Lightning Youth Field Hockey has two main seasons: Fall (Aug-Dec) and Spring (Jan-May), and we offer age-based teams. Each season has a mix of Practices and Tournaments/Clinics.

PRACTICE.

When: SUNDAY mornings
Location: Foothill College 

Our Sunday practices are a mix of warm-up/fitness drills, individual skill work, and scrimmages. We have an expectation that our players attend a minimum of 80% of our practices to be eligible to play in tournaments. 

TOURNAMENTS and CLINICS.

Tournaments and Clinics are optional and their fees are included in the registration. They are opportunities for our players to learn the game, playing with and against other youth clubs. Most of our tournaments are local, as far north as San Francisco, east to UC Davis, and south to Gilroy.

Tournaments are optional - they are opportunities to us to play against other youth clubs. For tournaments, the Club asks players' parents to mark their attendance so that the Coaches can develop a line-up for the game(s).

• For U8 and U10 teams, line-ups are less important - players are rotated through the 3 positions: forward, mid, and defense.
  • Tournaments retain more of a social feeling than a competitive one.
  • Lightning players and parents are expected to collectively with the players and parents from the other clubs  foster a friendly and supportive environment. We all want the sport of field hockey to grow. 
  • We promote rounded development of players, positive sports experiences.
  • We focus on creating a strong foundation for more competitive play at the older levels. 
  • During games we aim to give every child as much play time as possible.
• For U12 and up, players are more often assigned to a position to develop a deeper understanding of that position during game-time. 
  • We become a bit more competitive; individual player's play time will begin to vary more.
  • A player's attendance and/or participation level at practice will factor into playing time.
  • We substitute frequently during the games, and a player's skill level and experience at that position will impact substitutions.
  • Individual skill, prior tournament experience, confidence, and leadership on the field are all aspects considered by the coaches when selecting team rosters and positions.
  • Goalkeepers are usually required and players who elect to be goalkeepers begin specialized training. 

All players are required to be members of the United States Field Hockey Association/USAFH to participate in Lightning practices and tournaments. The annual membership must be purchased directly from the USFHA. 

No need to declare or switch Club Affiliation. If you do not know if you would prefer to declare your Club Affiliation, or if you are already assigned to a different Club, you do not need to declare or change to Lightning in order to join our Fall Season.

Questions? Please email us at clubmanager.lightning@gmail.com