During Community Time on Thursday, November 30, 2023, Jamie Hagerman-Phinney ‘99, a Deerfield alum who excelled in hockey and lacrosse despite battling injuries and setbacks, visited campus and shared her story and advice with Deerfield students.
Her journey started at Deerfield, where she was a member of the Girls’ Varsity Hockey Team and participated in various other varsity teams. Science Teacher Heidi Valk, who previously coached Hagerman-Phinney in soccer, said, “Her greatest contributions to the Deerfield community were the standards she set and the leadership she exercised throughout her time here. Jamie was committed to her classmates and teammates.” During her senior year, Hagerman-Phinney’s leadership roles included residential proctor and a Varsity captain for three sports.
Receiving invitations to the national U.S. hockey development camp led to her initial aspirations of joining the Olympic team, and following her time at Deerfield, she continued her hockey career at Harvard University. She then represented the United States as a part of the Under-22 National Team from 1999 to 2001.
During her sophomore year at Harvard, she suffered an ACL tear while playing lacrosse. This injury took six years to heal, but it didn’t deter Hagerman-Phinney from pursuing her Olympic aspirations. She joined the U.S. national ice hockey team and succeeded, winning a gold medal at the 2005 Ice Hockey World Women’s Championships and a bronze medal at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.
Hagerman-Phinney’s visit to Deerfield was part of the LEAD Kick-Off Event to encourage student-athletes to sign up for the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program. LEAD provides essential leadership education and self-evaluation to prepare students for lifelong success.
In her speech, Hagerman-Phinney emphasized the importance of an athlete’s mindset and the correlation between effort and success on the playing field. She shared her journey of perseverance through challenges, including facing resistance as the lone girl on the team and overcoming a torn ACL. Despite the pain and doubt, Hagerman-Phinney’s determination led her to triumph at the Winter Olympics.
Nate Watson ‘26, a Varsity Boys’ Hockey player with twelve years of experience, said, “Jamie’s speech really hit home. When I face challenges, I often take them personally, thinking others breeze through them effortlessly. I used to believe that exceptional Olympic players like Jamie never encountered hurdles, that it all came naturally to them.”
As she addressed the audience, Hagerman-Phinney posed an answer to a question: “Why do I put myself in this moment? Because I want to take my game and my team’s game to the highest level possible.”
Despite her accomplishments, Hagerman-Phinney experienced another setback with a second ACL tear that forced her to reconsider her dreams of participating in the 2010 Olympics. Resilient as ever, she decided to transition from playing to coaching. She coached Norway’s national team and various boarding schools before ultimately joining Phillips Academy Andover, where she currently works.
Hagerman-Phinney credits hockey for teaching her valuable life lessons, such as resilience and the ability to find the best version of herself. She shared that these lessons have allowed her to be the best mother to her five-year-old son, who has special needs. Hagerman-Phinney’s journey has taught her how to fight and overcome challenges on and off the ice. Following the positive reception of this event, the community can look forward to another LEAD guest speaker in January.