Top: Teammates Danielle Gallagher (l) and Khaire Robinson chase after the ball during their indoor field hockey game at Deans Elementary School in Monmouth Junction on Jan. 9. The new program is being held through the South Brunswick Recreation Department. SOUTH BRUNSWICK—Anew township- run indoor field hockey program seeks to increase the overall competitiveness of the high school team.
The program, launched this winter through the township’s recreation department, familiarizes younger athletes with the sport while acting as a winter refresher course for the older players.
The eight-week program began at the end of December and will stretch until the end of February. Practices are held Tuesdays,
starting at 6 p.m. at Deans Elementary School, and games are held Saturdays, starting at 10:30 a.m., also at Deans, and involve two 25-minute halves per game.
The practice groups and teams are split into age and skill categories. Athletes in grades five and six are partnered together,
and girls in grades seven through 12 are partnered and then split into subgroups
based on their skill level. Despite the split practice groups, however, older players lend
their support to the younger ones, according to Jennifer Petri, youth sports program
coordinator for the South Brunswick Recreation Department. There are currently about 35 players enrolled in the program.
Fans cheer on their teams during the game.
PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff
The indoor field hockey league arose as a way to increase competitiveness for the middle and high school programs, Petri said. Both Crossroads Middle School and South Brunswick High School have field hockey teams, but there were no programs targeted for younger grades.
“We wanted the township kids to learn the game at a younger grade so they could be competitive as they got into the [field
hockey programs] in the school systems… to get them interested and involved with the game,” Petri said. “And it affords [the older players] an opportunity during the winter months to get their hands on a stick.”
Jennifer Porcelli, the mother of a SBHS field hockey player, thought something needed to be done to increase the schools’
competitive levels, so she spearheaded the initiative.After approaching the Recreation Department, Porcelli and Petri were able to
work with the schools’ coaches to set up an open house last spring. The open house introduced younger kids to the sport and gave
them the opportunity to meet and practice with the older girls.
The initiative continued to snowball after that and eventually led to the winter program.
A grant provided to the Recreation Department by USA Field Hockey provided the program with three-dozen balls, fourdozen
mouth guards, 13 Longstreth sticks and an adult goalkeeper set.
The grant allowed program organizers to get the indoor league up and running without too much of a cost burden on program participants, Petri said. The $60 fee for each participant went directly toward Tshirts, an additional set of
goalie equipment, and a set of goals.
“We’re happy that the program paid for itself, which was our goal,” Petri said.
Volunteers staff the program, which helps keep costs low. The volunteers are parents, as well as middle school head coach Robert Saldino and high school junior varsity coach Ally Hunter. The coaches help out during the weekly practices and the parents take over coaching duties at Saturday morning games.
“Both coaches are assisting us during the practices and helping teach the volunteer parents so they know what they’re doing for the games on Saturdays,” Petri said.
Program coordinators hope to continue and expand the program next year, possibly adding grades three and four, Petri said.
Surveys will be issued at the end of the program to determine what can be improved.
The largest challenges in starting the program, Petri said, were increasing awareness and interest.Achallenge into the future may be finding more volunteers should the program expand.
For more information visit www.sbtnj.net or email Petri at jpetri@sbtnj.net.