GoHeels Exclusive: Hoffman Remains Motivated After Realizing U.S. National Team Goal

Brenda Hoffman's bronze medal from the 1984 Summer Olympics doesn't hang on a wall inside her Mohnton, Pennsylvania home. In fact, it's not displayed at all.

Instead, the medal, which she won as a member of the U.S. field hockey team, sits inside a safe-deposit box, from which it's rarely removed. But growing up, Brenda's daughter, Ashley Hoffman, always brought it into school for show-and-tell.

Occasional stories are all Ashley said she ever heard from her mother about her Olympic experience. Most of what she learned came from the general public. However, that was enough to inspire her as a child to one day follow in Brenda's footsteps and play for the U.S. National Team.

"She always told me it was possible," said Ashley, a junior on the North Carolina field hockey team. "So from a very young age, I've wanted to go through the junior programs and eventually play on the national team."

And this year, that dream finally came true.

After being selected to the U.S. National Team this spring, Ashley earned her first international cap at the Hawke's Bay Cup in New Zealand on March 25. She then proceeded to help the U.S. to a championship at the FIH Hockey World League Semifinal in July and a bronze medal at the Pan American Cup in August.

But despite achieving her lifelong goal, she remains determined to keep growing. It's that sort of mindset, after all, that's allowed her to reach this point.

Just a dream

Before Ashley was even born, Brenda coached youth field hockey. And although Brenda said she tried not to push her to play, Ashley grew up surrounded by the sport and with four brothers who helped shape a competitive environment.

Brenda ultimately started coaching Ashley in the second grade. They remained together in the youth program through Ashley's middle school years. And when Ashley moved on to Twin Valley High School, Brenda followed, becoming the head coach there.

Brenda said she was always harder on Ashley than she was other players. But she also knew Ashley, an All-America selection as a junior and senior, held herself to a certain standard.

"Whenever she felt she had a bad game or she felt she just didn't play to her ability," Brenda said, "I didn't have to reinforce the problems or the issues that may have caused that because she was hard enough on herself. I think just that attitude of striving to be better is within her."

UNC coach Karen Shelton, who also earned a bronze as part of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, became aware of the daughter of her former teammate when Ashley was still in middle school. After attending Shelton's camp in Chapel Hill, Ashley was in the stands for the 2010 NCAA championship game in College Park, Maryland, when the Tar Heels fell 3-2 to the host Terrapins in double overtime. It was then that Ashley became infatuated with the program.

"From then on, I was like, 'I want to go there,'" she said. "For some reason that dream just lived on."

But it wasn't the only one.

A long-awaited honor

In Chula Vista, California for the U.S. U-21 Women's National Team's first training camp in February, Ashley was at a team meal when the coaching staff called her over.

For nearly four years, she had played for the U-21 team. But after nine of the 18 players on the U.S. National Team retired following the 2016 Summer Olympics, Ashley was informed she'd been added to the roster ahead of the Hawke's Bay Cup.

"They wanted to see how I played, and I was just over the moon," Ashley said. "I called my mom immediately and told her, and she was so excited. The feeling was unreal."

And the first of many such experiences.

A few weeks later, Ashley made her U.S. National Team debut in a scrimmage against New Zealand, when she also scored her first career goal. She played in another scrimmage and the remaining seven matches of the Hawke's Bay Cup and parlayed her performance into roster spots for the FIH Hockey World League Semifinals and the Pan Am Cup.

Ashley said the most challenging aspect of the summer was learning how to take care of herself when it came to dieting, resting and training. She occasionally turned to Brenda for advice.

But Ashley also benefitted from being around six former Tar Heels who each participated in at least two of the three events.

"It brought a fun element and a familiarity element to it," Ashley said. "Then I could just relax. I wasn't on edge as much, and everyone helped each other."

Ashley finished the summer with 24 caps, appearing at side back. And after biding her time on the U-21 team, Ashley seemed reinvigorated, Brenda said.

"It seemed to just spark her love of the game and her drive to improve," Brenda said, "because she played amazing at the (FIH Hockey) World League (Semifinals) and the Pan Am (Cup)."

Still driven

As Ashley competed in the Pan Am Cup in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, her UNC teammates reported for training camp in Virginia Beach.

Ashley said she missed the bonding that occurs during the preseason. However, when she joined the Tar Heels on Aug. 14 for the remainder of camp, she said the team readily welcomed her back.

"Even though I wasn't playing, everyone understood why," Ashley said. "It's a wonderful team, the freshman are great. And I think I had their support. They texted me after games with the U.S. team and said, 'You played great,' or consoled me when we lost. So I felt their support and I think that really helped."

Shelton, a staunch supporter of her players' national team dreams, said there was a noticeable void while Ashley, a preseason All-ACC selection, was away. But that time also allowed younger players to gain more experience.

Still, Ashley made her presence known when top-ranked UNC opened the season at last weekend's ACC-Big Ten Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa. As the Tar Heels split games against No. 11 Michigan and No. 17 Iowa, she registered team-highs with two goals and 11 shots. Her goal against Iowa proved to be the game-winner in a 3-0 victory.

Before then, Ashley had primarily played midfielder during her UNC career. However, following the departure of Julia Young, also a current member of the U.S. National Team, Ashley has assumed the role as the Tar Heels' deep back.

"She has to drop back, but it's a sacrifice she makes for the good of the team," Shelton said Shelton. "And also, it's more in line with what she plays at the national team level … We need her to play there, and she needs to train there."

For Ashley knows greater challenges still await.

Although her dream of making the U.S. National Team has been realized, her selection is only tenuous. She hopes to solidify a spot on the roster and ultimately play in the Olympics and the World Cup.

And after losing in the national championship game in each of her first two seasons in Chapel Hill, she remains focused on securing that elusive title – and continuing to grow in pursuit of it.

"I think being here is such a unique opportunity," Ashley said, "because I can practice every day still and I'm still working toward the National Team goals and I still have my goal of we still need to win a national championship while I'm here. There's so much driving me forward still. I'm not content or complacent at all."

GoHeels Exclusive: Hoffman Remains Motivated After Realizing U.S. National Team Goal

Players Mentioned

Ashley Hoffman

Julia Young

Related Videos