Field hockey clubs feedback

[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.

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.

I know girls going to:
Columbia (2026)
Boston U (2024)
Iowa (2025)
Mich State (2025)
OSU (2026)
Syracuse (2025)
Dartmouth (2024)
Georgetown (2025)

That's just off the top of my head and these are all TOP teams and/or very good schools.

[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.

Nah. They give that package to everyone. Your daughter isn't special. But keep telling the world how she had a D1 'ride'. Because those of us in the know know full well she would have been cut first thing and lost all money.

[Anonymous]

Considering moving our 2028 daughter from existing club to Warhawks. Looking for better coaching and more opportunities. Any feedback or recommendations based upon personal experiences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Considering moving our 2028 daughter from existing club to Warhawks. Looking for better coaching and more opportunities. Any feedback or recommendations based upon personal experiences?

Just don't go there with the expectation she will be on the top team. If she is, great, if not, you have to accept she is the player she is. Maybe this will change, maybe it won't. I've known people who assumed their kid would make the top team or be a starter when they move clubs, and then they were upset when their kid didn't. In one case, the parent found a reason to blame the club and moved on again rather then accept their kid is not the player they think they are.

Like any club, there are positives and negatives with Warhawks. I know a few people there who have voiced that it is not perfect.

[Anonymous]

I wanted to provide my personal experience and feel that it would help. Within the DMV FH scene, it's crucial to recognize that talented players can thrive at any club, though issues of favoritism can influence opportunities. Participating in clinics or camps at prospective clubs can provide valuable insights into coaching styles and team dynamics. If they can find friends they are usually pretty sucessful.

Clubs like Warhawks and Freedom offer a professional
environment but may have a larger pool of players, which can result in more tournament opportunities and competition to make the top team. Next Level is
attractive to those moving from other clubs, such as Wolves, Metro, and Hussel, and is known for accommodating a diverse group of players. They have a lot of recent sucess with their U16 team. So if this is your daughter's age group, it may be a great choice. Welma is particularly respected, with many athletes
finding their best fit there.
There has been criticism with Hussel, Metro, and Wolves. An update is that Hussel recent disbandment, Metro appears to be improving under new coaching leadership. However, caution is advised when
considering Wolves, as feedback from long-term members suggests issues with Gloria and favoritism. Personal experiences indicate that many
families have transitioned to other clubs with greater success and satisfaction. A lot of parents do not like her style or communication, if you inquiries or request reasons, she will ignore you or it will be taken out on your daughter by taking it out on your daughter. She hasn't changed and I have been told its worse, now with a larger roster.

I can personally attest to the improvement in my
daughter's experience after we made a change. Not only is she happier, but she has also achieved roster placement on the top players team at a D1 school—an opportunity was previously elusive.

Finally, don't overlook logistical considerations; traffic in the DMV area can significantly impact practice commutes, making location a key factor in your
decision. I hope this helps and felt that my experience should be shared.

[Anonymous]

+1 we had a similar experience with Wolves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Nah. They give that package to everyone. Your daughter isn't special. But keep telling the world how she had a D1 'ride'. Because those of us in the know know full well she would have been cut first thing and lost all money.

If that makes you feel better, please feel free to think so. I know better. And I really don't care what you believe.

And really, you should take some time to examine yourself and what kind of person you are. There's plenty to work on there given you're such a malicious POS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Considering moving our 2028 daughter from existing club to Warhawks. Looking for better coaching and more opportunities. Any feedback or recommendations based upon personal experiences?

Just don't go there with the expectation she will be on the top team. If she is, great, if not, you have to accept she is the player she is. Maybe this will change, maybe it won't. I've known people who assumed their kid would make the top team or be a starter when they move clubs, and then they were upset when their kid didn't. In one case, the parent found a reason to blame the club and moved on again rather then accept their kid is not the player they think they are.

Like any club, there are positives and negatives with Warhawks. I know a few people there who have voiced that it is not perfect.

This is our situation. In our case, my DC did make the top team. But they have a long-standing player at her position and they played that kid most of the time at RCCs. Now, that kid is very good. But so is my DD (had multiple offers to play, including D1). So we paid the registration and hotel, etc. for her to be sidelined. Not cool, imo. And no reason was given. The new club was great and great training but it's the same political BS there as every other club. We qualified for NCCs and trying to decide whether to go (do we pay the money and hotel again to not play much? She's already playing in college so why do that?)

