Martirosian '05 joins team USA

After graduation, many Princetonians find work at least marginally related to their studies. This is what Natalie Martirosian '05 did — she got a job with a nonprofit in Kazakhstan after earning a degree in Slavic studies and writing a thesis on Russia's influence in Central Asia.

But few Princetonians miss the adrenaline of game time enough to return to sports — and play for the national team in the Olympic qualifiers.

That's exactly what Martirosian is doing after a year and a half of working in the NGO and diplomatic world. Though she was continuing her Russian studies and living in a country she had researched, Martirosian couldn't resist her calling: field hockey.

"I did find a field hockey team there, but I became very anxious that I would regret not being able to give hockey my full attention," the 24-year old from Richmond, Va., who holds the fifth spot on Princeton's all-time assists list, said.

When she finally grew too homesick for the green and made her long-awaited comeback, she trained with the regional NJ/PA team for a few months prior to the USA National Championships, which were held in June. The NJ/PA team would go on to dominate in the championship and produce 15 of the 25 national team squad members, with Martirosian doing her fair share of the work by making three goals.

Martirosian was in fairly familiar territory during her training with the NJ/PA team, as she reunited with Coach Kristen Holmes-Winn, who had coached the Princeton team for two of Martirosian's four years.

In addition, she had already trained with many of the national team members during her junior national team and college years.

Despite all this, though, Martirosian modestly described her experience with the regional team as a "luxury."

"The quality of play and coaching at [the NJ/PA team] trainings was very high. I had a great tournament because I was surrounded by hardworking teammates who all bought into the idea that the tournament was an opportunity to raise the level of elite hockey in the U.S.," Martirosian said. "During the tournament, I was, of course, thinking about making the national team in the back of my mind, but, first and foremost, I was just so happy to be playing at a high level again and surrounded by people who love the sport as much as I do."

The rigorous training sessions also reminded Martirosian of the break she had taken, during which her teammates had worked to elevate their game.

"I recognize that they have been committed to the national team for longer than I, and that, consequently, it is my responsibility to prove to them that I deserve to be on the team and have something to offer," Martirosian said.

The forward/midfield utility player describes her experiences on the national squad as a full-time job requiring far more commitment than her Princeton or U-21 teams.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Though she misses the Princeton hockey tailgates, where the players' parents used to fix all of the team's favorite dishes, she admits that she is happy to have moved on to the next stage in her hockey career.

"Everyday I am confronted with the recognition that I am a part of something that is much greater than my personal growth as a hockey player — it's about contributing to the betterment of the team and representing our country," Martirosian said.

Though there are certainly no doubts about her talent from the Orange and Black community, Martirosian will have to find her feet quickly in the national squad.

The U.S. women's field hockey team lost an automatic berth in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing after a devastating 4-2 loss to Argentina in the final of the Pan American games, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during July.

"Life would be a lot easier at the moment if we knew we had a spot in the Olympics," Martirosian said. "But Argentina is one of the best teams in the world, so it was a good opportunity to assess our development and start making changes in preparation for upcoming events."

Though Martirosian didn't travel to the land of samba, she will be a part of the national team that will receive Japan. Having already secured its spot in the 2008 Olympics, Japan will travel to the United States for a six-game series in early October.

Then, the team will have about two months off until the hectic battles for Olympic qualification begin in early 2008.

Despite the importance and pressure of the task at hand, Martirosian is far from fazed.

"Practices are intense, but it's awesome to play with a group of girls who are so committed to the process of improvement. I feel like I learn something new from them every play," Martirosian said.

As her quest to carve out her own role in the national team continues, Martirosian will have plenty of the topnotch field hockey she'd been craving for in Kazakhstan. And she is raring to go, as she looks forward to the next few months when "life will be all hockey."