Field of Dreams: A Lander Field Hockey Story
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Greenwood, S.C.
If you build it, they will come.
That’s the thinking that Lander field hockey coach Robbert Schenk had for this spring as he looked for a way to get his team some time on the field.
Schenk took the job at Lander University in 2021, before the program’s inaugural season, with the promise that there would be a field hockey field. Unfortunately, that never happened. The team currently plays their home matches at Frank Hill Stadium at nearby Emerald High School.
Despite this disadvantage, the program has found success in the three years since their inception; like finishing in the top four of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) in their first season after playing in the SAC semifinal. In 2023, just their second season, the team finished as SAC champions after defeating Limestone, 2-1.
The success wasn’t enough to keep athletes satisfied—they lacked a sense of “home” for field hockey on campus—and Schenk was finding it difficult to retain and recruit players.
In summer of 2024, Schenk decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. If he couldn’t get his team a field, he was going to build one.
Schenk did some research and made some phone calls and eventually was able to secure an old outdoor tennis court just one minute walk away from the Lander main campus. Next, with approval from Lander, he sent some flatbed trucks over to a university that was getting rid of their old turf after getting a new one. He spent hours installing this turf onto the old tennis court, spraying the field markings, and building goal cages. And finally, his team had a home to practice and build their skills.
In addition to having this space to practice, Lander field hockey hosted a 3v3 tournament this spring with a few other Division II teams.
The event went better than Schenk could have expected. Both teams received the set-up and rules in advance—a custom format due to the size of the field. Schenk even arranged to have some other sports like basketball, tennis and pickleball on the surrounding courts to fill out free time, but no one was interested. Everybody was locked into the competition, supporting and cheering on every shot fired and save made on the field hockey field.
“I also felt like the players connected on the social level,” commented Schenk. “…and besides the high-level competition, hockey friendships were created.”
With a renewed sense of spirit and home for the Lander team, Schenk has high expectations for the upcoming fall season. The roster only dropped two from last year and there are eight incoming players—the biggest recruiting class so far. Lander field hockey has already been competitive in the past three years, but the Bearcats only hope to build upon that.
“Starting this program from scratch you pick up pieces for improvement, ways to keep the players happy, involved, and engaged to grow the program and create a strong family,” said Schenk. “The last three years we build and build to now have come to a moment where we can bring Lander field hockey to the next level.”
The 3v3 tournament was just the start—part of the bigger plan to enhance the program by first improving the spring season. Schenk also focuses on the student-athlete experience, making sure athletes are finding happiness and growth in other aspects of their life so that they can find success on the field.
Lander Athletics
“It was fun, exciting and rewarding in seeing a team that commits to this program and want to make it better and stronger” commented Schenk. “I am excited for the next step as Lander is looking strong. I can’t look in a glass bowl and predict the future, but we are coming prepared with a solid Lander team that will be ready to compete every time we play.”
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