Haggerty: Banned in Rye, boy trains with U.S. Jr. field hockey team

Before the words are uttered, no, it’s not where he belongs.

At least it’s not the only place he belongs.

But Phile Govaert, the Rye High School student allowed to play junior varsity field hockey as an eighth-grader before being banned from playing for Rye in what could be perceived as Section 1’s lack of respect for female athletes, hasn’t given up the sport he loves.

Govaert, who only learned last fall that Rye had dropped his case with the State Education Department commissioner, thus extending his ban from the fall of 2015 through a second season, has continued playing field hockey on the currently all-male East Coast High Performance Under-19 and Under-16 teams.

COMMENTARY: The politics of boys playing a 'girls' sport

COMMENTARY: Sports sex bias bolstered by educators

He has played ECHP for four years. Training this spring is sometimes at Rutgers, but mostly in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

That’s a bit of a haul. But it has paid off in a big way.

Rutger Wiese, one of Govaert’s ECHP coaches, also coaches the U.S. Junior Men’s U-19 and U-16 teams. Last month, he invited the 15-year-old to train with the elite U-19 team.

Govaert, who was about 6 when he first played field hockey in his native Holland, can’t be an official member of the team because he’s not yet an American citizen. He won’t be eligible for citizenship for more than a year, when he’ll have met a five-year residency requirement.

But Wiese thinks so highly of him he has made him a practice player. Govaert may play in games as long as the opponent isn’t an official representative of another country. In other words, he may play against a Canadian club team but not a Canadian Junior Men’s team.

Govaert is fine with that.

“They’re kind of investing in me,” he said.

But this is also a huge financial investment for him and his family.

Practices are at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California.

While this is a national team, players must pay for travel, lodging and meals, costs running into thousands of dollars. That’s why many, including Govaert, have begun crowdfunding campaigns.

The U.S. has never been dominant in men’s field hockey, which is a much more popular sport elsewhere in the world. But having a high-level juniors program should bolster results and expand the game’s popularity in the U.S.

Govaert will attend all practices, which run year-round three days a week once a month (with a two-week camp in early summer).

He has already gotten a lot from one weekend. He was on the field three hours in the morning, then three hours in the afternoon both Saturday and Sunday, with a three-hour Monday morning practice before departing.

Players keep notebooks and also have classroom instruction.

“It’s a very high level. It’s very intense,” Govaert said.

Members of the Chula Vista-based men’s Senior National team, who the Junior National coaches also coach, assist the younger players one-on-one.

“We get a lot of good tips,” Govaert said.

While his sister Fusine, a national-level player who's heading to Boston College on a field hockey scholarship, will no longer be there, Phile hasn’t forgotten his Rye High team and still wants to play on it.

In this, he’s not alone.

Sadly, ECHP and Junior National teammates Keeling Pilaro (US. Junior U-19) and Ike Wood (U.S. Junior U-16) have also been kept off their respective school teams in New York, a state where many girls play on boys teams.

“It’s like something we talk about now and then. We exchange our struggles about it. But we tend to spend time playing field hockey and not complaining,” Govaert said.

Of course, Rye should appeal Section 1’s ruling, just as any school should fight any form of discrimination.

But, not counting on that, the sophomore is trying to raise funds to continue playing a game he loves at a top level.

“This is a really good opportunity for me,” he said.

And maybe for U.S. men’s field hockey, too.

Twitter: @HaggertyNancy