Apple Tournament celebrates 50 years of field hockey

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The season opening Apple Field Hockey tournament has always been a great early gauge for all the teams. Assumption beat Sacred Heart 2-1 in the varsity "A" division Friday night at Sacred Heart Academy for its first win since 2016 in the event that brings all the area teams together to lift off the new campaign.

"It gives you a sense of where you are as a team," said Assumption head coach Jody Schaefer who has been a player or coach in about 35 Apple tournaments. "It gives you a sense of where the other teams are."

But more than that, it is a celebration of the game.

"It's a place where you see everybody in the field hockey community," said Schaefer.

"It's pretty incredible," said Sacred Heart head coach Eleanor Mitchell, who's been a player or coach in about 15 Apple tournaments. "It's fun to look out into the crowd and see everyone's moms and grandmas here and they all say 'Oh I remember when I played.' And of course I remember when I played."

"Girls from these teams are going to be playing all over the country next year," added Schaefer. "And they're carrying a little bit of Louisville with them, a little bit of the Apple with them and it becomes something that's bigger than just a tournament. It's the ability to grow women and bring women into a space where they can be successful and learn how to be good people."

The late KHSAA Hall of Famer Bunny Daugherty was instrumental in starting the tournament 50 years ago, naming it for Constance Applebee who brought the game to the U.S. 100 years prior.

"I think she'd be so proud," said Schaefer. "I think the great thing about hockey is that we really all care about each other. Bunny just wanted the girls to do something that was good and that's what this is. This is good and she'd be proud."