Sarah Smalley helped start nation’s 1st disability-inclusive field hockey program

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In January 2022, Sarah Smalley was at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Disney World for the Sunshine Showcase, an international field hockey tournament. Smalley was there with Field Hockey 4 All, the United States’ first cognitive and physical disability-inclusive field hockey program.

Smalley was on the field assisting players throughout the event and helping her team throughout each game. Amy Jaekle, who’s daughter, Eloise, is a member of Field Hockey 4 All, said seeing her daughter play “brought tears to her eyes” and was “one of the best moments of (Eloise’s) life.”

“Sarah was really Eloise’s buddy that day,” Jaekle said. “She stayed next to her on the field, she helped direct her in the plays and just cheered her on.”

Field Hockey 4 All was founded when Smalley was a junior at East Islip High School (N.Y.) in 2021. At the time, a mom reached out to the Long Island Field Hockey Club, where Smalley coached alongside Danielle Groneman and Mallory Guerin, asking if their child with disabilities could join training sessions. Groneman and Guerin said they would, creating Field Hockey 4 All as a subsection of the club.

“They keep this program routinely available to these athletes throughout the year,” Jaekle said. “And that’s what helps these athletes learn the skills that last.”

From its inception, Smalley has helped plan every event, becoming a favorite for participants. Smalley will return home for winter break and aid Field Hockey 4 All’s efforts.

“She’s just a naturally infectious person to be around, and in field hockey, she’s such a natural teacher to her peers and to the youth,” Groneman said.

Field Hockey 4 All runs almost year-long, hosting practices once a week at Long Island Field Hockey club’s indoor facilities. The program is inclusive to all genders, disabilities and ages, but attempts to bring in younger players.

It’s geared toward giving disabled children social and physical opportunities for involvement in field hockey. They practice alongside coaches from Long Island, Groneman said, learning the basic skills of the sport.

Eloise has been with Field Hockey 4 All since the start. Jaekle said her daughter is neurodivergent and often doubted herself early on with the club. Smalley was the main reason Eloise chose to go, Jaekle added.

Jaekle remembered Eloise being nervous when she started with the program. The coaches made her feel comfortable by moving slowly and getting to know Eloise on a personal level. They brought over a couple of the girls and each week, the larger groups got shuffled into smaller groups. Smalley was in a small group with Eloise and the two hit it off.

“Sarah especially formed a connection with Eloise in the beginning that lasted for more than two years,” Jaekle said. “Sarah has had a profound effect on my daughter’s life and I expect her to remain in my daughter’s life for a long time.”

When Smalley wasn’t helping out with the club, she represented East Islip High School. Her head coach, Christopher Veit, said Smalley had to play at all three levels of the field during her time there. Veit said Smalley used her versatility to help the team grow, often leading film review sessions and giving pointers to teammates.

In her junior season, Smalley quickly became the team’s best offensive player, Veit said. In the 2021 county playoffs, Smalley recorded a goal and an assist to send East Islip to the semifinals. Then, facing No. 1 seeded Bayport-Blue Point, Smalley notched the game-winning assist in overtime. Groneman said without Smalley, East Islip had no chance to win.

Off the field, Guerin praised Smalley’s work with Field Hockey 4 All. Like all the qualities that Smalley emphasizes in-game, she embodies patience, persistence and personal growth to her students, Guerin said.

Just like with her teammates, Smalley has served as a role model in the program.

“It’s where she has envisioned herself,” Veit said. “She’s living the dream, doing exactly what she’s prepared for her whole youth.”