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Youth field hockey program continues growth as it concludes 5th year

Hopkinton Youth Field Hockey player Jordan Brown advances toward the ball during a game in 2024. FILE PHOTO/JON CARDILLO

Hopkinton Youth Field Hockey is looking to the future as it wraps its fifth season in town and says farewell to its founders, whose children are aging out of the program.

“Over the next five years, we really want to maintain what we have going on and keep these numbers,” said president Amanda Simard. She noted the organization had almost 200 registrants this year, which is a program record.

Hopkinton Youth Field Hockey (HYFH) was started by Jenn Carter and Sharon Remsen in 2021. Seeing there was a need for a youth field hockey program in town, they first ran a six-week clinic that saw 72 players ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade participate. Simard said that “overwhelming” amount of interest propelled the idea of starting a town league forward.

Its first year, the program had three teams and 52 girls registered to play. This season had a total of 12 travel teams and 194 players taking part.

“We have this huge community in Hopkinton now that loves field hockey [and] loves playing in the organization,” said Simard.

One challenge she highlighted with keeping HYFH moving forward is available field space in town. “A huge part of [our] league is that we have to offer up time slots of turf space,” she said. HYFH is part of the Commonwealth Field Hockey League, which includes 30 Eastern Massachusetts towns.

Simard said the league has had a major effect on the popularity of field hockey in the region. “It’s growing in the area, and the CFH league is a huge reason why,” she said.

Simard said HYFH’s goals moving forward include maintaining its reputation as a fun organization, continuing being competitive, and keeping the volunteer coaches interested and engaged in helping the organization be successful. “They’re the ones that help keep the girls interested in coming back,” Simard noted.

She added that a secondary goal of HYFH is to act as a feeder program for high school athletics, stating that it has a good relationship with Hopkinton High School field hockey team. According to Simard, 11 former HYFH players are on this year’s HHS varsity team, while 16 are on the junior varsity squad.

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

At its meeting Tuesday night, the Parks & Recreation Commission voted to start the process for hiring a new director following an interview with the final candidate.

The Conservation Commission on Tuesday worked on proposed revisions to the town’s wetland regulations.

This week’s Police Log features reports of youths throwing plastic out of a car, a missing person and a road rage incident on East Main Street.

The latest Arts Residency highlights Hopkinton High School senior Penelope Dallmeyer, who has earned Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for her 2D designs.

Town meetings tonight include the Board of Health (6), Community Preservation Committee (7) and School Committee (7).

Photo of the Day

Benny (left) and Emmy Schweller play in a pile of leaves at the Town Common on a recent day.

PHOTO/LINDA CHUSS