Hometown: Norwalk, CT Position: Defender Number:
Stick: Ritual Ultra 95+ Field Hockey Stick
Instagram: @damien.tarala
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Named to the US Men's National Team
Junior Pan American Championship (Bronze - Santiago, Chile)
FIH Odisha Hockey Men's Junior World Cup (15th - Bhubaneswar, India)
PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS
I started field hockey when I was around eight or nine years old. It was offered as a free extracurricular activity and I fell in love.
I looked up to Kobe Bryant and his competitive mentality. He always brought his desire to compete every game and it was amazing to watch him in action.
Always some scrambled eggs and toast.
Lose Yourself by Eminem
Fast, Aggressive, Sharp
I can improvise on the piano and play most songs that I know by ear.
Inception
James Bond
I've wanted to be an Olympian since I had career day in primary school at age 9.
Study at Dartmouth College.
Teriyaki chicken with rice and veggies
"Everything negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise." - Kobe Bryant
I love going to Taiwan. It's an amazing place, and the food there is unrivaled.
Apple Pie
A guilty pleasure on occasion
Beach house, of course.
My favorite field hockey memory would be a U14 All-Star Field Hockey Tournament that was organized in Hong Kong where the best players from all the teams would be mixed together and compete. After losing in the finals the previous year, I scored the winning goal for my team. I can still remember the feeling when I received that medal and recognizing in that moment that I wanted to win many more.