Abby Tamer’s Olympic dream: a boost for college field hockey

As the U.S. field hockey team prepares to compete in the Paris Olympics, the journey of one player — Abby Tamer — stands out. 

Tamer was among the 16 athletes and three reserves officially named to the Team USA roster Tuesday. Her story is a compelling mix of determination, sacrifice and a deep love for the game — a journey that not only fuels her Olympic dream but also holds the potential to significantly impact college field hockey in the United States.

At least, that's her goal: that Team USA's Olympic experience inspires others like it did her. A junior at Michigan, Tamer had her passion for field hockey ignited during the 2016 Olympics, a moment she recalls vividly. 

"I remember watching the team every time they would have a game," she said at the Team USA media summit. "We would have a little watch party, and that's what made me want to come do this. So if we can be those people for any amount of little girls out there, that would be a dream." 

Her own memories of watching the 2016 Olympics as a seventh grader underline the importance of role models in sports. Tamer said this cycle of inspiration and aspiration is crucial for the growth of field hockey in the U.S. It's a sport traditionally dominated by East Coast programs but gaining traction in other regions, thanks in part to efforts like those of Tamer's mother, the president of the Michigan chapter of USA Field Hockey. 

"She's dedicated to growing the game, so I get to see that from an at-home level, and I get to see what she does on a day-to-day basis," Tamer said. "Anything that can help field hockey grow in the East Coast but in the rest of the nation as well would be really good." 

Tamer's family has been a cornerstone of her athletic journey. With a father (Chris Tamer) who played in the NHL, a mother (Keely Tamer) who played field hockey at Michigan, an older sister who played field hockey at Michigan and an older brother playing club ice hockey at Army West Point, Tamer said the competitiveness runs deep. 

"I think the competitive spirit in all of us was really what kind of brought me to where I am today, because we were always competing at everything. No matter what it was, it was a competition," Tamer said, listing Monopoly as just one of many examples. "I want to win. And it's probably because I'm around my siblings who also just wanted to win their whole life."

Tamer's early Olympic inspiration paired with being raised in a family deeply rooted in sports drove her to pursue excellence in field hockey, eventually leading her to take a bold step: taking a year off from playing at Michigan to focus on her Olympic aspirations.

"It was a really weird experience," Tamer said of the Olympic redshirt year, which she has spent training at USA Field Hockey's new centralized facility in Charlotte, North Carolina. "It's hard being on the sidelines, and I wasn't even on the sidelines. I was in a different state, watching on TV. That was difficult. But some of my teammates did a really good job of reaching out and keeping me in the loop." 

Her gratitude toward her Michigan teammates is evident, as is her excitement about returning to Michigan. 

"I'm really excited to get back to that atmosphere and just able to be a college student again," said Tamer, whose excitement is palpable when she talks about her team's potential. "I think we have some really promising freshmen from last year and freshmen coming in, and the team's more experienced now. They were a really young team last year. So I think we're going to be pretty strong next year, which is exciting to come back to."

The decision to pursue her Olympic dream and put her college life on hold was difficult. Tamer said the support of her family and team at Michigan helped, specifically noting helpful input from head coach Marcia Pankratz, a two-time Olympian (1988, 1996). 

Still, for Tamer, the transition to a solely professional environment underscored the unique balance college life offers.

"As a professional, it's hard to balance social, school and athletics, but that's built in at school. It's already balanced, which is a really good thing," she said. "In college, you're a student, you're an athlete, and you have a social life. When I moved down to Charlotte, field hockey was my No. 1 priority, and it still is. But I didn't really have much of a social life, I wasn't taking classes, and that got difficult."

Also difficult? Getting Team USA field hockey, which did not qualify for the Tokyo Games in 2021, into the 12-team Paris field. Tamer played a crucial role in that accomplishment, scoring two game-winning goals in January at an Olympic qualifier in India where the top three teams qualified. Most notably, she did so in a critical semifinal match against a Japanese team ranked in the top 10 in the world. 

"That was the best feeling I had ever felt," Tamer said of the qualifying moment. "We were all feeling the exact same way. … This was our dream for so long." 

Now, Tamer hopes her team's visibility and success can draw attention to the sport, inspiring young athletes and boosting the profile of college field hockey programs. 

"Being able to go back to the Olympics and getting the exposure that the Olympics will bring is going to be really good," Tamer says. "It's going to be good for our team, and it's going to be good for USA field hockey, field hockey in America, especially for the youth who are going to be able to see that.

"I kind of just want more people to know about it," she added. "It's a really fun sport. In America, there's a lot of opportunity in it. If you pick it up in high school, there's a lot of opportunity to go play in the NCAA, which I think is a really valuable experience for a lot of people."