA Field Hockey

Wilson Head Field Hockey Coach Kim Underwood (red) watches her Bulldogs compete against Manheim Township. Photo: Bob Benscoter

For the past five years, Wilson Head Field Hockey Coach Kim Underwood has balanced her coaching duties with significant family responsibilities, as her twin daughters, Bryn and Reagan, were NCAA Division I athletes.

They also frequently participated in trainings, tryouts, and other opportunities with USA Field Hockey.

Underwood is now fully re-immersed in her role, marking her 21st season as head coach, as her daughters have their eyes set on new goals.

"The Wilson families have been extremely patient with me for the last five years as I’ve coached and gone to see my daughters play,” she said. “I made them a priority. I’ve missed a few practices. I’ve missed a few games over the last five years and to finally be able to fully be present feels really good."

Earlier this season, the Bulldogs competed against Manheim Township. Both teams have a history of reaching the PIAA Class 3A championship, though neither has recently secured the gold. Wilson won the state championship in 2019.

Underwood’s philosophy is steeped in progress not outcomes.

"We pursue excellence," she said. "We want to pursue excellence as we come out here and play. So, this season, we’re really not focusing so much on the outcomes, although I think we have a really good team that could go well into the postseason. I think, that for the players, it’s a matter of just learning along the way, each game."

Currently, Wilson holds a 7-3 record, having started the season at 2-2 after their win against Manheim Township. Their losses have been close matches against Owen J. Roberts (3-2), Boyertown (4-3), and Penn Manor (4-3).

Despite these losses, the team has impressively scored 41 goals while allowing only 14. Underwood said that their progress will be measured by these learning moments.

Field Hockey in the United States

Underwood is a highly accomplished player and field hockey coach. Her journey includes helping the University of North Carolina win a championship and consistently guiding her athletes to personal success.

She said she believes that this is the best time in USA Field Hockey history for females to start playing the game in the United States. She credits the women’s head coach, David Passmore, who is transforming the United Eagles into international powerhouses.

Not only did USA Field Hockey qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic — under a lot of pressure — but also several athletes were enduring personal challenges. The USA Field Hockey organization hasn’t been to the Olympics since 2016.

And, since then, after the US went to Paris, they’ve returned much stronger, more organized, and better prepared. Team USA have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium after the women placed second in the 2025 Pan American Cups.

“I think it's an extremely healthy culture with US hockey right now,” Underwood said. “I think they’re doing a really good job of creating some real big passion and they've committed. I mean, those girls are committed. They're not getting nearly enough money to be fully living in Charlotte and fully giving their lives to this game and to be preparing themselves for the Olympics. It's just really impressive to see them do that and to see them give the energy and the time.”

Her daughters grew up playing for XCalibur field hockey club. And, Reagan played on the USA women’s U-21 field hockey team with several of the athletes on the Paris roster.

“It’s just really fun for them to kind of watch and see the growth of those girls,” Underwood said. “I feel like it’s such a great game and it’s such a cerebral game, but it’s a tough game. There are a lot of good college players right now that can even add into the mix that are really doing great things. And, so I hope we just continue to grow and build the game. You know, we have a youth program at Wilson with 80 kids. We were playing at Governor Mifflin last night. It was probably about 150 kids playing from kindergarten to sixth grade. It was just so much fun to see. And the middle school kids from Mifflin were reffing the games. And, you know, what a great night for hockey. So, I think if we can just have those opportunities more often, we're going to continue to see the game just grow.”

Her daughters are both coaching: Bryn at Syracuse (director of operations) and Reagan at Liberty.

“It's fun to watch and to be a parent of a coach now instead of a player,” Underwood said. “It was time. So, we're thankful for the stage we're in and we can be more present here.”

Thank you for reading Female Athlete News. Have a tip? Email us at femaleathletenews@gamil.com. Follow us on our social media pages for our latest updates.