AHF: USA building momentum towards LA28 after promising Nations Cup campaigns

With the countdown to the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 ticking steadily, the USA’s women’s and men’s national hockey teams took important strides earlier this year at the FIH Hockey Nations Cup and FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2, respectively — showcasing emerging talents, building depth, and sharpening their long-term ambitions.

At the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup in Santiago, Chile, the USA women’s team, under the guidance of Head Coach David Passmore, gained valuable experience despite a challenging competition where they finished fourth overall, narrowly missing out on a medal following a 2-1 loss to the hosts in the bronze medal match against hosts Chile. For Passmore, however, the tournament was always about more than immediate results.

“This was a perfect opportunity to think longer term,” he said during the event. “We have a strong blend — experienced Olympians and exciting young players — and it’s vital to see how they cope under pressure. LA28 is very much a focus already. If you ignore it, it will come back to bite you later.”

Passmore emphasized that with Paris 2024 experience and proof of concept, the team could afford to broaden its horizons — managing veteran players carefully while giving rising stars the opportunity to step up.

“This is about building the right mental and physical readiness for the challenge of hosting the Games,” he added.

One of the young players embracing that mission is Maddie Zimmer, who spoke about the team’s excitement and camaraderie during the Nations Cup campaign.

“This is definitely the first step in a long journey towards LA,” Zimmer said. “It’s really special to know we’ll get to share the Olympics with the hockey world on home soil. We’re all motivated, and events like this help us build connections on and off the field.”

Zimmer reflected a sentiment shared across the squad — that while the road to LA28 is long, the foundation is being laid now, through every match and every experience.

Meanwhile, at the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup 2 in Muscat, Oman, the USA men’s team, led by Head Coach Allan Law, also made important strides, eventually finishing fourth after a strong campaign that included a semi-final appearance, finishing just shy of a podium place, after a shootout loss in the bronze medal match.

“Our focus is on building our program, with LA as a real marker,” Law said after the tournament. “But it’s also about sustainability — making sure the USA is consistently competing in the top 15 globally, not just peaking for one Olympics.”

Allan noted the resilience the team showed, even when facing defensive challenges from opponents like Egypt, Austria and eventual champions Scotland.

“These experiences are part of the learning process. It’s about more than one tournament — it’s about preparing ourselves for the pressures and opportunities of playing at an Olympics on home ground.”

With clear ambitions, growing depth, and a united sense of purpose, both the USA men’s and women’s teams are steadily building toward what promises to be a historic moment for American hockey at LA28.

Source: FIH.hockey