Contact US Field Hockey at usfha@usfieldhockey.com
United States Field Hockey Association
A member of the United States Olympic Committee
Hockey Festival a Big Hit in
West Palm Beach
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. 25-28, at the Palm Beach Polo Club in West Palm Beach Fla.
The world’s largest amateur field hockey event, the 1999 Festival features 178 teams with more than 3000 athletes from 25 states and Australia, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Ireland and Venezuela. Teams compete for titles in six divisions including Women’s Age Group (Under 16 and Under 19), Women’s Open, Mixed, Sectional and Men’s Veteran. The Under 19 tournament is the Festival’s largest division with 112 teams in 14 pool championships and allows prospective college athletes an opportunity to perform before a gallery of collegiate coaches 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 650 games on 30 fields during the event.
The event marks the third time West Palm Beach has hosted the Festival. The Polo Club and Palm Beach County Sports Commission entertained the tournament in 1996 and again in 1998. This year will also mark the seventh time the event has been held in Florida after Cocoa hosted the event in 1991 and ‘92 and Orlando in 1981 and ‘82.
Competition runs throughout the day during the four days of the Festival with games beginning at 7:30 am (8 am Sunday). Final games of the day are scheduled for 3:30 pm (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 in 1922, the Festival adopted its current multi-divisional format in 1981 by introducing tournaments for high school-aged players and club and open teams.
Additional information on the Festival, as well as results and rosters, is available on the US Field Hockey Festival website at www.usfieldhockey.com/festival/
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