Mother Teresa once said, “Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting…don’t only give your care, but give of your heart as well.” I love that quote, and every time I read it, there are certain people that just immediately come to mind – my friend Megan Deblitz is one of those people.
Megan really is the kind of person that you can’t help but absolutely love. She emanates compassion for others, and when she feels passionate about something, she gives it her all. So when an opportunity arose to start a girls middle school field hockey team, she took it as an opportunity to do so much more!
She (along with her two assistant coaches), not only help to coach their girls in field hockey, but they took it as a chance to help build good character and a sense of family, both on and off the team. She uses her position to help guide the girls in a way that shows them to be there for one another, instead of the cattiness that can many times creep into their world. She also helps teach the older girls about what it means to be a good role model for the younger girls who are coming into the sport. Being there for each other and having each others back – that is after all what families are all about, and when you’re a part of a team, it really does become an extended family.
Smarty Charlotte, meet my dear friend, Megan!!!
Megan’s Smarty Mom Stats:
Married to: My soulmate Jason for 13 years
Mom of: Bradley (9), Zachary (7), Jackson (4) and McKinley (almost 2 years old!)
Occupation: CEO of the Deblitz household and field hockey coach
‘Hood: The Cloisters
Hometown: Moorestown, New Jersey
Years in Charlotte: 13
You were a collegiate field hockey player. How do you think your time in college differed from your friends who didn’t play a collegiate sport?
I had to be a lot more disciplined. We went from class to practice, and then back to study hall. There wasn’t a lot of idle time.
There are pro’s and con’s to everything. What would be some advice that you could give the high school student with the prospect of playing a sport in college?
Do it! Yes, it’s a lot of hard work and you will miss out on some things, but being able to do something you love and being on a team is a wonderful way to go through school.
Having played sports your whole life, you know the time and dedication that goes into it. Now that you have children who are also playing sports, how do you juggle all of the different practices, games, homework etc…
Doing it with my best friend by my side, my husband, Jason. If it wasn’t for him along with great friends and family I wouldn’t be able to. I had the best role model in my mother who did it all for 5 of us as a single parent! I also try to take things one season at a time – I don’t look too far ahead in the future, and we do the best we can in the moment or season that we are in!
I think many of us get to a point in our lives where we think, “Ok, what is my calling?” You mentioned that starting the girls field hockey program at Holy Trinity Middle School here in Charlotte was your calling. In what ways do you see your work living through your girls? What do you hope they learn from being a part of a team?
I truly believe this is my calling right now (in this season!) Being able to influence and role model for girls how they can be strong and confident and get attention for working hard at something they love. When I was younger, I never felt comfortable receiving compliments on my appearance or clothes, but when someone told me I played a great game, something that I really worked hard at achieving for myself and my team, I could feel good about that.
Being involved in a competitive sport is both a privilege and an opportunity. To be able to push yourself to do your best, not only gains respect from those around you but of yourself as well. We talk to the girls about what it means to be on a team, that it is a family; it means having friends who will always get your back and who will say positive things about you and always have positive thoughts for you. And no matter what someone else heard, at the end of the day, you have confidence that the girls who work so hard with you on the field respect you and want the best for you.
I can’t even imagine all of the work that went into starting the field hockey team! How did you even know where to start?
A good friend and the founder of Charlotteambush.com (the club field hockey team,),Miki Osherow helped me lay the ground work which enabled me to put the team together. The Holy Trinity Middle School team is a club sport that is run through Charlotte Ambush.
I’m sure when you began the program, you had an image in your mind of what it would become. Looking back, has it grown like you thought it would?
We are currently in our third year. The first year, it was me and my assistant coach Melissa Sullivan. We had 36 girls on the team, with only 11 playing on the field at a time! Last year we added an additional coach, Jessica Saville, and I could not do what I do with out either of them. They’re both dedicated, loving and insightful woman. We have three teams this year; a 6th grade team, a 7th and an 8th grade team. Our goal has always been to teach and pass along a sport that we are all passionate about, as well as help mold young girls on and off the field. We continue to be pleased and feel blessed to be able to do what we love to do!
Where would you like to see girl’s field hockey go in Charlotte?
I would love to see it become the ‘hot bed’ of recruiting for colleges across the country. We currently have the top division 1 field hockey programs here in North Carolina and I would love to see the colleges be able to recruit within the state rather than having to go to other places in the country.
With FOUR kids (9 and under), a husband, volunteer work (I always see you at the school :o), coaching hockey, traveling to the games etc…, how do you find balance?
The thought – “ It could be worse”, at the end of the day, make even my most hectic days a blessing.
For those of us who are unfamiliar with the sport, what do you say to the parents who may not consider field hockey as an option for their girls because their perception of it being one of the more physical or dangerous sports.
Field hockey is no more dangerous or physical than soccer or lacrosse. You are not allowed to check or obstruct another player it is a foul.
How would parents go about getting their kids started with field hockey? Would you recommend a clinic or go right into it at a young age?
There are many options through www.charlotteambush.com, we run clinics, rec leagues, school teams as well as travel teams year round.
Favorite place in Charlotte for a date night?
Barrington’s
What’s something that most people don’t know about you?
My favorite vacation spot is a remote family cabin in Maine with no running water or plumbing, completely off the grid, it helps reboot my soul.
Favorite thing to do with your family.
Anything outdoors… right now for the fall it would be hiking or playing flag football in the front yard.
Who is your celebrity crush?
Taylor Kitsch, he was on the show Friday Night Lights.
Household chore you despise the most?
Food shopping and my husband who loves it once said to me “ you better get used to it with a family our size and three growing boys – you’ll need to go everyday!”
Behavioral trait you hope you’re children don’t inherit from you?
I am not good at long term planning. I do not project out too far, and when you are running a household, that can put you in difficult positions at times.
Household appliance you couldn’t live without?
Washing machine! It never stops washing clothes, even at 2am, that baby is still spinning along merrily.
Favorite cocktail?
Red wine, but I am currently obsessed with Soul GastroLounge’s cucumber mule.
Favorite guilty pleasure?
Sleep ….I can’t enough of it. I recently went on a girls weekend, and after lunch I went to take a “little” nap and I didn’t wake up till 8’oclock that night!
