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World Hockey Youth Day USA 1

On October 26th, the Field Hockey Federation did something special. In the guys field hockey mecca of Moorpark California, a clinic was held to commemorate the F.I.H. endorsed World Youth Hockey Day. The F.I.H. and the F.I.H. World Youth Hockey Panel designed World Youth Hockey Day, so that hockey players, all over the world, could take the opportunity to introduce field hockey to youth who have never played before. All over the world, clinics were hosted; kids gripped sticks for the first time, and smiles were seen all over the pitch. Here in the U.S., Moorpark gave a beautiful meaning to World Youth Hockey Day and to the future development of youth field hockey awareness. T-shirts, sticks to use for the day, and prizes were given out; while, many kids might think that the best thing about a clinic are the free perks, the kids whose feet went running on the Moorpark turf will probably beg to differ.

World Hockey Youth Day USA 1

The kids were sent to the turf to learn the basics, watch demo games by experienced girls and the U.S. Under-16 team, and listen to the encouraging and inspiring words of Ben Maruquin, a 1996 Olympian. Nearly 150 kids attended and many smiles were seen as kids learned how to grip this weird looking stick, got excited as young girls outfitted in the red, white, and blue conducted loud, fun, cheers, and watched, with awe struck delight, as hockey natives displayed the brilliance of the sport. But the most innovative and interesting part of the day was when the parents had their turn to try field hockey. For the last drill of the day, kids and parents paired up and dribbled around cones...as the parents fumbled and the kids giggled this drill went on for a longer than expected amount of time; and as one thinks about all the happiness that leaked out of this drill, one must also think about the significance of this drill to U.S. youth field hockey development. If simple drills allow for the interaction of field hockey kid and parent, and enable the parent to experience the same joyous emotions their kid feels from hockey, then one can only hope that these parents will become positive supporters of U.S. Field Hockey. More importantly, these parents may even take up the sport themselves or having previously played, realize their lost passion for the sport, and decide to give back to field hockey by coaching or umpiring.

World Hockey Youth Day USA 2

The primary goal on October 26th may have been to increase youth field hockey participation, but the secondary, if not equal goal, was to allow players to give back to their sport. At all World Youth Hockey Day events, experienced youth players experienced what it was like to coach their peers. They discovered the inexplicable feeling one gets from coaching the sport to people who have never played before and acquired a new sense of importance, as they realized they could inspire others to take part in what they love. One youth player, turned coach on Oct.26th, poignantly describes her Moorpark coaching experience, as “I enjoyed coaching the youth because it reminded me of when I first began to play hockey.” Perhaps we all need the same reminder this youth player had on World Hockey Day, and in the future, hopefully more players will set out to give back to their sport, not just to increase participation, but to experience the same heartwarming emotions these youth experienced from coaching their peers. One must also remember that U.S. youth field hockey development lacks as many coaches as it does youth. And if we are to increase U.S. youth field hockey awareness, everyone, including youth, should be encouraged to coach.

World Hockey Youth Day USA 3

Nonetheless, U.S. youth field hockey awareness was in full swing at Moorpark and Moorpark will be an excellent example of the importance of events, such as World Youth Hockey Day, to U.S. Field Hockey Development. Even if no kid is retained from the Moorpark clinic, let the U.S. Field Hockey community take satisfaction in knowing, that on World Youth Hockey Day a youth player/coach was able to say “...kids from different backgrounds, cultures, and skill levels came together for a common goal. The enjoyment of field hockey. All came out for Youth Hockey Day. Some were beginners, some were experienced, and some had never ever seen a stick or ball, but that’s what made it special.”

World Hockey Youth Day USA 4

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