Junior field hockey forward Alyssa Derstine

There was a short period when Alyssa Derstine was afraid her legs could explode. The 草莓社区 field hockey star has been assured that’s not going to happen, but it still feels like a possibility many days.

Just before the season, the junior forward was diagnosed with compartment syndrome in both of her lower legs, a condition in which pressure in the muscle builds to dangerous levels. There are two types of compartment syndrome – acute and chronic – and the former could actually cause a muscle to explode if it suffers trauma.

About a week after she was initially diagnosed, and a doctor told her not to run because she might have the acute version, Derstine learned she had the milder condition. That meant she didn’t have to worry about losing her legs, but it still meant she would spend each day of this season fighting through what would feel like the most painful of shin splints.

“The muscle gets so inflamed that it cuts off my nerve pathways, so my legs go numb,” Derstine said with a smile and laugh that contrasted with her words. “So it’s just, like, excruciating pain, and the leg gets so big and puffy.”

But on two legs that she sometimes can’t even feel, Derstine has led the Royals back to the top of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

The junior forward ranks second in the ODAC in goals (21) and total points (50), trailing only Lynchburg’s Allie Weir (33 goals and 69 points) in both categories. She also leads the Royals in assists with eight, a category in which she’s ranked fourth in the conference.

In large part because of her contributions, EMU (13-4) is making a run at its 12th championship in the 27-year history of ODAC field hockey and its first since 2003. The Royals finished tied for first in the conference during the regular season but took the top seed in the tournament over Lynchburg, thanks to a head-to-head victory. After a 10-0 quarterfinal blowout of No. 8 seed Sweet Briar, they host No. 4 seed Washington & Lee at 6:30 p.m. today in the semifinals. See the 2008 team roster…

“She’s been a huge part of our offense,” senior defender Kristina Landis said. “I’ve been really impressed with her attitude dealing with compartment syndrome. She’s really been tough and she’s really been a great offensive force for us.”

Chronic compartment syndrome is usually caused by overusing the affected body part, and in Derstine’s case, that’s a surprise to no one.

The Telford, Pa., native – whose parents were both athletes at EMU – is a health and physical education major and a workout fiend. She’s been especially intense since she got to EMU and was converted from a sweeper – her position at Christopher Dock High School – to forward.

The biggest part of the transition is that it requires much more skilled stick handling. A sweeper’s job is just to take possession of the ball from the offense and clear it out away from the goal. Forwards have to keep control of the ball and attack with the dribble.

To get better at the skill, she went to EMU’s turf field almost every day by herself doing stick drills – many of which she invented – adding to an already taxing regimen of weight lifting and running.

“She’ll just come to my office, get some balls, get some cones,” EMU coach Brenda Bechler said, “and just entertain herself out here.”

Said Landis: “She’ll stay out for hours and just take hard shots on cage. Her strength is just continuously improving.”

It’s showed in the stats.

Derstine had three goals and four assists as a freshman, then led the team with 15 goals and six assists as a sophomore to earn All-ODAC first-team honors and lead the Royals to a 10-7 mark. That included a 7-0 conference record before they lost to Lynchburg in the conference finals.

Her success pushed Derstine to do even more work this offseason than she did in previous years, but by the summer, her shins were telling her it might have been a bit too much. She’d had pain in her legs for a while, but this time, she and her parents decided it was enough for her to get tested for a stress fracture. That came up negative, but doctors decided to test for compartment syndrome by putting Derstine on a treadmill and measuring her legs’ reaction; the tests, obviously, showed a major pressure build-up.

Doctors have recommended surgery to relieve the pressure, but they said Derstine could wait until after the season if she could play through the pain. At first, that seemed like it might be too much to ask, but the Royals are thrilled that she’s pressed on.

“I think it was the second game of our season, she came out in tears and just kind of fell to the ground,” Bechler said. “So we were just like, ‘Are we going to have to deal with this the whole season,’ and ‘How long will she be able to put up with this before she decides I can’t do this anymore?’ But yeah, she’s been a huge trooper.”

