Sticking Together

Peters Township Field Hockey is a hidden gem in the community, offering opportunities for girls in grades K-12.

Field hockey may not be the most common sport in Western Pennsylvania, but in Peters Township it has been steadily gaining momentum for nearly two decades. What began in 2006 with a group of lacrosse players eager to bring the sport to the PT High School level has grown into a full youth-to-varsity program producing championship-winning teams.

That founding group of players proved that determination pays off when they captured the AA WPIAL title in 2009. Since then, the program has continued to flourish. Today, the Peters Township High School varsity squad is led by coaches Kelly Meenan and Courtney Ackelson, while the junior varsity is guided by Maddie Devine (PT grad and WPIAL champion), Melanie Kerins and goalie coach Taylor Paige. With 37 athletes currently on the roster, some also compete year-round in indoor leagues with the Pittsburgh Venom Field Hockey Club.

At the middle school level, Peters Township is one of only five districts in the area to offer a team. Nineteen players, coached by former PTHS head coach Amy Casciola and alum Adrianna Costanza, carry on the tradition. Casciola, who led the high school team to a WPIAL AAA championship in 2018, founded a youth program in 2011 when her own daughter was in fifth grade and is proud to see the fruits of her efforts as the program’s roots continue to strengthen.

“We wouldn’t have a high school team without the youth team, and we wouldn’t have a youth team without the high school team,” she says. “They are dependent on one another.”

The youth program, now in its 15th year, not only develops players but also offers a $1,000 annual scholarship to a graduating senior who has given back as a coach.

Despite its success, the field hockey program remains a hidden gem in the community. “Many residents in Peters Township don’t even know what field hockey is or that it’s offered here,” says Casciola. “In states like New Jersey, New York and Maryland, it’s huge—girls play field hockey in the fall and lacrosse in the spring because the skills overlap. We’d love for more families to know it’s an option from grades K-12.”

Opportunities extend well beyond Peters Township. With only about 15 high school teams across Western Pennsylvania, athletes get to compete in a truly unique environment. Long bus rides, camaraderie and the chance to carry on the tradition of a locally rare sport truly make the experience meaningful. Many players even continue their careers in college.

Recent seasons have brought plenty to celebrate. The varsity team captured the AA WPIAL championship in the fall of 2024, one year after finishing as the AAA runner-up in an overtime heartbreaker. Beyond the trophies, players take away life lessons that the sport offers including discipline, teamwork and resilience—qualities that last far longer than any season.

Looking ahead, the goal is simple: keep putting sticks in kids’ hands and growing the game. Youth programs are held each fall on Sundays, with teams competing in the annual Pumpkin Smash tournament, where last year’s 5th/6th graders brought home the championship. Indoor field hockey classes at the elementary schools and summer clinics with the high school team provide even more opportunities for kids to try it out.

As Casciola says, “We want families to know that field hockey is here, it’s thriving and it’s something their daughters can be part of. The more awareness we build, the stronger the future will be.”