Why should my daughter play field hockey?
Who is eligible?
What equipment is needed?
What size field hockey stick should I buy?
My daugher is a lefty. Do they make lefty field hockey sticks?
Are there uniforms?
What about insurance?
What are the parents’ roles?
When is the season? When are the practices and games?
Where are the practices and games?
What is the dealine for registration for the fall season?
Do we play with the same rules as the high school?
Why should my daughter play field hockey?
Why not! The game teaches great hand-eye coordination, team play, sportsmanship and will keep your child in shape. The game requires running and stamina, but can be taught to anyone. Field Hockey is a great complement to the athlete who plays lacrosse or soccer.
Who is eligible?
Northport Field Hockey Junior Travel League is for girls in 3rd (new for 2016), 4th, 5th and 6th grades only. The league we participate in makes no exceptions to this rule so please do not ask.
What equipment is needed?
All players need goggles, shin guards, a mouth guard and a field hockey stick. Depending on play surface cleats or turf shoes are recommended. Regarding the goggles: If your daughter plays lacrosse those goggles will be fine. If you need to go buy goggles, make sure you buy ones that are approved for field hockey. Some goggles are approved for both field hockey and lacrosse and others are only for lacrosse.
What size field hockey stick should I buy?
When choosing a field hockey stick, select the length that you can control comfortably. There are primarily two methods used to determining the proper stick size. One is using the players height measurement, while the other is the Dutch method. U.S. companies say to hold the field hockey stick at your side and recommend purchasing a stick that reaches 1 to 2 inches below your waist. The Dutch method tells you to hold the head of the field hockey stick under your armpit and purchase a stick that ends near the middle of your knee cap. Every manufacturer’s suggested length will vary slightly, but all methods will produce similar results. If you are stuck between two lengths (for example, 35″ or 36″), you should consider your child’s position. On defense, a longer stick is useful to provide a longer reach and to allow the player to drive the ball further. On the other hand, a shorter stick improves a player’s stick handling skills on offense.
My daugher is a lefty. Do they make lefty field hockey sticks?
No, they do not make lefty field hockey sticks. All field hockey sticks are made to be played right handed.
Are there uniforms?
The league provides uniform pinneys only.
What about insurance?
All players MUST be members of USA Field Hockey and pay the annual dues. Click Here to join or renew your membership. Select “U12 Membership” and follow the instructions. This membership includes insurance. Each player should also have their own private medical insurance
What are the parents’ roles?
Like all youth sports, all parents are highly encouraged to participate. During the season, parents can help keep things organized and flowing smooth. If you are interested in volunteering, please email info@northportfieldhockey.com and/or indicate how you would like to help on your daughter’s registration form.
When is the season? When are the practices and games?
Our league is played only in the fall. We will not know the days/time for practices until very late August or early September. We will not get our game schedule from the league until mid September. Most games are played on Sundays around noon, but there are definitely exceptions to this especially as our league continues to grow to more and more teams.
Where are the practices and games?
Practices are either at Northport High School on the field hockey field to the left of the tennis courts – or at Veterans Park complex on Bellerose Avenue in East Northport. Home games are at either Northport High School, Vets field on Bellerose Avenue in East Northport or Breezy Park in Huntington. Away games are at a variety of Nassau and Suffolk locations. To get a feel for who/where we play you can look at the Field Directions page on our site.
What is the deadline for registration?
Registration for each grade level closes when all spots are full. Registration is first-come first-serve. To ensure a spot it is important that registration is completed quickly and completely. The number of teams we have depends on the volunteers we get for coaching and the availability of goalie equipment.
Do we play with the same rules as the high school?
No. Our junior league plays 7v7, 1/2 field with a modified set of rules. The goal of this is to allow the girls to get a better understanding of the game. CLICK HERE to see the modified rules.