Boys Action Wraps Up at 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Last week, boys athletes from across the country competed in the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

The AAU Junior Olympic Games is known as the largest multi-sport event for youth in the United States, providing athletes the opportunity to experience an Olympic-like, multi-sport competition while enjoying the camaraderie and inspiration from top athletes in other featured sports.

This year’s Boys field hockey event featured two age divisions: U-14 (6v6) and U-18 (7v7). This is the third year that Boys field hockey was included in Junior Olympic Games, and the first that was played 7-aside.

The Boys division featured athletes from 14 different states, located all throughout the country. The tournament was preceded by a two-hour training camp led by U.S. Junior Men’s National Team Head Coach Paul Singh. Afterwards, the boys were placed on teams and competed intensely for the next two days.

The competition culminated in an awards ceremony on August 6, where gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded in the U-14 division, and gold and silver in the U-18 division. Also included in the awards ceremony was the Joel Ferrell Outstanding Performance Memorial Award, which recognizes the athletic ability and sportsmanship of an athlete representing each official sport at the AAU Junior Olympic Games.

Including Boys is part of the ongoing efforts to promote and grow field hockey for boys nationally leading into the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. At the 2026 AUU Junior Olympic Games, boys from across the country were able to showcase their field hockey skills in a competitive and fun environment.

USA Field Hockey would like to thank all the athletes, coaches, umpires and umpire managers! A special note of thanks to the University of Iowa facilities staff for their outstanding assistance in hosting this event.

 The 2027 AAU Junior Olympic Games are slated to be held in the host city of Houston, Texas. Dates of the event will be shared as soon as they become available.