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Meet Our Coaching Staff

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Sandy Szilassy

Director / Founder / Coach

Sandy Szilassy is a native of Richmond, Virginia and was a four sport athlete at the Steward School garnering 21 varsity letters, winning multiple MVP awards, including the 100% Athletic Award, and Coaches' Award. She was involved in theatre, chorus, student council, and yearbook and believes that everyone should experience all aspects of school life including sports. She was inducted into the inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame at her high school in 2015 and won the Steward Alumni Achievement Award in 2023 . Sandy has been coaching field hockey at various levels for over 30 years.

Sandy played at the University of Virginia for 4 years and was captain in her fourth year. In her tenure at UVA, her team made 3 NCAA appearances and was consistently ranked in the top 15. Sandy continues to rank second for defensive saves in the UVA field hockey history books. She continued to play hockey for Southeast Field Hockey and the Sharkbait Hockey Club team and gave up her cleats at the ripe old age of 36.

After graduating from UVA, Sandy went on to become an assistant coach at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. She coached field hockey at Salem High School in Virginia Beach for twelve years and currently continues to teach at Salem and is the Special Education Department Chair teaching in the Algebra and Environmental Science classes. Throughout the years, Sandy has worked with numerous athletes and continues to work on developing relationships with collegiate coaches, players, and families to gain knowledge in creating pathways for future athletes coming through the TCOYO Hockey Program. Sandy received her U.S. Field Hockey Association Level II Coaching Certification in 2013.

Sandy's proudest hockey moment was watching her previous player Caroline Nichols out on the pitch at the Beijing Olympics (2008), then watching both Caroline Nichols and Shannon Taylor at the London Olympics(2012), and now most recently Leah Crouse at the London Olympics (2024). Her ambition is to train and educate as many players as she can in a positive and supportive environment.

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Nicole Morgan

Club Manager / Coach

Nicole Morgan is a Virginia Beach native and was a four-sport athlete at the Salem High School. She was coached by TCOYO Director Sandy Szilassy at Salem and for club with Spartan Elite. Nicole graduated from Appalachian State University where she was first team all-NorPac honoree and led the Mountaineers in points, goals and game-winning goals in her senior year. She was named NorPac Offensive Player of the Week countless times through her collegiate career. Following college, Nicole spent 3 years on the USA Senior National Indoor Team.

Nicole currently is the currently the head coach at Kellam High School and Princess Anne Middle School. She coaches at Princess Anne High School and Lynnhaven Middle School from 2016 - 2018. She previously worked for 5 seasons at Virginia Wesleyan College where she was the programs tactical director and strength and conditioning coach.

Nicole received her U.S. Field Hockey Association Level III Coaching Certification 2022. She is the Region 7 & 8 Nexus Coach Manager and has selected to coach at the National Futures Championship, Nexus Championships, and Junior Olympics multiple times.

DC Dragons Field Hockey Club - 2016 - 2022
USA Senior National Indoor Team - 2012-2015
Appalachian State University - 2007-2011

2021 - Present - USA Nexus Region 7 & 8 Coach Manager
2019 - Present - Kellam High School Varsity Head Coach
2019 - Present - Princess Anne Middle School
2024 - USA O60 2024 Masters World Cup Assistant Coach - Aukland, New Zealand
2024 - USA O45 2024 Masters Indoor World Cup - Nottingham, UK - Took Bronze
2023 - USA O50 2023 Masters Outdoor Pan American Games - Argentina - Took Silver
2022 - USA O35 2022 Masters World Cup Assistant Coach - Nottingham, UK
2014 - 2022 - Beyond the Net Training Program Director
2016 - 2018 - Princess Anne High School
2016 - 2018 - Lynnhaven Middle School
2012 - 2016 - Virginia Wesleyan College Tactical Director & Strength & Conditioning Coach

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Catherine McCallum

Youth Program Director / U8, U10, U12 Coach

Coach McCallum was raised in Virginia Beach and attended Cox High School where she served in various roles within student activities and played field hockey. She then attended The College of William and Mary on a field hockey scholarship where she earned her Bachelor of Science in psychology and her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction in Secondary Mathematics. McCallum also served as captain of the field hockey team at W&M. After completing her degrees, she returned to Virginia Beach to teach math at Great Neck Middle School for a year before returning to Cox High School, where she taught math for 9 years, served as an assistant coach in the field hockey program, advised the student government, and led the annual Cox High School Leadership Workshop for students, as well as training of other staff members to work in leadership programs throughout the city. Ms. McCallum has continued to stay involved with field hockey since her years as a student by working and coaching within summer camps, local clinics, travel club teams and numerous US Field Hockey events. She teaches mathematics in the Upper School, assists with the varsity girls' field hockey program, and serves as the Associate Director of Athletics.

