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Naperville Park District Launches Inaugural Youth Field Hockey Team

One year ago the Naperville Park District hosted an exploratory youth field hockey clinic, designed to introduce middle school students to the game, which is taking root as a high school sport in this area. This fall, the program has grown enough to support a youth field hockey team, which will play its first home game against Glen Ellyn at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 2 at Brush Hill Park, located at 203 N. Whispering Hills Road in Naperville.

Although field hockey is one of the world's oldest sports, popular around the world and on the east and west coasts of the United States, field hockey is new to Naperville. With support from the USA Field Hockey Futures Program and a program at the Glen Ellyn Park District, parent volunteer Monica Lodge began a field hockey club for girls at Naperville North High School in 2013.

"It's a high skill sport, requiring a high level of athleticism," said Monica Lodge. "This sport provides athletes of nearly every shape and size a position they can be successful in. It's also a great complement sport for kids who play other sports, such as lacrosse, in the spring. Field hockey challenges both the mind and muscles; it helps develop well-rounded athletes."

The field hockey club at Naperville North High School now has 30 players, many of whom started as beginners or came through the Naperville Park District's field hockey program for middle school students.

Over the past year, parent coach Monica Lodge worked with the Park District to offer an indoor clinic in March 2016 at Players Indoor Sports Center with 19 participants and also offered a summer camp with 30 players at Nike Sports Complex through the American Field Hockey Academy.

Introducing kids to a variety of sports is central to the Park District's mission to enrich the quality of life for our community, and to its core values of personal growth, health and wellness.

"We are pleased to be able to help bring a new sport like field hockey to Naperville," said Program Manager Brock Atwell.

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