All-Boys U-17 7v7 Tournament and Clinic Growing the Game at Festival, Announcing 2020 Boys Blast Series
by USA Field Hockey
TAMPA, Fla. - December 5, 2019 - This year’s National Hockey Festival, presented by CranBarry, saw continued growth and focus for boys field hockey. Over the course of the three day event that took place November 28 to 30 at the Tournament Sportsplex of Tampa Bay, boys were put through their paces and with each day and action, and were able to build upon their performances.
The first day saw a dedicated boys coaching clinic with several male coaches and was led by Jarred Martin, former U.S. Men's National Team athlete and current Ohio State University Head Coach. The following day saw four all-boys teams compete in several matches supported by male adult players. This gave the boys an opportunity to put the coaching they learned in the clinic into practice. On the final day, All-Boys 7v7 dedicated games took place. This was the peak of the performance from the boys, as the quality of play and competition was at its highest. The boys games were well supported and viewed, giving many girls and adults a chance to see first-hand the pace and intensity of the game. The boys also inspired other boys spectating to pick up sticks on the sidelines for the first time.
The clinic and games were organized and managed thanks to the partnership of East Coast High Performance (ECHP), Doral, Key Biscayne and Charlotte Ambush field hockey clubs. Special thank you goes out to YOLO Sportswear for providing numbered t-shirts for all four teams that competed in the Festival All-Boys 7v7 Tournament.
USA Field Hockey, in conjunction with ECHP and the supporting clubs, are excited to announce the partnership that has developed into a series of boys only tournaments for 2020 across the East Coast. These boys dedicated tournaments will be organized in Miami, Fla., Charlotte, N.C. and Greenwich, Conn. and this exciting new series will be named the Boys Blast Series. These will feature coaching clinics led by top male coaches, a series of boys competitive matches and attendance by U.S. Men's National Team coaches. These tournaments are for boys aged 12+ and the objective is to support USA Field Hockey in growing field hockey in the United States through increasing participation across all abilities. These tournaments are structured to provide "serious fun" with teams and also those competing.
The first Boys Blast Series tournament will take place in Miami, Fla. from January 18 to 20. Boys and teams are invited to register now to secure a spot. There will be a fee associated with these events. For more information, email eastcoasthpc@gmail.com.
