Former Emmaus star giving back to the sport
Allie Mikelson on the rise in international, national officiating
When she was an undergraduate and still playing field hockey at the University of Delaware in the winter of 2014-15, Allie Mikelson decided to give umpiring her favorite sport a try.
Why not give something back, gain some experience and make a few dollars along the way?
“It snowballed from there,” she said.
Yes, it did. Mikelson now has a rising career in international officiating.
She worked the women’s Central American and Caribbean Qualifier in Bermuda in April 2022, the bronze-medal game in the Junior Pan Am championships in April 2023, and both men’s and women’s games in the Hockey 5s Pan American Cup in June.
Her star is also rising nationally. Last fall she worked the NCAA Division II championship game (won by East Stroudsburg University) and the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
After graduating from Delaware, Mikelson worked as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Emmaus. She took some time off to earn her master’s degree in occupational therapy from Shenandoah between 2018 and 2020. She works as an occupational therapist at Priority Physical Therapy in Allentown, and coaches at Emmaus and officiates when she can.
Retired teacher and official Fran Corl played a role in helping Mikelson get started. She worked her way into the club circuit and then into USA Field Hockey, where more opportunities, mentors and training became available. Among those helping Mikelson were Maggie Giddens, one of the more decorated American officials.
“I’ve had some really good role models ahead of me,” Mikelson said. “[Giddens] is a role model of mine, not only in umpiring but in a lot of different ways.
“It’s a lot of hard work and commitment, but just being on the field is what I enjoy most about it. I’m hoping to continue until I no longer feel that it’s fun and take the opportunities that are given to me by USA Field Hockey. I am grateful to be selected for things.”
Mikelson does not plan on pursuing officiating full time for now. Her work in occupational therapy takes up most of her time.
“[Officiating] is more of a hobby,” she said. “I have my fulltime job, but I do have a passion for hockey. I’ve always found ways to stay involved, but I never thought I’d find umpiring so enjoyable from a performance and stress kind of way.
“Being able to apply the rules and umpire the game to the best of my ability in a high-pressure environment can be very fun. It can be stressful, but that’s all a part of it.”
Mikelson has the rare opportunity to give the players at Emmaus
a perspective from someone who wears black and white, not just green and yellow. She said that she helps the players with player-official relationships as well as rules.
She said that she got along with officials “for the most part” as a player, but as a captain she had to know the rules of the game. That knowledge obviously helps her now in her officiating.
“I try to challenge my kids to keep open relationships with umpires on the field,” Mikelson said. “Without them, they could not play. Just having an umpire on the coaching staff helps them see both sides. Coach, player and umpire are all needed for the sport to be what it is.”
Umpiring also gives Mikelson the chance to keep her body and mind in shape.
“I missed the high-level hockey that I played in college and the strategy and things teams are trying to do,” she said. “As an umpire, you have to know those things as well. You’re not just watching the ball; you’re deciding what type of press the attack might have and how that might influence where you’re moving.
“It’s rewarding when you’re
applying the stuff you’ve been working on for months or years and you see it work out in your favor when you’re able to hold that whistle for a goal.”
Easton, Emmaus get big nonconference wins: Many future Easton Red Rovers ran onto the field and warmed up with several current Red Rovers on Saturday morning before Easton’s nonleague game versus perennial PIAA smallschool power Wyoming Seminary.
The young players from Forks and Palmer townships watched from the sideline as Easton, the area’s No. 2-ranked team, beat Seminary 2-1 behind two Jocelyn Morgan goals.
Coach Casey Eck has the future on her mind — not just years down the road, but weeks down the road.
She wants a sustainable program; grooming young players will help that. She also wants to win more games in November; playing top-level competition can help that.
“[Seminary was] looking for a game,” Eck said. “I figured it would be really good competition, so I said, ‘Sure.’ We made it to the state tournament a few times now, and
I said that if we want to win those games, we have to continuously play good competition.”
