July 18, 2007 - World Class Right Here in Bucks County (Rider Hall of Famer Terry Gillespie-Dossick)/ by Steve Sherman The Advance of Bucks County
>Related Story - Villa Jo Teacher in World Cup
World Class Right Here in Bucks County
By Steve Sherman: The Advance of Bucks County
Women's ball hockey history was made this year by Northeast Philly resident Terry Dossick. Well-made by she and 22 of her teammates.Dossick's squad-the US National ball hockey team-did well in the first ever Women's Ball Hockey World Championships, coming though with a second place finish. The tourney was held June 3 to 10 in Rantigen, Germany, just outside of Dusseldorf.
The U.S. posted a respectable 2-1-2 record, good enough to tie the Americans for second place with the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Team Canada-who else-captured the top prize.
Funny thing was Canada was the only country to emerge with a win over the U.S.
Team USA had the misfortune of facing the eventual champions in their very first battle, before all the butterflies got a chance to settle and the members of the team made the adjustment to the German time zone, said Dossick.
Terry says her team came together in their next game, a 4-1 win over Germany. Afterwards, the Battle Hymn of the Republic-the US National Anthem-could be heard reverberating throughout the walls of the host stadium.
That was her proudest moment, says Dossick.
On day two of the tourney, The U.S. tied a very resilient Slovakian team, 2-2, before walloping Austria, 7-1. Day three saw another battle. Team USA tied the Czech Republic in a contest in which neither side could reach the net.
The whole thing started a little more than a year ago when Dossick said she'd join a hockey team that called itself the New York City Bruisers in a tournament that took place March 2006 in Feasterville.
An invitation to tryout for the U.S. National team followed and the rest is history.
Practicing together just one weekend a month, the group just didn't seem to click, however, said Terry. Then, the trip to Germany from JFK Airport in New York had half the players suffering from jet lag. The early tournament butterflies didn't help either, says Dossick. But after the first loss to Canada, the team came together, she says.
"Our line shifts looked professional-so smooth," says Terry, "compared to what they were just a couple of hours earlier."
"It was just amazing how people who came from so many different backgrounds came together for this tournament," she said. "We all shared a common bond and we came together, if only for this event."
Dossick can still recall opening ceremonies when the Stars and Stripes were unveiled in the flag-hanging festivities.
"It was surreal and cool all at the same time," said Dossick, "just like the Olympics."
Terry and her teammates finally got the chance to do some sightseeing around the host city of Dusseldorf on the last night. The next morning, it was back home to the U.S., she says.
"I was a good trip-very successful," said Dossick. "It was great to be a part of something like that."
Terry says, players from a corresponding men's tournament stuck around to watch the women play. Afterwards, the men told the girls how much they respected their play, she says. And that alone made the trip all the more worthwhile, she said.
"It was encouraging to hear a complement like that from other world class athletes," Terry said.
Hmmm...imagine that a world class athlete living right here in the Delaware Valley.