[Anonymous]

U19 RCC's were this weekend for MD/Del region.
Next Level came in first
Wolves- 2nd
Freedom- 3rd
Warhawks- 9th (ouch)

Lots of low scoring, close games.
I think the results have to change the narrative on this thread that NL isn't one of the top clubs--just my opinion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U19 RCC's were this weekend for MD/Del region.
Next Level came in first
Wolves- 2nd
Freedom- 3rd
Warhawks- 9th (ouch)

Lots of low scoring, close games.
I think the results have to change the narrative on this thread that NL isn't one of the top clubs--just my opinion

I think the gap is certainly closing. One issue I see for NL is that she uses many players across age groups which makes me wonder about depth at each age group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Considering moving our 2028 daughter from existing club to Warhawks. Looking for better coaching and more opportunities. Any feedback or recommendations based upon personal experiences?

Just don't go there with the expectation she will be on the top team. If she is, great, if not, you have to accept she is the player she is. Maybe this will change, maybe it won't. I've known people who assumed their kid would make the top team or be a starter when they move clubs, and then they were upset when their kid didn't. In one case, the parent found a reason to blame the club and moved on again rather then accept their kid is not the player they think they are.

Like any club, there are positives and negatives with Warhawks. I know a few people there who have voiced that it is not perfect.

This is our situation. In our case, my DC did make the top team. But they have a long-standing player at her position and they played that kid most of the time at RCCs. Now, that kid is very good. But so is my DD (had multiple offers to play, including D1). So we paid the registration and hotel, etc. for her to be sidelined. Not cool, imo. And no reason was given. The new club was great and great training but it's the same political BS there as every other club. We qualified for NCCs and trying to decide whether to go (do we pay the money and hotel again to not play much? She's already playing in college so why do that?)

You absolutely go if your child plans to play in college. If she wants that spot she should keep working hard and do her best to earn it. Consider it’s not just politics and that maybe your daughter doesn’t know the press or formations as well yet. Not sure how long you have been with the new club, but this can take some girls longer than others. Your daughter may be very comfortable in one style of play and the new club does it differently. If it’s been just 1-2 season you should give it more time.

Once the season is over your daughter should ask what she needs to work on to earn more time next season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:U19 RCC's were this weekend for MD/Del region.
Next Level came in first
Wolves- 2nd
Freedom- 3rd
Warhawks- 9th (ouch)

Lots of low scoring, close games.
I think the results have to change the narrative on this thread that NL isn't one of the top clubs--just my opinion

I think the gap is certainly closing. One issue I see for NL is that she uses many players across age groups which makes me wonder about depth at each age group.

I agree with the lack of depth. I think NL only has one '25 D1 commit. But, what a great opportunity for the U16s who get to play up and go to NCC for both age groups

[Anonymous]

If you want an idea of who the national field hockey scene sees as the top players in the DMV (and NC), this list will give you an idea. Lots of Maryland commits from this group:

https://maxfh.longstreth.com/2024-mid-atlantic-all-region/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:U19 RCC's were this weekend for MD/Del region.
Next Level came in first
Wolves- 2nd
Freedom- 3rd
Warhawks- 9th (ouch)

Lots of low scoring, close games.
I think the results have to change the narrative on this thread that NL isn't one of the top clubs--just my opinion

I think the gap is certainly closing. One issue I see for NL is that she uses many players across age groups which makes me wonder about depth at each age group.

I agree with the lack of depth. I think NL only has one '25 D1 commit. But, what a great opportunity for the U16s who get to play up and go to NCC for both age groups

It’s also physically exhausting. Is this about the player or the club?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:U19 RCC's were this weekend for MD/Del region.
Next Level came in first
Wolves- 2nd
Freedom- 3rd
Warhawks- 9th (ouch)

Lots of low scoring, close games.
I think the results have to change the narrative on this thread that NL isn't one of the top clubs--just my opinion

I think the gap is certainly closing. One issue I see for NL is that she uses many players across age groups which makes me wonder about depth at each age group.

I agree with the lack of depth. I think NL only has one '25 D1 commit. But, what a great opportunity for the U16s who get to play up and go to NCC for both age groups

I agree that it is a great opportunity for younger players to play up. The U16 player gets two opportunities to play. If that U16 player is unmistakably great, this decision makes sense, but when its not, is it worth staying with that team, especially if its over a skilled U19 player? This is some of the politics seen with the DMV teams. Most parents will share their experiences, if asked.

NL has a really talented U16 age group, so in this case, this may have helped close the gap.