Starting this March, a new spring sport is coming to Parkway: boys field hockey. Established by girls field hockey coach Dawn Callahan, the Boys Inaugural Field Hockey League is an opportunity for boys...
![Knees bent, freshman James Callahan lifts the ball for a fast pass during the 2021 Young Men’s National Championship in Virginia Beach. Despite his high skill level, it is difficult for Callahan to find opportunities to play with other boys. “I can’t play in any tournaments in St. Louis. To get practice with other boys, I’d have to fly out to California or Pennsylvania. You have to spend $400 to pay for the practice, and you pay for a plane ticket. We don’t even know if they’re giving us rooms, [or if] we also have to get the hotel and transportation,” Callahan said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/unnamed-22.jpg)
![“[The saddest moment of my life was] when [my dad] left for his deployment. I knew that I wouldn't be able to see him for at least a year. When he was [gone], I was sad all the time. It was the summer [I was] going into second grade, and he found out that he would be deployed [to Florida]. He went to Florida for seven months and 10 days. I only saw him three times, once for Christmas. It was hard because it was just my mom, brother and me. My brother was 4, so he didn't fully understand what was happening. He became very sensitive and developed anger issues because his mind was confused. It was hard to watch my brother be so mad, sad and angry all the time. It was also really hard to watch my mom try to keep it together and be there for my brother and [I]. There was still stuff that had to be done, but my dad wasn't there, so I had to step up and do it. In school, I was shy. I had friends, but I grew distant from them. It was hard to sit in school and learn. I didn't know when [my dad] was coming back, [but when he did], it surprised me, and I was extremely happy.”
— Hannah Zaiser, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/image4-3-e1652129707436-900x645.jpg)