By Andy Hutchison

‘WESTPORT–Gavin Featherstone, who has a storied international career in the field hockey world, will be on hand at the Staples High School main library to launch his new book and celebrate the sport on Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 6 to 8 pm.

The book, Field Hockey: An American Odyssey, is 356 pages long and it details all areas of the sport in the USA.

The event is a celebration of our thriving, historic local field hockey community, highlighting deep roots that stretch from early pioneering days to the continued successes seen in Westport today.

Featherstone’s honored guests are the direct grandsons of the founder and early pioneer couple of the game, Henry Kirk Greer and Lou Groucott-Roberts.

Featherstone coached the U.S. men’s national team at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and from that has continued to keep a keen eye on the history and development of the sport in the country.

Staples field hockey team members had him as an on-site coach who ran their preseason on more than one occasion, adding his international expertise to their preparation for their upcoming seasons.

Staples Coach Ian Tapsall has known Featherstone since they both played together at the same club in the UK in the 1970s and their relationship has been rekindled since Featherstone came over to coach here in the early 80s.

“Gavin is a world’s authority on our sport and his new book is about the history of hockey in our country,” Tapsall said.

“Featherstone has come to know all things field hockey in the US and particularly Fairfield County since then,” Tapsall added. “His experience with the game is hard to match and for those with even a passing interest in the sport, having the chance to meet him will be an eye opener indeed.” 

Andy Hutchison

^{_{Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories, since the 1990s. He is the sports editor at the Newtown Bee. He writes for the Monroe Sun. He was director of communications and radio color commentator for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers hockey team. He has won numerous writing awards, including regional and national first-place honors.}}