There will be a new leader of the Parkland High School field hockey program when the 2026 season begins in fall.

Last month, the Parkland Board of School Directors approved the appointment of Jess Frew as the new head coach during the School Board meeting on Tuesday, May 12.

Frew brings many years of coaching experience and a strong background in player development, leadership and competitive success.

Most recently, she served as the middle school coach at Parkland from 2022 to this year. Before to that, she served was varsity head coach at Northern Lehigh High School from 2003 to 2018. There, she led her teams to much success and received Coach of the Year honors from the Colonial League.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jess Frew as our varsity field hockey coach,” said Parkland Athletic Director Andy Stephens. “Coach Frew’s passion for the sport, commitment to student-athletes, and vision for the program made her the ideal choice to lead our field hockey team. Coach Frew emphasizes teamwork, discipline and academic excellence as core pillars of the program.”

Like Stephens, Frew is excited to be able to lead the varsity program after previously serving as a youth coach within the organization.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to be named the varsity head coach at Parkland,” said Frew. “This program has a rich tradition of excellence, both on and off the field. I want to thank the administration for trusting me with this opportunity.

“I cannot wait to get to work with our talented student-athletes and build on the strong foundation already in place here.”

After being the middle school coach for the last five seasons, there was always an itch to get back to the high school ranks.

“My passion for field hockey drives me to coach at the high school level, where I can work with athletes competing at a higher competitive tier,” Frew said. “While I loved teaching middle school players the fundamentals, I am excited to return to high school and specifically build on that foundation here at Parkland. I look forward to developing our players and helping them perform at their highest level.”

When she got to Northern Lehigh in 2003, the program was struggling, not only on the field, but with quality numbers of student-athletes. Frew’s focus was on rebuilding the Bulldogs into a prominent program, and she did just that. Under her guidance, NL qualified for both league and district playoffs for 13 consecutive years. The highlight of her career was in 2013 when her team won the Colonial League Championship.

She hopes to do just the same with the Trojans.

“At the core of my coaching philosophy is the firm belief that hard work pays off,” said Frew. “I emphasize to our players that success is earned through daily dedication, discipline and maximum effort on the field. By instilling this work ethic at Parkland, we ensure that our athletes not only elevate their game but also develop the resilience needed to succeed throughout their lives.”

So, what excites her about this upcoming first season?

“I am incredibly excited to step onto the field with these athletes again for my first season,” Frew said. “Having coached these current ninth through 12th graders during their youth and middle school years, I am thrilled to reunite with them at the varsity level. I cannot wait to build upon that existing bond and work together to elevate our game at Parkland.”