David Harris               

USA Field Hockey celebrates the life of David Harris, a true pioneer and legend of the sport in the United States, who passed away on February 26, 2020. A man of all trades, David was instrumental on a number of fronts for field hockey on the West Coast, and in general around the country, from being one of the first male International Hockey Federation (FIH) certified umpires to coaching and managing the Junior U.S. Men’s National Team. He represented the red, white and blue on the field as a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team, but above all, was a key figure in the development of the sport in Moorpark, Calif. with his name synonymous with the California Cup, Moorpark College Hockey Center and inspiring countless athletes over the decades.

The entire USA Field Hockey Family extends its thoughts and condolences to David’s family and loved ones, including his wife Elaine, brother Tom and sons Patrick and Sean.

Born in 1947, David was an early recruit to field hockey in the late 1960’s through his brother, who fondly recalled the early days of simply hitting balls as hard as they could up and down an open field. In an interview in 2017, David reminisced about hitting balls in grass a foot high and working with Tom to make goals out of plastic pipe and fishnets between the uneven chalk lines. To them, it was doing whatever it took to play the game. It was from these early days in the Golden State that the California Cup was seeded and has been facilitated by the brothers ever since. In 2016 at the 45th edition of the event, David was honored as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, not only for helping found the international tournament, but for his tireless contributions as an athlete, coordinator, director and manger.