Knighthawks attracting new players as field hockey continues to grow

Local youth got a chance to try out a sport they may have never played before.

On Monday, April 17, the Nepean Knighthawks hosted a special Try-it Night at the Nepean Sportsplex Minto Field. Youth were required to pre-register, but the evening was free. They had to bring only running shoes, shin pads and water bottles.

The program was intended to introduce the sport of field hockey to boys and girls aged 8-14 in the community. The club provided sticks, and players were taught the basic skills of field hockey by experienced players and coaches.

The Knighthawks are running youth programs for boys and girls from U10 through U18:

U10, U12 Co-ed: The program will run for 12 weeks from April until the end of June. Sessions will be Sunday afternoons and Tuesday evenings. This program includes the Nepean Junior Fest Tournament. Any additional tournaments will require an extra fee.

U14, U16, U18 Girls, and Junior Boys: The program will run for 12 weeks from April until the end of June.

Sessions Sunday afternoons and Tuesday or Thursday evenings. This program includes the Nepean Youth Fest Tournament. Any additional tournaments will require an extra fee. The club also has a Stick Together Program, which includes free programming for both Indigenous and newcomer youth. Athletes will have the opportunity to participate in the above listed programs barrier free.

Training Group 1 (TG1) is a competitive training program for Junior Nighthawk athletes to excel in competition. This program is supplementary to regular club training and will include hockey training, fitness, and sport-psychology preparation. For the 2023 season TG1 will be for U16 and U18 Girls.

For adults, the Knighthawks offer a 17+ Pick Up co-ed adult program from April to August. This program is not recommended for beginners. Sessions will be once a week on Monday nights and will be in pick-up format.

The Nighthawks also have men’s and women’s adult teams that train and travel for competition.

Last fall, plans for a $4 million field hockey complex on Colonnade Road were unveiled.

“The power of team sport can unite people in all walks of life, keeping them active and healthy both physically and mentally,” said Sandeep Chopra in a release sent to the Independent. “Everyone, in any stage of their life, deserves to have access to a space where they can develop their skills and feel welcome in their community.”

With 220 million players worldwide, field hockey is the world’s second largest sport, behind only soccer. Field hockey in Ottawa has seen an explosion of growth in the last 15 years. Seventy per cent of all players in Ottawa are female.