College of William & Mary

Current Assistant Coach at Norfolk Academy
Assistant Coach at Frank W. Cox High School

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Lauren Arledge

Goalkeeper Coach

Lauren is a local talent!! She was a member of the Varsity Great Bridge Field Hockey Team from 2015 to 2019 and played for the Saints Hockey Club. Most recently, she was a part of the Old Dominion University Field Hockey Team from 2019 to 2023. She was recognized as an NFHCA All-Academic honoree. In the 2020-21 season as a sophomore, she was selected for the NFHCA National Academic Squad and named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. As a freshman (FR) in 2019, she earned a place on the BIG EAST All-Academic Squad. She completed her bachelor's degree and has a master's in exercise science.

2023 - Nexus Goalkeeping Coach

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Kristina Geisler

U12 & U14 Coach

Kristina Geisler is a Virginia Beach native and was a two sport athlete at Kempsville High School where is graduated in 2014. Kristina played for TCOYO Hockey for 6 years where she played for Sandy and Nicole.

Kristina went on to play 4 years at Lynchburg College where she majored in Nursing. Kristina's college career started on a strong note with 3 starts and 8 appearances her freshman before having a season ending injury. During her sophomore and junior years, Kristina was a key player off the bench appear in every games as a midfielder with a defensive emphasis. Her senior year (2016), she stepped into a starting role as an enforcer on the Lynchburg defense, starting all 20 contests.

Kristina has been coaching with TCOYO Hockey for the past 4 years.

Kristina is currently a Registered Nurse at Sentara Leigh Hospital.

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Kristyna Lange

U14, U16, U19 Coach

Kristyna Oyola is a Virginia Beach native and was a three sport athlete at the Salem High School. She was coached by TCOYO Director Sandy Szilassy at Salem and played 2 years for TCOYO Hockey.

Kristyna graduated from Newberry College in 2020 where she was a 4-year starter. While at Newberry, Kristyna earned multiple honors including ECAC Rookie of the week (2016), ECAC All-Tournament team (2017), Offensive player of the week (2019), and SAC All-Conference 1st team (2019).

Kristyna is in her first year coaching with TCOYO Hockey and is enjoying every moment!

Kristyna is currently a teacher at Salem High School.

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Courtney Rampey

U12 & U14 Coach

Certifications/Awards:
USA Level 1 Coach Certificate
Part of the 2012 University of Mary Washington team inducted into the Hall of Fame

Courtney competed in field hockey at the University of Mary Washington from 2011 to 2015, following her time at Courtland High School from 2007 to 2011. Currently, she plays for the Virginia Beach Rockfish Field Hockey Club and enjoys running long distances, reminiscent of Forrest Gump—Run, Courtney, Run!

Since 2022, Courtney has held the position of Head Coach at Hickory Middle School. In the fall season, she has also served as the Assistant Coach at Great Bridge since 2021, and previously held the same role at Stafford High School from 2016 to 2021. Additionally, she was the Futures Coach during the 2017-2018 season.

My proudest moment was being able to play with both of sisters in the Commonwealth Games for the first time in 2015. We all play, but because of our age difference, we had never had the chance to play together on one team. My sisters push me to be better as a player and a coach, and it was truly an unforgettable tournament (we snagged first place too!)

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Taylor Rhea

U14 & U16 Coach

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Elizabeth Stroud

Liz hails from Northern Virginia, where she was actively involved in swimming and softball throughout her high school years. After earning her degree from the University of Mount Olive, where she served as the starting centerfielder for the women’s softball team, she relocated to Virginia Beach.

With ten years of experience coaching middle and high school softball and eleven years coaching high school swim, Liz has made a significant impact in her community. Her BOLTs (Alanton/Baycliff) swim team has achieved multiple city titles.

Liz is married to Mike Stroud, and together they are proud parents of two wonderful daughters, one of whom, Sophie Stroud, plays for TCOYO. With her extensive coaching knowledge, Liz has also ventured into coaching field hockey, adding her unique softball flair to the game. You might spot her on the field with her softball mitt, playfully trying to steal the ball from players.

Her commanding voice and infectious enthusiasm make her an excellent complement to Catherine McCallum as they coach the U12/U10/U8 teams.

2022 - present : TCOYO Coach

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Cole Werkheiser

U16 Coach

Cole Werkheiser, son of the infamous Mary Werkheiser, is a Virginia Beach native graduating from Norfolk Academy in 2009.

Prior to attending JMU, Cole competed at the Men’s Junior National Championships for selection onto the US Men’s National team.

Cole served as practice player and volunteer assistant coach for the James Madison University field hockey program for four and a half years while earning his bachelor of business administration in marketing from JMU (2009-2013). In 2010, he was the co-coach of the JMU Club Field Hockey team that went undefeated and won the National Field Hockey League National Championship. Cole also co-coached the JMU Club Team in 2012 and brought the team to the Final 4. Cole received his U.S. Field Hockey Association Level I Coaching Certification while helping coach multiple college summer camps and clinics. His proudest moments as a coach include winning several National tournaments and encouraging the girls that play for him to reach their full potential.

