Field hockey clubs feedback

[Anonymous]

Depends on the age group. But roughly 200. Then 70 for national team selection camp which is the next step

[Anonymous]

Anyone know if tryouts are coming up for any of the NOVA teams? Hard or easy to make? My daugther is rising 5th grader and has played rec since 3rd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know if tryouts are coming up for any of the NOVA teams? Hard or easy to make? My daugther is rising 5th grader and has played rec since 3rd.

Generally easier to make at younger age groups. Almost every club posts this information on their instagram accounts so you might want to follow there. Xtreme might not, so check their webpage instead.

[Anonymous]

As a former field hockey player, coach, and now a parent to a youth field hockey player...I think the landscape is filled with parents who will only find validation in their kids skills if they play college D1 field hockey. However, even the top players who go D1 will only play about 40 minutes total their first season in college. Is your kid prepared for the level of committment they need to make (7 days a week 5am workouts, ect) to only play this much? Can I suggest instead, going with a lighter load club fh program (one that does not cost your thousands in fees) and put the rest in a 529. My parents did this. I was a standout in high school (all state, all county, ect). But I did not feel pressured that my ticket to college had to be punched with my atheltic career. Instead, I got a fantastic collegiate education while playing on a club team in college (while also doing so many other activities that padded my resume), and I have a pretty amazing career (because let's get real---there is not a professional career playing field hockey).

As a former player, I beg you to just let your girl play without the pressure of what's next.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know if tryouts are coming up for any of the NOVA teams? Hard or easy to make? My daugther is rising 5th grader and has played rec since 3rd.

Generally easier to make at younger age groups. Almost every club posts this information on their instagram accounts so you might want to follow there. Xtreme might not, so check their webpage instead.

While very true, if you're really good, they'll make a spot. My kid is at a new team when the prior club imploded last year and made the RCC team over another player.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former field hockey player, coach, and now a parent to a youth field hockey player...I think the landscape is filled with parents who will only find validation in their kids skills if they play college D1 field hockey. However, even the top players who go D1 will only play about 40 minutes total their first season in college. Is your kid prepared for the level of committment they need to make (7 days a week 5am workouts, ect) to only play this much? Can I suggest instead, going with a lighter load club fh program (one that does not cost your thousands in fees) and put the rest in a 529. My parents did this. I was a standout in high school (all state, all county, ect). But I did not feel pressured that my ticket to college had to be punched with my atheltic career. Instead, I got a fantastic collegiate education while playing on a club team in college (while also doing so many other activities that padded my resume), and I have a pretty amazing career (because let's get real---there is not a professional career playing field hockey).

As a former player, I beg you to just let your girl play without the pressure of what's next.

Chiming in here that my daughter received D1, 2 and 3 offers to play. She ultimately decided on D3 (a highly ranked one for FH) with a huge merit scholarship. She'll likely play more at any of the other D1 and 2 programs, have a balanced college life, and not be as stressed as she would be at a D1 or 2 school.

After seeing so many of her friends and teammates struggle at D1 or transfer after the first year (not everyone but quite a lot) and the ones that stayed and are upper classmen have barely played.

[Anonymous]

I agree with this assessment to an extent. But keep in mind the flip side. If your daughter commits to a high D-1 school, she will be able to bypass the regular admissions process (which is near impossible at a UNC, Duke, UVA, Northwestern, etc) and get accepted at one of the top academic programs in the country where she will then receive a top notch education in addition to being part of a highly competitive team, make lifelong friends, etc. And with the D-1 mandatory study sessions and academic assistance for the athletes, the academic rigors will not be nearly as daunting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a former field hockey player, coach, and now a parent to a youth field hockey player...I think the landscape is filled with parents who will only find validation in their kids skills if they play college D1 field hockey. However, even the top players who go D1 will only play about 40 minutes total their first season in college. Is your kid prepared for the level of committment they need to make (7 days a week 5am workouts, ect) to only play this much? Can I suggest instead, going with a lighter load club fh program (one that does not cost your thousands in fees) and put the rest in a 529. My parents did this. I was a standout in high school (all state, all county, ect). But I did not feel pressured that my ticket to college had to be punched with my atheltic career. Instead, I got a fantastic collegiate education while playing on a club team in college (while also doing so many other activities that padded my resume), and I have a pretty amazing career (because let's get real---there is not a professional career playing field hockey).

