Sept. 19, 2006

by Tracy Nelson
Assistant Sports Information Director

With 25 years, 292 wins, 487 games, and 10 All-Americans on her resume, Lafayette head field hockey coach Ann Gold shows no signs of slowing down. One of the winningest coaches on College Hill, Gold has stood as the face of Lafayette field hockey for more than two decades. As the 2006 season opener on Aug. 30 marked the start of Gold's 25th season, she looks back with pride and passion for a sport she grew up playing that spawned into a life-long career.

"My first thought looking back is `where did all the time go?'" Gold said. "The 80s and 90s feel like ages ago, but they are all good memories and are the reason why I keep coaching."

Gold grew up in the pre-Title IX era when organized women's sports were few and far between. Fortunately for her, location was everything. While girls around the country were scrounging around for any kind of team sport, Gold resided in the Philadelphia suburb of Whitemarsh Township, an area rich in girls' field hockey and lacrosse. Gold played and excelled at both sports, following closely in the footsteps of her sister, Janet, and mother, Marion.

Following a stellar high school career, Gold went on to play for Ursinus College, a Division III powerhouse in both field hockey and lacrosse, while pursuing a degree in physical education. She landed her first job out of college at Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown, Pa., where she taught physical education and compiled an impressive 84-26-12 (.738) mark in her nine seasons as head field hockey coach. Like many field hockey coaches of the time, she also coached girls' lacrosse in the spring.

True to her form, Gold stayed in touch with her high school players after graduation, sending many on to successful careers at the collegiate level. One player in particular, Barb Shull, would have a significant impact on Gold's future. After contemplating making the jump to the college stage for a couple of years, Gold got a phone call from Shull, who had gone on to play for the Maroon and White before graduating in 1982. Shull informed Gold of an opening for a head coaching position, but Gold did not pursue the job initially, and Lafayette hired Courtney Solenberger instead. Three years later, the job opened again and Gold jumped at the chance. Lafayette gave it to her, while also offering head women's lacrosse coach duties.

"I was excited to begin my first year, and the young women all seemed welcoming and anxious to have me coaching," Gold notes. "Ironically, we played Ursinus in my first game at Lafayette. We lost 2-0, which was a huge improvement over the 5-0 defeat the previous season. I could tell there was an immediate improvement."

Over the better part of the next 17 years, which included four straight Patriot League regular-season championships (1990-1993), Gold's programs continued to develop, culminating in a 1999 Patriot League Tournament title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Leopards lost to eventual national champion Maryland, but Gold maintains that getting there was a feat in itself.

That spring, Gold coached her final women's lacrosse team, deciding to concentrate solely on hockey. Along with the dual-athlete, coaches doing double-duty were quickly becoming a dying breed. Gold was one of the last coaches in Division I to hold both reigns.

"It was an extremely tough decision, but both sports were moving towards year-round schedules" Gold said. "Ultimately, I like the fall playing season and chose field hockey."

Three years later in 2002, the Leopards opened the season 0-2. With a team oozing talent and leadership, Gold was not at all surprised by what happened next. Lafayette rattled off 19 straight wins and leapt into the NFHCA/STX national rankings at No. 18 before falling to California in the NCAA play-in game.

Lafayette had captured its seventh regular season title and third Patriot League Tournament championship under Gold. Suddenly people on College Hill were beginning to take a notice of field hockey, and it didn't stop there. Gold's colleagues awarded her with 2002 Patriot League and Mid-East Region Coach of the Year laurels.

"Competing with the top teams and coaches in the region, it was a very flattering honor," Gold modestly admitted. "It was really a reflection of the girls that were doing something remarkable that season. To me the award was a representation of a little school like Lafayette gaining respect and recognition, which is all that mattered."

Gold takes that same altruistic approach to coaching, relying more on subtlety rather than the in-your-face route. Gold is calm while perusing the sidelines, instilling a certain trust and resiliency under pressure in her players, especially the upperclassman.

Field hockey on College Hill has changed immensely in the last quarter-century. Lafayette moved from the EAIAW to the ECC to the ECAC and now the Patriot League. Artificial turf quickened the speed of the game in the late 1990's. The program was awarded scholarships in 2006, something Gold said shows tremendous support from the College and will entice even stronger student-athletes to Lafayette.

All the while, Gold remains the rock of the program.

"I have been lucky over the 25 years to have coached some wonderful, talented young women and worked with some great assistant coaches," Gold said. "I wouldn't still be at Lafayette if I didn't love it. It's been a group effort."

As far as what the future holds, Gold said, "As long as I continue to enjoy it and have the energy to keep going I will. Right now I'm staying within the moment."