Easton and Emmaus both had big wins last week. Emmaus defeated Downingtown West, out of District 1, 3-2 on Friday night.
Parkland had a game with Twin Valley, a Class 2A state champ two years ago, scheduled but it was canceled. Southern Lehigh scheduled Berks County power Oley Valley but lost to the Lynx 8-3.
“It was not our nicest game [versus Seminary]” Eck said. “We were not communicating out there. We did not play the game we were capable of, but sometimes you take the win and learn from it.”
Another Emmaus commitment:
Emmaus junior Autum Kernechel made a verbal commitment to Ohio State this week, making her the latest big-time Green Hornet recruit. Here is a list of the current Emmaus commits: Melea Weber (North Carolina), Emma Cari (William & Mary), Cyan and Haley Kvacky (Lock Haven), Sage Pilarski (Converse), Lauren Kushma (Drexel), Sarah Schaffer (Alvernia), Jordyn Poll (Hofstra for lacrosse) and Abby Romano (Assumption).
Big games coming up: Southern Lehigh vs. Wilson; Bangor and Parkland (Sept. 22-24). … Wilson at Bangor (Sept. 22). … Emmaus at Oak Knoll (N.J.) (Sept. 16), vs. Easton (Sept. 18), at Nazareth (Sept. 20). … Parkland at Liberty (Sept.16) … Northampton at Easton (Sept. 20). RANKINGS (Records through Wednesday)
1. Emmaus 6-0
2. Easton 6-0
3. Parkland 4-0-1
4. Nazareth 2-1-1
5. Southern Lehigh 5-1
6. Northwestern Lehigh 6-1
7. Northampton 5-2
8. Upper Perkiomen 6-2
9. Liberty 3-2
10. Stroudsburg 3-3
First four out: Pennridge 1-3, Quakertown 3-2,East Stroudsburg South 3-3, Palmerton 5-3.
STANDINGS EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE
Emmaus 5-0, Easton 4-0, Parkland 4-0-1, Northampton 3-2, Freedom 3-2-1, Nazareth 2-1-1, Liberty 2-2, Stroudsburg 2-2, East Stroudsburg South 2-3, Whitehall 2-3, Bethlehem Catholic 1-5, Pocono Mountain West 0-3, Pleasant Valley 0-4-1, Pocono Mountain East 0-4.
COLONIAL LEAGUE
East – Moravian Academy 4-1, Bangor 4-2, Wilson 3-2, Pen Argyl 2-2-1.
South – Southern Lehigh 6-0, Salisbury 3-3-1, Saucon Valley 0-2-2, Palisades 0-5.
West – Northwestern Lehigh 5-1, Palmerton 3-3, Northern Lehigh 0-4, Catasauqua 0-5. SUBURBAN ONE
Colonial – CB West 3-0, North Penn 2-1-1, CB East 2-1, CB South 1-2, Souderton 0-2-1, Pennridge 0-2.
Liberty – Wissahickon 3-0, Quakertown 2-0, Upper Dublin 2-2, Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-1, Hatboro Horsham 0-2, Abington 0-3.
PIONEER
Frontier – Upper Perkiomen 4-0, Upper Merion 2-0, Phoenixville 2-1, Pottsgrove 1-1, Pope John Paul II 1-2, Pottstown 0-2.
BERKS
Division IV – Wyomissing 2-0, Tulpehocken
0-0-1, Brandywine Heights 0-0, Hamburg 0-1, Kutztown 0-2.
DISTRICT 11
3A top four – Emmaus, Parkland, Easton, Nazareth.
2A top four – Southern Lehigh, Bangor, East Stroudsburg South, Whitehall.
1A top four – Northwestern Lehigh, Lehighton, Palmerton, Moravian Academy.
DISTRICT ONE
3A top four – CB West, Conestoga, Great Valley, Downingtown West. Quakertown is No. 12. Pennridge is No. 20.
2A top four – Mt. St. Joseph, Villa Maria, Radnor, Bishop Shanahan. Upper Perkiomen is No. 5.