Posted on: August 9, 2019
The Glen Ellyn Park District is now accepting registrations for Fall Co-Ed Field Hockey for grades 1-8. The program begins on September 5th and runs through October 20th. This popular sport is fast-paced and exciting, and builds skills on both an individual and a team level. Instruction emphasizes ball control, stick handling, offensive and defensive strategies, rules of the game, and physical conditioning.
Co-Ed Field Hockey is coached by Enrique Zorilla, Shona Hay, and several assistant coaches, who together have international, national, and local experience with both playing and coaching.
“My playing career began over 30 years ago in Scotland,” said Coach Shona Hay. “I played high school, college, and club field hockey, and also played for my country on the National U-16, U-18, and U-21 teams. I coached high school and district-level teams in Scotland in both outdoor and indoor field hockey. Then I moved to the U.S. and started a family, but returned to coaching a couple years ago with the Glen Ellyn Park District.”
Hay’s favorite thing about field hockey is the speed of the game. “There’s very little down time in a game of field hockey,” she explained. “It’s go, go, go from start to finish.”
Participating in field hockey teaches kids the stick skills, tactics, and rules for playing the game, but it also teaches them how to be part of a team. “Field hockey helps develop social skills as kids learn how to communicate with each other both on and off the field, and no matter their level of play, each child will experience some form of success,” added Hay. “It could be through improving stick work, mastering a new skill, or the thrill of scoring a goal.”
The best feedback that Hay and the other coaches receive is when they call time at the end of practice and the players groan that it’s over. “We receive overwhelming feedback from players who have grown up through the program that they and their parents have become one big field hockey family,” said Hay. “The players who come through our program at the Glen Ellyn Park District typically play together for years and years. Many graduate from our program and go on to play in high school together. They grow up together; it really is very special.”
Practices for Fall Co-Ed Field Hockey are Thursdays from September 5th – October 17th at Ackerman Sports & Fitness Center, and games are played on Sundays from September 9th – October 20th at Glenbard West Memorial Field. All participants must purchase a reversible jersey ($20, one time only) for game play. Shin guards and mouth guards are also required.
Players can use a loaner stick, but purchasing a personal stick is recommended; discuss this with your coach in advance so the correct size and weight can be selected.
For more information on the program, please contact Christine Hartnett at [email protected] or call (630) 942-7268.