The prominent bright green turf field that served multiple purposes for athletic programs at EMU was replaced this summer after 17 years of heavy use.

A celebrative dedication ceremony takes place Sept. 2 on EMU’s newly-replaced turf field.
Photo by Jim Bishop

EMU coaching staff, student athletes, donors and parents gathered on the field for a brief, celebrative program that included reflections on the old turf and the completion of the new.

“This [new] field will become one of the central hubs of campus community, creating enthusiasm and excitement for life on campus,” EMU athletic director David A. King told the gathering.

King thanked the university administration for “making the bold step of moving this turf project to the top of the facilities improvement list on campus.” He praised Eldon Kurtz, director of physical plant for “willingness to work cooperatively with the athletic department in finding efficient ways to complete the project economically,” to subcontractors Maust Enterprises and Goods Services and to “everyone who helped remove the old turf and joined in making this project a success.”

Replacement is a ‘Major Step’

King said the replacement of the old turf is “yet another major step toward the development of greater community envisioned for the EMU campus and the larger Rockingham County area.

“We’re keenly aware already of the power this facility has in drawing people together for wholesome recreation, family time, social interaction and athletic competition.”

The new turf field will be used for EMU women’s field hockey and men’s soccer contests, Ultimate Frisbee, an over-30 men’s soccer league being formed, intramurals and the Shenandoah Summer Soccer League, King noted.

Webb Cook, vice president of sales for A-Turf of Cheektowaga, N.Y., the firm that did the installation, noted that he’s “never before seen the athletic director of a college so ‘hands-on’ in a project, literally helping to remove the old turf.”

Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement at EMU, thanked the more than 50 individuals and businesses who have contributed some $410,000 to date toward the $500,000 project. He said he expects the remainder of the needed funds to be raised by the end of 2006.

Brenda K. Bechler, current head field hockey coach, said the old bright green AstroTurf had become “an icon of EMU field hockey, helping enhance level of play regardless of the surface.”

During the past 17 years, EMU advanced to the Old Dominion Athletic Association (ODAC) championship game 11 times, bringing home nine conference titles. EMU had a third-place finish in the nationals in 1998 and ranked #1 in the nation for most of the 1999 season, she noted.

“With this new field, we’re ready for a new era. We are grateful for another opportunity to show the community what EMU field hockey is all about,” Bechler said.

Senior team co-captain Lisa L. Heavener echoed Bechler’s sentiments in thanking coaches, fellow players and donors “for providing a place where freshman and seniors can become close friends, for a field that enables this group of players to learn lessons and skills that will be carried with them throughout life and for the opportunity to join a team who lifts each other spiritually, leads each other through example and holds each other accountable.”

EMU President Loren Swartzendruber led a prayer of dedication to close the ceremony.

EMU played its first home field hockey contest on the new field that afternoon and blanked Dickinson College of Carlisle, Pa., 3-0.

The new artificial turf field at 草莓社区 will be dedicated in a public ceremony 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2.

The prominent bright green turf field that served multiple purposes for athletic programs at EMU was replaced this summer after 17 years of heavy use.

The program will include: a welcome from EMU President Loren Swartzendruber; an overview of the history of the first turf field and the need for a new one; comments from Webb Cook, representing Web Turf of Cheektowaga, N.Y., the company that did the installation; donor recognition; comments from this year’s players and EMU head field hockey coach Brenda Bechler and a prayer of dedication.

At 1 p.m., the EMU Lady Royals will face the Red Devils of Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa., in field hockey, the second varsity game of the fall season to be played on the new field.

The original turf field, completed in 1989, was used by the EMU women

草莓社区 is literally having the rug pulled out from under it, but few are complaining.

The prominent bright green turf field that has served multiple purposes for athletic programs at EMU is being replaced after 17 years.

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