Junior field hockey midfielder Katy Benton was named to the U.S. U-21 National Team on Feb. 4. The Hawk sat down with Benton to discuss the events leading up to this achievement and what else she has in store for St. Joe’s field hockey team.

The Hawk: Let’s begin with where your journey started to get to this point. When
did you first start playing field hockey?

Benton: I started playing field hockey kind of late. I started in sixth grade. I was a soccer player up until then. My friends decided that they wanted to play hockey, so I was like, “Sure, I’ll start,” and then fell in love with it and decided to continue with hockey and stop playing soccer.

The Hawk: Is there a specific game, regardless of the level, where you realized you could hang with the best of them?

Benton: Probably back in my freshman year of high school, playing club. My coaches really gave me the confidence in my abilities, and I quickly learned that I did want to play in college and I was going to have a future in it.

The Hawk: This is not your first time representing the U.S., you represented them at the U-17 level. What kind of preparation did those experiences provide you that will be valuable for your run at the U-21 level?

Benton: Back in my junior year of high school, I was given the opportunity to play on the U-17 team. Just going through those selection camps, I definitely knew what I was getting into this past weekend in Charlotte [North Carolina] and then over the summer at the tryouts to make the selection camp that I was just at. So I just knew to bring my strengths.

The Hawk: What sort of influence did team leadership at St. Joe’s have on your development as a player?

Benton: St. Joe’s has definitely helped me. I was kind of thrown into the position freshman year to be one of the leaders on the team. So that’s really helped with my confidence and just going into every opportunity and being ready for whatever’s thrown at me.

The Hawk: Do you have any pregame routine, or meal or snack or a song or playlist that you prepare for an upcoming game this past season?

Benton: Every Friday game, I would go to The Juice Pod and I would get the same exact açai bowl. It started before the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill game, so I knew after that I had to have it every single time. And then the team would play the song “Pepas” in the locker room before every
game, and we would dance and sing to it. So those two became the ritual for me.

The Hawk: When you are not practicing or studying, what are some sort of hobbies or activities that you enjoy doing in your downtime?

Benton: Mainly just hanging out with friends. We love trying new restaurants, either in Manayunk or the city.

The Hawk: Do you have a dream career?

Benton: I would love to own something of my own, whether it be a gym or a cafe, something like that. Just something that I could own.

The Hawk: What about being a field hockey coach?

Benton: I do actually coach field hockey a little bit. I don’t know if I would want to do that as my career though.

The Hawk: Much like this year’s team, next year’s team is shaping up to be a good mix of veteran leadership and promising first years and sophomores. Being that you are entering your senior season, what are some things that you have learned along the way that you look forward to sharing with the upcoming players?

Benton: Oh, a lot of things. One is just to not take any opportunity for granted. Especially since we have gone through the pandemic, we have learned that no game is guaranteed. So every time you step onto the field, just knowing that you have to give it your all, and just have fun with it because it flies by.