The first time I ever saw a field hockey game was a few years ago in high school, and I accidentally mistook it for a game of freeze tag.

Seeing players move five feet at a time before hearing a whistle to stop play was ultimately the reason I never watched another game, until a few weeks ago.

I could not imagine how anyone in their right mind would want to watch a sport where the gameplay had about as much flow as a JoePa freestyle rap.

To me, the game was too painful to watch, let alone appreciate.

For one, the game discriminates against lefties.

Part of the reason I was disenchanted with the sport was because I did not understand why the higher-ups in field hockey failed to permit clearance for the production of sticks that do not allow southpaw hitters like myself and the likes of John Olerud and Phil Mickelson to compete.

OK, terrific.

Call it a conflict of interest, but the beat I cover for the Collegian is Penn State field hockey.

Now, after seeing the sport at the Div. I level, my appreciation for field hockey has taken a complete 180.

Do not get me wrong, I am a proponent of most women's sports.

I went to the inaugural game of the Women's World Cup back in 1998 at Giants Stadium.

There I gained a respect for the female athlete -- the exception being the simply awful incarnation of basketball recreation, the WNBA.

If you truly want to hear my thoughts on this third-tier athletic organization, my e-mail address is below.

Send away.

But back to field hockey.

The first game I covered was two weeks ago, when the Nittany Lions housed the Leopards of Lafayette and, like I said, witnessing that game changed my entire perspective of the sport.

Unlike the high-school version of field hockey, the matchup was extremely fast-paced (as are all college sports compared to high school), and yes, there was even some bloodshed.

Seeing Penn State back Kelly Larson crack heads at full speed with a Lafayette player truly showed the high emotion of the game, and how much these players strive to compete.

Larson was forced to leave the game with a concussion, while the Lafayette player was escorted off the field with a cut on her forehead that made Hasim Rahman's conjoined twin-like head wound look like a papercut.

Well, maybe it wasn't that bad, but it just shows the overflow of competitive spirit between both teams, so much so that blood was shed on Bigler Field.

The bottom line is, these women athletes deserve more respect than they get.

Why?

Yet another reason is that the Penn State field hockey team maintains and upholds the integrity of the sport, and the integrity of athletics in general.

The reasoning is simple.

Chances are, Jill Martz, Heather Conroy or Timarie Legel will not be household names after they graduate.

Nor will they be making millions of dollars in the pros or off of shoe deals with Nike, because the sport of field hockey still does not have a ton of pull in the professional sports market.

To some collegiate football or basketball players, the thought of there not being a seven-figure contract waiting for them after they graduate is enough to make them break down and cry.

Without the draw of fame or fortune, the women play for the love of the game, which is what all athletes -- college or pro -- should strive for.

It is athletics in its purest form, something that has been lost over the years to the dreams of flash and cash of professional sports.

Call me old-fashioned, but give these athletes the respect they deserve.