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The United States Field Hockey Association

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Thanksgiving Tradition Continues With 2001 National Hockey Festival

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The U.S. Field Hockey Association continues a long-standing holiday tradition Thanksgiving weekend, when the USFHA hosts its National Hockey Festival, Nov. 22-25, at the Palm Beach Polo Club in Wellington, Fla.

      The world’s largest amateur field hockey event, the 2001 Festival features 192 teams with more than 3000 athletes from 25 states and the District of Columbia in addition to international athletes from Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, The Netherlands and Trinidad & Tobago.  Teams compete for titles in four divisions including Women’s Age Group (Under 16 and Under 19), Women’s Open and Mixed.    For the first time, teams from the host state of Florida will take part in the tournament with Weston, Fla. club teams competing in the U16 and mixed divisions.

      The Under 19 tournament is the Festival’s largest division with 123 teams competing for 15 pool championships. The Festival allows prospective college athletes an opportunity to perform before a gallery of collegiate coaches gathered from some of the nation’s top programs. One of the Festival’s most competitive divisions, the Open Division features U.S. Olympians and former National Team players as well as current collegiate coaches and former all-America selections. The Polo Club will host 644 games on 28 fields during the event.

  
    The event marks the fifth time Palm Beach County has hosted the Festival. The Polo Club and Palm Beach County Sports Commission entertained the tournament in 1996, 1998 , 1999 and 2000. This year will also mark the tenth time the event has been held in Florida after Cocoa hosted the event in 1991 and ‘92 and Orlando in 1981, ‘82 and '94.

      Competition runs throughout the day during the four days of the Festival with games beginning at 8:00 am (9 am Sunday). Final games of the day are scheduled for 4:00 p.m (noon Sunday). Admission to the event is free of charge.  Parking at the Polo Club is available for a $3 fee. 

      Originating as the National Sectional Championships and national team selection tournament in 1922, the Festival adopted its current multi-divisional format in 1981 by introducing tournaments for high school-aged players, club and open teams.

      Additional information on the Festival, as well as teams, results and rosters is available on the US Field Hockey Festival website at www.usfieldhockey.com/festival/

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