We are the premier field hockey club in Pittsburgh, bringing International & NCAA experience to the club level. We are proud to be the first ever U14, U16 & U19 USAFH National Indoor Tournament champions for the Western PA region! It is our mission to provide everyone with superior field hockey training, support, and competitive education to make the best High School and NCAA recruits in the region. We offer full club as well as small group lessons to private field hockey lessons for all experience levels and never turn anyone away who wants to play on our hockey court.
Est. 2010
2023 - U14 & U16 (x2)
2022 - U16 (x2) & U19
2021 - U16 & U19
2020 - U16 & U19 (x2)
2019 - U14 & U16 (x2)
2018 - U14 (x2) , U16 & U19
2017 - U19
2023
U19 - Tier 1 & Tier 4
2023 - U14
2022 - U19
2021 - U19 & U16
2020 - U14
2019 - U14
2023 - U14 (x2) & U19 (x2)
2022 - U14 (x2), U16 & U19 (x2)
2021 - U14, U16 (x2) & U19 (x2)
2020 - U14 , U16 & U19
2019 - U14
2018 -U14
2017 - U19
2015 - U16
2014 - U16
Back Row: Coach Sandra, Naomi Stewart, Maggie Vines, Allysa Baculik, Grace Chrobak, Lilianna Rose, Coach Katie. Front Row: Coach Kelly, Addison Burns, Genevive Hanson (GK), Jemma Kimball-Ruttenberg, Avery Kripkie, Laney O'Brian, Hannah Markowitz.
Since the beginning of Pittsburgh Venom in 2010, we have continued to grow and develop not only outstanding athletes, but our organization as a reputable club for elite field hockey in Western Pennsylvania. We provide our players the knowledge, skills, and important life experiences that can be used in their collegiate future with or without field hockey. We also maintain respectable, dedicated, creative and loyal staff that sustain the next generation of field hockey players.
To promote and cultivate field hockey in the young minds and bodies of the Western Pennsylvania area, so that they can continue to share their gained passion for the sport wherever they go.
_________________________________________________________________________
Our goal is to prepare all players for a high level of competition. We do not have any try-outs to join the club because no player should be turned away if they have a desire to play the sport. With that in mind, only the players who are ready to compete at the highest level will be selected to travel to the NITQ's & Showcase events.
In 2010 Rutger Wiese (IUP Head Coach) and Olivia Netzler Gray (RMU Head Coach) founded Venom in the Halls of Winchester Thurston gym starting with 6 players in our first Winter Indoor season. After the first winter season they hired Assistant Coach Benjamin Peters.
Growing the club within Western Pennsylvania in the next few years Olivia moved to Louisville to coach. Then Rutger moved away to be the Assistant Coach at Harvard promoting Benjamin to Head Coach & Club Director. In 2017, Coach Benjamin Peters took the helm of the club after Rutger Wiese became the head coach of the USA Men's National Team.
_________________________________________________________________________
Since then the club has grown the athlete base from 35 to over 150. Boasting 6 National Indoor Championships (3 U-14, 1 U-16, 2 U-19). 8 U-19 National Indoor Qualifications & 6 U-16 National Indoor Qualifications. 2021 Thanksgiving Showcase Championship and many regular season Spooky Nook championship's. In 2018 Coach Kyla Spallone joined Venom whilst coaching at Seton Hill. Among the growing club the coaching staff expanded and the club structure took a shift with Benjamin Peters taking the Club Administrator role and promoting Kyla Spallone to Club Director.
_________________________________________________________________________
We strive to be the premier youth field hockey club in Western Pennsylvania, serving the needs of both Girls and Boys between ages 6-19 by providing an open learning environment in which each individual can shine and perform at the highest level. We are helping the local field hockey community grow by making a competitive space to grow and learn to be among the best in the country
Benjamin Peters,
At age 12, Ben started playing in his hometown of Sudbury, England and took his England Umpiring Level 1 course when he was 15. In 2008, Ben moved to the USA to be closer to family. Besides his coaching duties, Ben is also an FIH international umpire for the USA. He was awarded his International Badge in 2012 & currently sits on the FIH (International Hockey Federation) International Advancement Panel; he has umpired at the 2017 Sultan Johor Cup in Malaysia, 2018 South American Games in Bolivia, 2018 U-18 Euro Championships I in Spain. He has also traveled to Australia to Umpire in their Premier Division and is an active umpire in the Pan American Region & the England National League as an active NPUA member. He was appointed to the FIH Series Finals in Le Touquet, France. The 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. In 2022he attended the World Cup qualifier, Pan Am Cup in Santiago, Chile. Also in 2022 the inaugural Pro-League Qualifier the FIH Nations Cup in Potchestroom, South Africa. Ben also umpires domestically in the NCAA and USAFH Events. He holds an England Level 1 & USA Level 2 Coaching accreditations.
E-Mail: Ben@pittsburghfieldhockey.com
Kyla Spallone,
Spallone has been with Venom for 3 seasons and will be entering her fourth full year with the club this November. She has over 6 years of collegiate coaching along with coaching athletes at the high school level as well. Spallone graduated from Siena College where she was a member of the school’s Division I field hockey program as a defender. During her time at Siena, Spallone was the teams starting middle defender. She was named to the NFHCA All Academic Team for two seasons at Siena. Kyla originally is from central Massachusetts where she still holds the all time scoring record for her high school and was voted the Central Massachusetts Player of the Year in her senior season. Kyla is a USA Field Hockey Level 2 Coach and coaches in the Futures program run by USA Field Hockey. Kyla herself as a player participated in 7 years of Futures including 4 trips to the National Futures Tournament. Born into a family of coaches, she gets her passion for the sport mainly from her mother who has coached high school field hockey back in her home state of Massachusetts for over 30 years.
