Princeton University Athletics
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Reinprechts' Road to London: Olympic Bound
July 20, 2012 | Field Hockey
Click here to read part one of the Reinprechts "Road to London"
After over a year of training, competing and working towards a lifelong goal, the day had finally come for Team USA to be announced. On Monday, June 11 at the University of Maryland, U.S. Women's Field Hockey head coach Lee Bodimeade and his staff finalized their roster. For Julia and Katie Reinprecht the day was long awaited and full of nerves.
The team announcement came following a Reinprecht-led Team New Jersey championship victory at the Field Hockey Women's National Championship.
"(It was) a little nerve wracking having to go through the tournament," said Julia about awaiting her Olympic fate. "Ultimately they named the entire national team (on Sunday) and then we had our individual meetings (Monday)."
Each player had a five-minute meeting with the coaching staff, where they were told whether they would be suiting up for Team USA in London.
"It was (scheduled) alphabetical, so I was towards the end and you don't really see anyone after their meetings. You have to go in one door and exit out another (and) you have to walk down this hallway, it felt like the longest walk ever, and go in and sit down. They (were) straightforward, and said 'you made it' or 'I'm sorry'. The walk was longer than the actual meeting it felt like," Julia commented.
After Julia found out she was London bound, she waited for her sister to find out if the two would continue their yearlong journey together.
"Upon hearing I had been selected as one of the 16 players heading to the Olympics I was overwhelmed with joy. Playing in the Olympics has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. Finally hearing that all the hard work and sacrifice had paid off was an extremely rewarding experience," explained Katie.
"We are all very proud. They work so hard and I cannot imagine it any other way," added Princeton field hockey head coach Kristen Holmes-Winn about the two making the Olympic roster.
Since being named to the official Olympic roster the duo headed to Virginia with the Olympic team and two alternates, which included Tiger teammate Michelle Cesan, for a four-game series against Argentina. Following the exhibition series, Team USA enjoyed a few days off and then headed back to the Olympic Training Center in San Diego, Calif. to do its final preparations.
"I have been around Katie and Julia for a very long time and what has always struck me about them is how humble they are. You can barely get them to say the word 'I'. As good as they are, it is never about self-promotion. It is always about the team!" Holmes-Winn said.
During the three weeks prior to taking off for London, the Reinprechts have been immersed in what it takes to be an Olympian. In addition to rigorous training sessions, they have also learned other essentials like flag etiquette, media preparation and managing social media outlets. To say there are a lot of demands on the sisters would be an understatement, but this is what they have worked for since they were youth field hockey players.
"Katie separated herself at an early age in terms of her speed, skill and understanding. I saw Katie play for the first time when she was in eighth grade; even then, she made the game look easy. I believe it is Katie's work ethic that has driven her development as a player over the years. She practices and trains the way she plays the game, with (the same) intensity, precision and heart," commented Holmes-Winn.
She added, "Julia like all the Reinprecht hockey players has a robust hockey IQ. As a young player, you would never see Julia all tangled up with a defender or in a clump with her follow attackers. She is always ahead of the play on both sides of the ball. Jules has quietly become one of the smartest, most effective hockey players in our country. She will be one of the most graceful players you will watch at the Olympics."
The sisters look to help Team USA rebound from its eighth place in 2008 at the Games.
"One of our main focuses is we have a tough pool and we want to focus on each game. We say 'win five games, win one in a row. You don't look ahead and you don't look behind. You just focus on what you need to do to win that one game,'" commented Julia.
This new paradigm will be most effective considering the U.S. has drawn a challenging slate in its Olympic pool. The tournament will open on Sunday, July 29 with games every two days. The Americans kick off with No. 3 Germany, followed by contests versus No. 2 Argentina, No. 7 Australia, No. 6 New Zealand and a Monday, Aug. 6 game versus No. 12 South Africa to wrap up bracket play. The semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 8 and the gold medal game is Friday, Aug. 10.
"I have incredibly high hopes for this team. I know that we have all the talent we need and that we have put in the necessary hard work required. It's now a matter of believing in ourselves and carrying that belief with us for every minute of every game. I know what this team is capable (of) and I'm very excited to see how it will all pan out in London," responded Katie.
Despite spending the last year working towards this goal, it still has been a surreal experience for the sisters.
"It has sunk in that I have made the Olympic team. It has not sunk in that I'm actually going and experiencing everything. I don't think that'll happen until I'm on the flight. I know that I'm on the team, but the idea that I'm actually going to the Olympics has not sunk in. I don't know when that'll happen. Hopefully before the first game," Julia quipped with excitement.
For the Reinprechts heading to the Olympics will be the icing on an exceptional year, filled with life experiences on-and-off the field around the world. A trip to the podium would be an incredible feat for the pair whose resumes are chalk full of awards, accolades and accomplishments already. Regardless, the lessons learned playing the last year on the national team will assuredly benefit the Princeton field hockey program this fall when the sisters return to the pitch and the squad looks to win its eighth consecutive Ivy League title.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for the more 'veteran' players on the team. They have been through certain situations that I have yet to experience. I look to these veteran players during those moments, like the Olympic Games, knowing full well that their calmness and reassurance will give me the confidence I need to play at the highest level. I think the main thing I have learned from these players, and something that I hope to bring back to Princeton, is the importance of maintaining a certain level professionalism. Whether that means showing up on time, always giving ones best effort, or setting standards and holding one another accountable. If everyone is able to abide by these standards, trust is created amongst the team. I think trust is invaluable in team sports," concluded Katie.
Good luck in London Julia and Katie!