by Stephanie Jordan, Marketing Manager | Spooky Nook Sports

The USA Women’s Field Hockey team moves to Spooky Nook Sports in Manheim, PA

MANHEIM, PA – Lancaster, Pennsylvania is widely known as the heart of the Amish community. Today Lancaster has a different attraction, Spooky Nook Sports, the new home to the Women’s National Field Hockey Team.

USA Field Hockey announced its relationship with Spooky Nook in January. Sam Beiler, former owner of Auntie Anne’s soft pretzels, is the visionary behind the spacious Spooky Nook Sports complex which houses 700,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor court and turf fields. Spooky Nook Sports, named after its location on Spooky Nook Road in Lancaster, is the largest sports, entertainment and event complex in the nation.

The field hockey team’s new residence will bring new possibilities for their future success. Relocating from Chula Vista, California will not only bring many of the athletes back home to a majority of their families but will also put them in the middle of the field hockey community, along the East Coast. In addition to the relocation, the team hired a new coach, former Great Britain Assistant national team coach, Craig Parnham in January.

“We are thrilled we have found a Home of Hockey and a place the U.S. Women’s National Team will call home in Lancaster County,” said Steve Locke, Executive Director of USA Field Hockey. “Nook Sports is one of the most spectacular athletic facilities in the country. The location is ideal as many of our athletes come from the east coast, especially the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia area. There is no doubt that this is a game changing moment for our sport. The Home of Hockey will provide us with a platform to best prepare our National Teams for success on the international stage and serve as a beacon and center of excellence for developing athletes of all ages.”

Spooky Nook will host a variety of the team’s international and USA Field Hockey events beginning in 2014.  The Nook features two A12 water-based, field hockey pitches including one competitive pitch and another inside a climate-controlled dome. The A12 turf system is universally regarded as the standard for field hockey performance and is the favorite among coaches and players for its playability, durability and low maintenance. Both of these turf fields will also be used for Nook Sports youth and adult program offerings.

In addition to top-quality playing space, the team’s area includes a performance training center for team members, private home and away locker rooms, a hospitality suite overlooking the outside field and a video analysis room.

Spooky Nook Sports is not only the home of field hockey but also features over 20 different sports including but not limited to baseball, volleyball, fencing, tennis, dodge ball, soccer, futsal, basketball and many other sports. In this spacious facility, a 30-foot rock wall towers over the entrance complete with an arch, boulder and crack climbing. Spooky Nook is also home to a Sports Performance Center for high-level athletes and a Fitness Center overlooking the tennis and basketball courts. Family entertainment and events such as corporate mixers can also be found at “The Nook”.

The USA Field Hockey team is sure to bring buzz to the quiet area of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  With a new coach and a revolutionary training facility, Team USA has officially commenced their Road to Rio.

ABOUT SPOOKY NOOK SPORTS

Spooky Nook Sports is committed to operating the finest sports and entertainment complex in North America; with first-class facilities, dynamic programming, unrivaled instruction, and a friendly, professional staff. Our goal is to make a positive impact on all our guests through activities that build character, strengthen families, and present an opportunity for everyone to Play, Train and Compete. For more information, visit nooksports.com.