E-Mail: Kyla@pittsburghfieldhockey.com
Emily Humiston,
Emily has been involved in the sport of field hockey since 5th grade. She is a multi-year competitor at USA Field Hockey’s National Futures Championship and the AAU Junior Olympic Games. The all-time scoring leader at North Allegheny High School, Emily went on to play at Division I Providence College, where she was a starting midfielder and forward and the recipient of the team’s Mountain Climber award for achievement in the face of adversity and challenge. In addition to her achievements and contributions on the field, Emily was Big East All-Academic and the first ever female recipient of Providence College’s Student-Athlete of the Month. Emily became the youngest ever head coach of a WPIAL varsity team when she coached Oakland Catholic Field Hockey in 2017. Currently, the Assistant Varsity Field Hockey Coach for Fox Chapel, Emily hopes to continue coaching and developing the youth of the district in both indoor and outdoor field hockey.
E-Mail: Emily@pittsburghfieldhockey.com
Jenna Schwenk,
Jenna’s field hockey career began in 5th grade at Oak Knoll School in New Jersey. She played at Oak Knoll through high school, where her team won multiple county, conference, and state championships and finished one year ranked #2 in the country. Her senior year she was recognized as First Team All-County and All-Conference. Jenna also competed at the regional and national levels with The Edge FHC in New Jersey and X-calibur in Pottstown, PA. Her teams won gold at both Festival and Disney. She participated in the USAFH Futures Program for 5 years, gaining selection to the National Futures Championships 3 times and also the AAU Junior Olympics. Her final year in Futures she played at the Elite Level. Jenna went on to play Division I at Dartmouth College as a starting forward. Over the years, Jenna has volunteered to help coach young field hockey players through USAFH and is now a USAFH Level 1 Coach. Currently an assistant coach at Shadyside Academy, she has helped the varsity team win 4 WPIAL championships in her four years with the team.
E-mail: Jenna@pittsburghfieldhockey.com
Carolyn Sloss,
Carolyn started her hockey career in the 7th grade. During her high school career in Lancaster PA, she participated in 2 state championships. She was the co-captain for her senior year and tied for the AAA state championship. She also participated in club field hockey during high school and won the National club championship as well as winning her pool in the NIT twice. She went on to play field hockey at Kent State University her freshman year of college where they won the MAC championship. She previously coached at the Nook for two years before moving to Pittsburgh. She is currently the middle school field hockey coach at Mt. Lebanon school district.
E-mail: Carolyn@pittsburghfieldhockey.com
Kirsten Rambo,
Kirsten Rambo began her commitment to field hockey her freshmen year at Mt. Lebanon High school. Where she received a WPIAL All Star Honorable Mention her senior year. She was the original goalie for the Pittsburgh Venom Field Hockey Club and was recruited to play Division II at Mercyhurst University. Where she played all four years and was a co captain her senior year. She played internationally in Argentina with both her university and Argentine teams. She has been coaching now for five years going on her sixth this season.
E-Mail: Rambo@pittsburghfieldhockey.com
CLASS OF 2022
Division I
Thea Conomikes - Richmond University
Division II
Lauren Kampi - Millersville University
Division III
Maddy Keenan - Allegheny College
Ilona Bender - Bryn Mawr College
Zoe Woon - Bryn Mawr College
Leah Mouganis - Concordia University
Maddy Holmes - Roanoak College
Grayson Honig - Rochester University
Abby Fagersten - Swarthmore College
CLASS OF 2021
Division I
Emma Barlett - Bellermine University
Delaney Lentz - Lindenwood University
Gwen Hershberger - Ohio University
Division III
Fiona Kortyna - St. Marys College
Lauren Ghil - Swarthmore College
Sofia Bovino - Sweetbriar College
Julianna Paronish - Washington & Jefferson College
CLASS OF 2020
Division III
Salena Paronish - Elizabethtown College
Andreana Hardin - Mount Holyoke College
Georgia Eson - University of New England
CLASS OF 2019
Division I
Greta Schratz - St. Francis
Division III
Alora Sharon - Christopher Newport University
Maura Farinelli - Gettysburg College
Kaylie Melnick - Seton Hill University
CLASS OF 2018
Division III
Sarah Metzmaier - Kenyon College
Emma Jorgensen - Seton Hill University
CLASS OF 2017
Division I
Samara Schratz - Ohio University & St. Francis
Division III
Kelly Bergman - Bryn Mawr College
Sam Swentosky - Denison University
Sammi Pavlecic - Wooster College
CLASS OF 2016
Division III
Paige Haenig – Ohio Wesleyan University
Maralie Van Dyk – Mercyhurst University
Brighid Kortyna – Wittenberg University
CLASS OF 2015
Division I
Natalie Frost – Drexel University
CLASS OF 2013
Division I
Emily Humiston – Providence University
Kylie Luke – Robert Morris University
Division III
Sam Moore – Salisbury University
CLASS OF 2012
Division I
Courtney Schratz – Robert Morris University
Micky Saperstein – St. Joseph’s University
Division III
Kirsten Rambo – Mercyhurst University
Kiley Morgan – Seton Hill University
CLASS OF 2011
Division I
Julia Guthrie – Davidson College
Phone: 4129266541