Alison Hersey Risch

Alison Hersey Risch (born October 23, 1936), formerly Alison Hersey, is a former American field hockey,^[1] lacrosse player^[2] and official.

Alison Hersey Risch

Risch in her US Field Hockey Touring Team Jacket
Personal information
Born	October 23, 1936 (1936-10-23) (age 87) Winchester, Massachusetts, U.S.

She was a three sport athlete (Field Hockey, Basketball and Softball^[3]) at Winchester High School in Winchester, Massachusetts. Alison attended Mount Holyoke College from 1955 to 1959. She played with the US Field Hockey Touring team from 1956 to 1969.^[2] Alison also played on the U.S. Women's National Lacrosse Team from 1961 to 1970 and as team captain from 1964 to 1970.^[4][5] After graduating from Mount Holyoke, Alison earned a master's degree from Tufts University. She later served as a field hockey coach at Kennett High School in Conway, New Hampshire. She also served as a match coordinator and internationally rated umpire for more than 40 years.

Alison also was a competitive alpine ski racer.^[6] In 1964 she was certified by the Professional Ski Instructor’s Association and she has been a ski instructor and director since 1963.^[7]

In January 1988, she became one of the charter inductees into the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame.^[8] In 1999 Alison was inducted into the New England Chapter of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame^[9] and in 2003 she was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.^[10] Mount Holyoke inducted Alison into their athletics Hall of Fame (inaugural 2013 class) ^[4] as did Winchester High School into their Hall of Fame (1995).^[11]

References

1. "The Morning Call: 23 Women Become First to Enter U.S. 'HALL' Field Hockey". The Morning Call. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
2. "MH News: A Truly Wide World of Sports - Alison Hersey Risch". Mount Holyoke College. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
3. "Winchester Alumni Spotlight: Alison Hersey Risch reflects on her lifelong love of sports". Wicked Local. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
4. "Alison Hersey Risch '59 - Field Hockey/Lacrosse". Mount Holyoke College. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
5. "Exciting opener for Lakes Region laxers". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
6. "Imogene Opton Fish and Alison Hersey Risch to be inducted into Mount Holyoke Hall of Fame on Saturday". The Conway Daily Sun. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
7. "Alison Risch, New Hampshire – 1999". New Agenda - Northeast. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
8. . USA Field Hockey. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
9. "New England Chapter Hall of Fame" (PDF). US Lacrosse, Inc. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
10. "HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES". US Lacrosse. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
11. "WSF Hall of Fame". Winchester Sports Foundation. Retrieved March 8, 2021.