The Fall 2024 field hockey season officially wrapped up last weekend, with Northwestern University taking home the Division I National Championship, Saint Anselm winning the Division II National Championship, and Middlebury earning the top spot in Division III.
At the state level, West Perry (1A), Warwick (2A), and Conestoga (3A) were all named PIAA State Champions.
So, that’s a wrap. See you next August!
Ha-ha. Just kidding. Like many sports, field hockey has become a year-round endeavor.
The day after Thanksgiving, USA Field Hockey hosted the National Field Hockey Festival, one of their largest events and a massive college showcase, in Naples, Florida. Over 100 college coaches from the Division I, II, and III levels were in attendance to recruit and over 120 club teams comprised of over 1,000 players (ranging from U-10 to U-19 and including co-ed teams) from across the country competed.
No rest for the weary.
Today, it’s pretty much essential that any field hockey player with aspirations to play at the college level be involved in some out-of-season club team or training.
“Players in our sport could be involved in the game year long in various ways. The closer the player gets to starting their college career, being consistently involved and developing in the sport is certainly important,” said Jennifer Stone, head coach of the Lafayette field hockey team.
After the fall season concludes, many players will attend the National Field Hockey Festival, which is always held in a warm weather location during the week of Thanksgiving.
Following that, players will switch to their indoor sticks. Indoor field hockey is vastly different from outdoor, but the speed of the game (which is MUCH faster) and size of the court (yes, court, not field…) (which is MUCH smaller) provides a phenomenal opportunity for players to refine their skills.
Indoor field hockey is typically 6 vs. 6 (including a goalkeeper) and played on a playing surface made of synthetic tiles with boards along the long ends of the court which players can use to “bounce” the ball off. The field ranges in size depending on the age of the players, but can range from 36 to 44 meters in length and 18 to 22 meters wide. The rules are also different. Players are only allowed to push or flick the ball (no hitting) and cannot raise the ball off the playing surface (lift) except for a shot on goal.
Many players will participate in National Indoor Tournament Qualifier tournaments, followed by USA Field Hockey’s National Indoor Tournament and/or National Indoor Festival (both hotspots for recruiting) in the middle of winter (February/March timeframe).
Once indoor wraps up and the snow melts, it’s back to the outdoor pitch for camps, clinics, tournaments, and summer leagues until that preseason report date comes around.
For players interested in being recruited to play at either the Division I, II, or III levels, it’s almost an expectation that you continue to develop your skills even after the fall season wraps up. In many cases, these off-season opportunities are the only time college coaches can see players play (considering that their own seasons are underway during the fall).
This is no small commitment. Not for players, their parents, nor their other supporters.
During this season of thanks, it would be remiss not to thank all of those who make these opportunities possible for us as players. To our parents, who have spent countless hours (not to mention dollars) enabling us to take advantage of these opportunities, and to the coaches, umpires, and administrators who make them a reality.
And, of course, we must give thanks for the sport of field hockey itself. For the gift of competition. For the ability to go out and play the sport we love.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the wins and losses. The goals and the saves.
But at the end of the day, we are truly blessed to have a game we love and be given the opportunity to pursue our dreams.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.