As a former player, I beg you to just let your girl play without the pressure of what's next.

Chiming in here that my daughter received D1, 2 and 3 offers to play. She ultimately decided on D3 (a highly ranked one for FH) with a huge merit scholarship. She'll likely play more at any of the other D1 and 2 programs, have a balanced college life, and not be as stressed as she would be at a D1 or 2 school.

After seeing so many of her friends and teammates struggle at D1 or transfer after the first year (not everyone but quite a lot) and the ones that stayed and are upper classmen have barely played.

There is no such thing as an athletic scholarship for D3 athletes. Just stop. Even playing semantics with "huge merit scholarship" will not end up being free. The best you can hope is they will match the average tuition of your in state options. I went through this with both my sons for Baseball at Gettysburg, Washington College, and a bunch of others. I'm not saying that isn't great for some people but anytime anyone claims their kid has a ride for any sport at any D3 school it annoys he eff out of me. It does not exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with this assessment to an extent. But keep in mind the flip side. If your daughter commits to a high D-1 school, she will be able to bypass the regular admissions process (which is near impossible at a UNC, Duke, UVA, Northwestern, etc) and get accepted at one of the top academic programs in the country where she will then receive a top notch education in addition to being part of a highly competitive team, make lifelong friends, etc. And with the D-1 mandatory study sessions and academic assistance for the athletes, the academic rigors will not be nearly as daunting.

You’re not making those teams unless you are the best in the country. All have Olympic players on the teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a former field hockey player, coach, and now a parent to a youth field hockey player...I think the landscape is filled with parents who will only find validation in their kids skills if they play college D1 field hockey. However, even the top players who go D1 will only play about 40 minutes total their first season in college. Is your kid prepared for the level of committment they need to make (7 days a week 5am workouts, ect) to only play this much? Can I suggest instead, going with a lighter load club fh program (one that does not cost your thousands in fees) and put the rest in a 529. My parents did this. I was a standout in high school (all state, all county, ect). But I did not feel pressured that my ticket to college had to be punched with my atheltic career. Instead, I got a fantastic collegiate education while playing on a club team in college (while also doing so many other activities that padded my resume), and I have a pretty amazing career (because let's get real---there is not a professional career playing field hockey).

As a former player, I beg you to just let your girl play without the pressure of what's next.

Chiming in here that my daughter received D1, 2 and 3 offers to play. She ultimately decided on D3 (a highly ranked one for FH) with a huge merit scholarship. She'll likely play more at any of the other D1 and 2 programs, have a balanced college life, and not be as stressed as she would be at a D1 or 2 school.

After seeing so many of her friends and teammates struggle at D1 or transfer after the first year (not everyone but quite a lot) and the ones that stayed and are upper classmen have barely played.

There is no such thing as an athletic scholarship for D3 athletes. Just stop. Even playing semantics with "huge merit scholarship" will not end up being free. The best you can hope is they will match the average tuition of your in state options. I went through this with both my sons for Baseball at Gettysburg, Washington College, and a bunch of others. I'm not saying that isn't great for some people but anytime anyone claims their kid has a ride for any sport at any D3 school it annoys he eff out of me. It does not exist.

Don’t talk to me like I don’t know. First, I did not say D3 gave athletic money -I know they don’t- I said merit. And my dc received the highest merit which, on top of other scholarships, makes tuition around $15k/year (room and board).

So please be annoyed all annoyed thinking you know everything. That may be. But you clearly can’t read English. And you DEF don’t know our situation. So stuff it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with this assessment to an extent. But keep in mind the flip side. If your daughter commits to a high D-1 school, she will be able to bypass the regular admissions process (which is near impossible at a UNC, Duke, UVA, Northwestern, etc) and get accepted at one of the top academic programs in the country where she will then receive a top notch education in addition to being part of a highly competitive team, make lifelong friends, etc. And with the D-1 mandatory study sessions and academic assistance for the athletes, the academic rigors will not be nearly as daunting.

You’re not making those teams unless you are the best in the country. All have Olympic players on the teams.

