My heart is filled with gratitude for Penn State. I came here as a student-athlete in July 1975 and have had countless opportunities to grow and make an impact because of the University and people like Ellen Perry, who hired me, and athletic directors like Tim Curley, Sandy Barbour and Pat Kraft, who have supported Penn State field hockey and me every step of the way.
It's the right time. The program is in great shape, coming off the Final Four and a Big Ten Championship, with an experienced staff of Penn Staters, a new stadium on the horizon and an athletic director in Pat Kraft who shares my vision for the program's future.
I can't imagine what my life would be like if I hadn't first come to Penn State as a wide eyed 17-year-old student athlete…and then returned for good 36 years ago. For decades, I eagerly looked forward to coming to campus every day, regardless of the season or game day. It's never been a job; it's been a lifelong passion and a privilege to give back to a school and a sport that were so good to me and instrumental in forming my values as a student, as an athlete and as a coach. Penn State truly strives to do everything the right way, from the classroom to the playing field and in the community. Penn State was a national leader in the early years of Title IX and has had the vision to support women's athletics from my first day to my last. I have been a beneficiary of that in countless ways and it is a debt I have tried to repay every single day for almost five decades.
I hope I will be remembered as a coach who cared, who inspired my players and all Penn Staters, and who had a great deal of fun along the way, from singing on the bus, dancing in the locker room, and cheering in Beaver Stadium. My most memorable moments have been with the players and assistants on the field, at practice, on the sidelines during games and tournaments. Sharing victories and defeats while wearing the blue and white will forever live in my heart. Coaching at Penn State has provided me with an incredible life that I never could have imagined. It all began with Gillian Rattray, who believed in me as a high school recruit, then as a college athlete in two sports and then as a coach. Fellow coaches like Joe Paterno and Russ Rose lifted and helped guide me. I have been blessed to work alongside very talented and caring assistant coaches, three of whom with deep roots in Penn State field hockey - Lisa Bervinchak Love, Laura Gebhart, Annie Zinkavich and Stuart Smith. More recently, it has been an honor for me to work alongside the many talented and passionate head coaches who I see every day here at Penn State. They are more than coaching peers to me, they are confidants, inspirations and true friends.
For decades, my mantra for the team has been "Play with Heart." They always have. I appreciate their dedication and humility, and the way they represented Penn State with class, respect, and pride. Getting their degree was always at the forefront, for them and our assistants and staff. So many former players have become lifelong friends, and it's been an honor to have been part of their lives even after graduation, whether it's been coaching their daughters as part of the next generation of Penn Staters or attending dozens of former players' weddings. It has always been about family, and mine has always pushed my competitive spirit at an early age on the streets of Delco, encouraged my athletic endeavors and supported me along this journey. My five brothers, sister and my parents mean the world to me and enjoyed being a huge part of the Penn State family along with me. My husband Doug Curtiss is a passionate Penn State fan who I greatly appreciate every day.
A new stadium has been a dream of mine for many years. Tim Curley helped me crystallize that goal and set the plans in motion for that dream to come true. It is heartening and humbling that over 75 percent of the funding has come from personal contributions made by the dozens of loyal Penn State alumni, donors, and field hockey fans. It would not be possible without their friendship and support.
I love Penn State and will always be grateful to so many people that have touched my life in Happy Valley.
Sincerely,
Char Morett-Curtiss
