2025 USA Field Hockey Grow the Game Award Winner: Kim Carney

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Following the announcement of all winners, USA Field Hockey is individually highlighting each recipient of USA Field Hockey’s 2025 Annual Awards. This week, USA Field Hockey is honored to feature the 2025 Grow the Game winner, Kim Carney.

Carney is a leader in community recreation and a driving force behind the growth of youth field hockey in Massachusetts. She currently serves as the Deputy Director of Franklin Recreation, is National Alliance for Youth Sports Certified, and is the co-owner of Premier Field Hockey Club, based in Franklin, Mass. Through her work in municipal recreation and club sport development, Carney has dedicated her career to expanding access, building sustainable programs, and creating meaningful pathways for young athletes.

Carney is also the founder and architect of the Commonwealth Field Hockey League (CFHL), which has become one of the largest youth field hockey leagues in New England. What began in 2018 as a small, town-based league with 11 towns and 34 teams has grown under her leadership into a statewide model for youth sports. By 2025, the CFHL included 29 towns, 152 teams, and 2,584 girls participating annually.

A key factor in the league’s success has been Carney’s commitment to thoughtful, athlete-centered operations. The CFHL utilizes the TeamsCompete scheduling system, allowing schedules to be built with consideration for travel distance, time, and competitive balance—a capability that has enabled the league to scale efficiently while maintaining a positive experience for families, coaches, and athletes.

Beyond league play, Carney has focused on creating inclusive and engaging opportunities for all age groups. The CFHL Jamboree, launched in 2019, has grown from a 12-team event serving fifth to eighth graders into a large-scale celebration that now includes first through eighth grade divisions, hosts 50 teams, and serves more than 700 players annually. In 2023, Carney also introduced the Select League for seventh and eigth graders, offering enhanced competition and development opportunities for players preparing for high school field hockey.

Carney’s leadership extends beyond players to the broader ecosystem of the sport. From the league’s inception, Matt Gaitane has served as CFHL’s officials assignor, providing umpire assignments at no cost to help establish the league and ensure games were properly staffed from the start. In 2025, Carney helped pilot on-field training for Junior Officials with the support of Dawn Kafel-Forge, a USA Field Hockey umpire. This initiative trains high school players to officiate first through fourth grade games and has created a growing pipeline of youth umpires now working across multiple towns.

Looking ahead, Carney is actively partnering with USA Field Hockey to continue to grow the game beyond Massachusetts. Her vision includes supporting other states in launching and scaling town-based youth leagues modeled after the CFHL, incorporating USA Field Hockey coaching education and clinics into league development, and working collaboratively with USA Field Hockey to expand the Junior Officials program. This partnership aims to create clear pathways for young officials, ensuring the development of USA Field Hockey-trained umpires for the future while strengthening the foundation of the sport nationwide.

In recognition of her impact, Carney received a Special Citation from the Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association in 2024 for her notable work in building and establishing the Commonwealth Field Hockey League and for providing field hockey opportunities to thousands of girls across the state.

Through her roles in municipal recreation, club leadership, and league development, Carney has built a lasting framework for youth field hockey—one that emphasizes access, development, sustainability, and community. Her work continues to shape the future of the sport in Massachusetts and serves as a model for growing the game nationwide.

Congratulations once again to Kim Carney for winning the 2025 Grow the Game Award.