Outside of field hockey, Cole works at Pembroke Realty Group as a sales and leasing associate specializing in commercial real estate. He also is active in our community and works with several non-profits including the Vibe Creative District, Hampton Roads Pride and the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

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Sam Zwyna

U14 & U16 Coach

Sam was a four-year varsity letter winner and senior captain at Cox High School and she led her team to win two state titles and made appearances in the state tournament three times. Sam was honored as the 2018 All-Tidewater Field Hockey Player of the Year and was selected for the 2018 First Team All-State and All-Class 6 Region A First Team. Additionally, she was named to the 2017 NFHCA National Academic Squad and earned a spot on the 2017 All-Class 6 Region A First Team.

During her college career at Maryland, Sam achieved recognition as part of the NFHCA National Academic Squad in both 2019 and 2020, and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2020 and 2021. Sam is currently playing in her final hockey year with Old Dominion University (2024).

Freedom Hockey and TCOYO

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Lauren Boucher

Guest Coach

Playing Experience :
2015-2018 : Great Neck Middle School Field Hockey Team
2013-2021 : TCOYO Hockey
2018-2021 : Varsity Frank W. Cox Field Hockey Team
2021-present: University of Mary Washington Field Hockey Team

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Leah Crouse

U16 & U19 Guest Coach

Leah was a member of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Women’s Field Hockey Team.

A member of the US Women's National team, she has received numerous accolades including being named to the NFHCA All Mid-Atlantic First Team in 2022 and the NFHCA All-South Region Second Team in 2021. Additionally, she was recognized as an All-Big Ten Second Team member in 2022.

As a graduate student at the University of Maryland in 2022, she continued to excel, earning NFHCA All Mid-Atlantic First Team honors and All-Big Ten Second Team recognition.

Prior to her time at Maryland, she played her first four seasons at Duke, where she recorded 18 goals and 16 assists. In 2019, she was named to the All-ACC Second Team after leading the Blue Devils in scoring with 11 goals. She played a significant role in helping Duke reach the Final Four in 2018. Academically, she earned NFHCA National Academic Squad honors and made the ACC Academic Honor Roll three times. In 2020, she was named an NFHCA Scholar of Distinction and was part of the ACC All-Academic Team in 2019.

During her high school career, she was recognized as the 2018 Cox High School Female Athlete of the Year and received the Emilie Tilley Outstanding All-Around Senior Female Athlete award. She also earned the 2018 John A. Tucker Memorial Award for Excellence in Women's Athletics & Leadership and the 2018 United States Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award. A state qualifier in indoor and outdoor track and field, she was a two-time NFHCA High School Scholar of Distinction.

She was a member of the National Honor Society and several subject-specific honor societies, including Math, English, Science, and Spanish. As a senior at Frank W. Cox High School, she was a two-time NFHCA All-American, earning second team recognition. She led her team to two state titles, scoring the game-winning goal in the championship game during her senior year. She concluded her high school career with an impressive 46 goals and 31 assists, achieving membership in the century club for both offensive categories. Furthermore, she was a three-time NFHCA and All-Tidewater Region choice and earned all-state and all-conference first team recognition on three occasions. As a senior, she was named the Group 6A Player of the Year and the Virginia Beach Sports Club Female Athlete of the Year, serving as team captain in her final season.

Playing Experience :
2012-2014 : Great Neck Middle School Field Hockey Team
2013-2018 : TCOYO Hockey
2014-2018 : Varsity Frank W. Cox Field Hockey Team
2018-2022 : Duke University Field Hockey Team
2022-2023 : University of Maryland Field Hockey Team
2021-present USA Women's National Team
2024 - Olympian - Team USA Paris Olympics

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Fiona Minter

Goalkeeper Coach

Playing Experience :
2017-2019 : TCOYO Hockey
2015-2019 : Varsity Grafton Field Hockey Team
2019-2020 : American University Field Hockey Team
2021-2023 : Old Dominion University Field Hockey Team

Fiona has coached for TCOYO Hockey since the summer of 2019.
Fiona is currently the graduate assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth University

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Marisa Miro

U16 & U19 Guest Coach

Marisa Miro is a native of Bushkill, Pa and was first athlete in East Stroudsburg North history to play Division I field hockey. She was two-time team captain for three different sports: field hockey, softball and swimming at East Stroudsburg North and was a scholar athlete recipient in softball and field hockey. Marisa currently provides private and semi-private lessons at Vault Athletics & Fitness.

After graduating from East Stroudsburg North, Marisa spent 1 season at Iowa University before transferring back home to East Stroudsburg University where she graduated in 2015. While at East Stroudsburg, Marisa was a starting forward that won PSAC and NCAA DII championship in 2015.

Marisa has been a member of the Puerto Rican National Team since 2012 and played with the Big Apple Hockey Club (NYC, New York) - 2013-2015 & 2017- 2019.

Prior to moving to Virginia Beach in 2019, Marisa coached for Marojoka Field Hockey Club from 2013-2016 where she was the assistant coach to Martin Romeril and with Cape Cod Field Hockey Club from 2016-2019.

Marisa is also a USA Field Hockey Certified Official and has a Master's in Exercise Physiology.

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