Coming off one of its strongest seasons in recent years, GFS Field Hockey will enter the 2026 season with a new home and plenty of momentum.
Beginning this fall, the Tigers will hold practices and home games on the synthetic turf athletic field at The Salvation Army Kroc Center of Philadelphia, located just a five-minute drive from the GFS campus. The move provides the program with consistent access to a high-quality turf playing surface while keeping the team close to school.
The new home comes at an exciting time for the program. GFS finished the 2025 season 8-5-1 overall and 4-2 in Friends Schools League play, placing third in the league standings and earning a spot in the FSL semifinals. The Tigers scored 37 goals over the course of the season while continuing to establish themselves as a program on the rise.
Leading that growth is Head Coach Rachel Steinman, a former Temple University field hockey player who also serves as an assistant coach with USA Field Hockey's O55 Women's Masters Team. Under Steinman's leadership, the Tigers will look to build on last year's success while continuing to develop the program from season to season.
Their new home should help.
“It takes a huge lift off of our kids being so close to campus. We can focus less on logistics and more on hockey.” said Coach Steinman. “The partnership with the Kroc Center has been amazing! They are setting us up for success, adding lines to the turf specifically to our needs and allowing our branding.”
The Kroc Center's 12.5-acre campus features a full synthetic turf athletic field equipped with lights, giving GFS coaches and student-athletes a consistent space where they can maximize their practice time together. The short trip from campus also means less time spent traveling to and from practices and more time dedicated to training, preparation, and team development.
For families and fans, the facility offers on-site parking and a unique setting for home games. The Tigers have their branded panels on the goals, helping the field feel and look like the GFS home it is.
The field sits against a backdrop that feels distinctly Philadelphia. A SEPTA Rail line runs parallel to the sideline behind a row of pine trees, with trains occasionally passing throughout practices and games. On one side of the turf stands the modern Kroc Center, with its beautiful brick and clean glass, while an older industrial building sits opposite it. Together, the surroundings create a striking contrast between old and new—between what was and what is still to come. In many ways, it’s a fitting backdrop for a field hockey program building on its past while looking toward an exciting future.
Most importantly, the new facility gives the Tigers something they can truly make their own.
“It’s just a better vibe here,” said senior Lexi Ablin, who seemed to be most excited about the added community involvement that can happen now that they will practice and compete closer to campus. “It’s closer to school so people can come watch our games and also after practice we can get back in time to support the other teams.”
After an encouraging 2025 campaign, GFS Field Hockey enters the fall looking to take another step forward. With a talented group of returning players, an experienced coaching staff, and now a new turf field just minutes from campus, the Tigers have a home that can grow alongside the program.