8th grade – If you decide you truly enjoy field hockey, it is time to start seeking out higher levels of play. Ask about participating in tournaments with your club team, and try to attend a couple of these events. If you want to play hockey in the winter, join your club’s indoor program. Indoor hockey will help develop your stick skills, vision, and awareness, not to mention, it is extremely fun to play.
If you do not have a club program nearby, then try to attend clinics and camps offered by local colleges and high school programs. If you do have a club program nearby, and cannot afford to participate fully with a club, ask about the option to practice only. Play additional sports with your school or town recreation program to help develop vision of the field, off-ball movement, eye-hand coordination and overall athleticism.
You may want to consider attending the Super Sixty December 8th grade Camp. The camp would allow you to meet and work with many college coaches mid school year, learning skills and being coached by the college coaches in games. The coaches are generous with their knowledge both on the field and in the seminars on development and recruiting.
Continue to focus on developing athleticism and stick skills. Practicing stick skills at home in your driveway, garage or basement requires only an investment of some balls and cones, but will return many benefits in the future.
Rising Freshman Summer - If you want to attend a few summer camps, choose nearby college programs. Continue to work on training to become a better athlete. Have fun, play field hockey and other sports.
As a rising Freshman, you are also eligible to participate in the Summer Super Sixty Camp, in the rising freshman group. This camp has intensive skill instruction and game play; you would meet and work with many college coaches, helping you to determine if you truly would like to try to play in college. Coaches truly appreciate meeting and working with young players, and will be indentifying players to watch over the next year.
If you know already that you would like to be part of a college program, by attending the July Super Sixty Camp, you will have taken an important first step in gaining exposure to these coaches. Additionally, the level of play is quite high, which would help you gage where you are in terms of development with other girls your age.