Not 💯 true but mostly. Between the top -national team level- players AND the international players that make up half these rosters, very few players -without coach/family/politics connections- are making the top D1 teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a former field hockey player, coach, and now a parent to a youth field hockey player...I think the landscape is filled with parents who will only find validation in their kids skills if they play college D1 field hockey. However, even the top players who go D1 will only play about 40 minutes total their first season in college. Is your kid prepared for the level of committment they need to make (7 days a week 5am workouts, ect) to only play this much? Can I suggest instead, going with a lighter load club fh program (one that does not cost your thousands in fees) and put the rest in a 529. My parents did this. I was a standout in high school (all state, all county, ect). But I did not feel pressured that my ticket to college had to be punched with my atheltic career. Instead, I got a fantastic collegiate education while playing on a club team in college (while also doing so many other activities that padded my resume), and I have a pretty amazing career (because let's get real---there is not a professional career playing field hockey).

As a former player, I beg you to just let your girl play without the pressure of what's next.

Chiming in here that my daughter received D1, 2 and 3 offers to play. She ultimately decided on D3 (a highly ranked one for FH) with a huge merit scholarship. She'll likely play more at any of the other D1 and 2 programs, have a balanced college life, and not be as stressed as she would be at a D1 or 2 school.

After seeing so many of her friends and teammates struggle at D1 or transfer after the first year (not everyone but quite a lot) and the ones that stayed and are upper classmen have barely played.

There is no such thing as an athletic scholarship for D3 athletes. Just stop. Even playing semantics with "huge merit scholarship" will not end up being free. The best you can hope is they will match the average tuition of your in state options. I went through this with both my sons for Baseball at Gettysburg, Washington College, and a bunch of others. I'm not saying that isn't great for some people but anytime anyone claims their kid has a ride for any sport at any D3 school it annoys he eff out of me. It does not exist.

Don’t talk to me like I don’t know. First, I did not say D3 gave athletic money -I know they don’t- I said merit. And my dc received the highest merit which, on top of other scholarships, makes tuition around $15k/year (room and board).

So please be annoyed all annoyed thinking you know everything. That may be. But you clearly can’t read English. And you DEF don’t know our situation. So stuff it.

My DD too. Plays for top D3 and destroyed D1 teams this past Spring season (yes, in the Spring season, D1s will play against D3s that are close by.) With merit aid, less than $25K a year. Even with a partial scholarship at a sub-par D1, you will pay $40K plus. If you are lucky!

[Anonymous]

That’s not true. Unlike in the DMV, where the clubs tend to be coached by club-level only coaches, many clubs around the country are coached by college/university affiliated coaches, most of them assistant coaches as high as associate head coach for top D1 teams. They will offer their club players spots on their college rosters and also advocate to other D1 coaches on their players behalf. There are A LOT of really good under-the-radar players that top tier coaches keep “hidden”. They are not on all these often ridiculous lists like MAX but the coaches don’t care because they’ve seen them play firsthand and that’s all that matters to them. There are also a lot of late bloomers in field hockey who were star athletes in other sports, usually soccer, and they are chosen based on potential - these coaches know they can learn field hockey. You can teach stick skills easily but you can’t teach speed or athleticism. Trust me on all of this, it’s rampant and unknown to most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with this assessment to an extent. But keep in mind the flip side. If your daughter commits to a high D-1 school, she will be able to bypass the regular admissions process (which is near impossible at a UNC, Duke, UVA, Northwestern, etc) and get accepted at one of the top academic programs in the country where she will then receive a top notch education in addition to being part of a highly competitive team, make lifelong friends, etc. And with the D-1 mandatory study sessions and academic assistance for the athletes, the academic rigors will not be nearly as daunting.

Feel free to name one player from the DMV/NoVa who has committed to any of the schools you have mentioned above recently. None and none likely anytime soon.

[Anonymous]

Feel free to name one player from the DMV/NoVa who has committed to any of the schools you have mentioned above recently. None and none likely anytime soon.

This area has had success in placing players at top D-1/top academic schools. There's a 2026 who plays for Metro going to Northwestern. There are two 2026s, one from MD and the other from VA, going to Princeton. Last year, UVA had at least two VA players and one MD. Harvard just graduated a senior from Fairfax. It's not the pipeline that PA and NJ are, but our area does produce strong players, and I think that's only going to increase.