In the early spring of eighth grade, when the trees and flowers were just beginning to bloom, Olivia Calcaterra made a decision that would change her life forever; she picked up a field hockey stick. Sometimes, the first moment an athlete finds their calling does not seem very exciting. It is the cumulative years of hard work and dedication that develop a deep-seated love in an individual for a sport, and Calcaterra quickly found this love for field hockey in the years following her initial discovery of field hockey.
 
Since that day in 8th grade, Calcaterra has continued to play hockey and was one of the first girls to ever play on the revived high school team. She started in middle school, when the SPF Field Hockey program was first being reinitiated, and continues to play on the high school team today. 
 
As the high school field hockey team only runs from August-mid October/November, she continues to play in the offseason on a local club field hockey team: The Mid-Jersey Knights. The Mid-Jersey Knights Field Hockey team hails from Rutgers University, where they have a D1 field hockey program. Calcaterra receives instruction from current and past members of Rutgers to further hone her field hockey skills. She has thrived on the field as a forward on the SPF team, but on her club team, she plays all positions to improve her versatility as a player. 
 
For all of her years at SPF, Calcaterra has also been a member of the track team, running sprints and hurdles. Calcaterra hopes to continue her athletic career in college, and has already applied, and been accepted, to many schools in the Northeast. 
 
So far, Calcaterra has been accepted into Penn State University, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Cedar Crest College, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Arcadia University.
 
Of those schools, Arcadia University, St. Thomas Aquinas College and Cedar Crest College want to recruit her for their collegiate field hockey program.
 
“I’m looking forward to playing field hockey in college and to continue doing what I love for four more years….I also plan to study forensics and am hoping that I can make some long-lasting friendships in both the athletic and academic parts of my life,” Calcaterra said.