Region 9 - Great Lakes
Region 9 Administrative Manager: Jill Dixon
Jill Dixon has served in a variety of roles with USA Field Hockey since 2012. She enters her second year as the Nexus Regional Manager for Regions 9 and10 and is currently the assistant coach at Central Michigan University, in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Prior to coaching the Chippewas, Jill found success as the head coach at The College of Wooster, leading the Scots to the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship game in her first season at the helm. She has also served in coaching roles at Wesley, Oberlin and Smith Colleges and holds a Level 2 coaching accreditation.
Jill resides in Michigan with her partner, their two dogs and bearded dragon.
Region 9 Coach Manager: Val Lohr
r910coachmanager@usafieldhockey.com
Lohr joins the Nexus Staff from San Antonio, Texas, where she coaches with the Hive Hockey Academy and is a Program Manager-Senior at the University of Texas Health Science Center. She has her USA Field Hockey Level 2 coaching certification and has been a Regional Head Coach and Selector and the National Futures/Nexus Championship head coach. Lohr has coached and served in administrative roles at several colleges and independent school programs, including launching the field hockey programs at Allegheny College and Pace University.
She played both field hockey and lacrosse at Lehigh University and began her coaching career after graduation. She spent four years at Dickinson College, serving as an assistant for both the Red Devils' field hockey and women's lacrosse programs, while attending law school and earning her Juris doctorate, and was named to the Dickinson College Hall of Fame as a coach. Most recently, Lohr attended the WeCoach 2.0 Academy and was awarded the Cecile Reynaud Coaching Mastery Award. She is passionate about growing the game in Texas and lives in San Antonio with her husband, son, youngest daughter, and pets.
Region 9: Great Lakes consists of six states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia, and includes the greater Pittsburgh area. The landscape of field hockey in Region 9 is varied. Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan have well-established and outstanding high school and college programs, as well as strong club that offer year-round playing opportunities for boys and girls of all ages. Indiana is home to strong collegiate programs, and has new clubs forming, but currently no high school competition. Tennessee also has new clubs forming for both youth and adults and some club collegiate play. Although West Virginia is surrounded by states with the sport, it sadly currently doesn't have any field hockey playing opportunities. The Pittsburgh area has a growing field hockey community and excellent clubs offering both indoor and outdoor. Region 9 has a strong history and tradition of field hockey and unlimited growth potential.
Please use the administrative manager as the main point of contact for questions around schedules, registration, and other administrative needs. All questions from and around coaching Nexus or on field content should be directed to the coach manager.
