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FAQs

Why Field Hockey? 

Field hockey is one of the most popular sports around the world. It has a deep history in many European and Asian countries and in a variety of other places around the world. It involves a variety of sport skills and is similar to soccer. Plus, it is a lot of fun to play.

How do I get my daughter registered for Stryker? 

Simple. Just go to the Registration page. It will have everything that you need. The official registration day is usually the third week in January, however online registration and information will be available in mid-December.

I am overwhelmed. What do we sign up for?

Players will sign up for the spring season.  This includes two practices a week, tournaments, optional clinics (for an additional fee), and mentoring for those seeking to play at a higher level.

What do my fees go toward? 

We are a non-profit organization and would like to keep our costs as low as possible in order to allow access to anyone that would like to join, however we do have costs to run the club. We pay club registration, insurance, facilities rental, tournament entry fees, and coaching and equipment costs.

What if I can’t afford the club fees? 

We can provide payment options (such as a monthly payment plan) or scholarships on an individual basis. If you have any financial questions, please contact us at strykerfieldhockeyclub@gmail.com.

Why do we have to become United States Field Hockey members in order to play for StRYker? 

USA Hockey is the governing body over all of the programs in the United States. Our club is registered by USA Hockey and we receive insurance coverage for every player that is a member. Also, players need to be members to participate in many of the tournament that are offered. Members also receive a newsletter that gives updates to the US teams, events and products related to field hockey.


My daughter has never played field hockey before. Is that a problem?

Absolutely not. Many players in the United States don’t start playing until high school. Hopefully by growing the club program, we will be able to get more players introduced to the sport at a younger age.


My daughter is involved in other sports. What if there is a conflict? 

Stryker realizes that kids have a lot of activities on their plates. Our philosophy on this is that, “You will get what you put in.” We do not penalize players for missing a practice or a tournament. That just gives fewer opportunities to practice and play. Players that repeatedly miss practices and/or tournaments may not be considered for competition teams and tournaments. Also, we make practice plans on the numbers that we expect to be there so it’s helpful when most of them are attending.

How do I find out about tournament dates/times/schedules? 

All tournament information is posted on the Tournaments page. Also go to the News page for the most updated information.

How do I know what team my daughter is on for a particular tournament? 

We post the teams 2-3 weeks before the tournament. Sometimes we do have to make last minute changes due to last minute absences. You can find teams posted under each tournament section on the Tournaments page.

What about rain and/or other weather issues? 

Practice and tournaments will not be cancelled unless conditions are dangerous. If it is torrential rain and/or chance of lightning practice will be cancelled. Tournament directors will let us know if an event is cancelled. In either way, we will post the most updated weather information on our News page of our website. Generally we will make a weather call by noon on Saturday.

How are players placed on age-level teams? 

According to club tournaments, players are broken down in to the following age groups: U19, U16, U14, U12, U10 and U8. The age cut off is based on January 1st for that year. For example if a player was going to turn 16 on March 12th of a particular year, they would still be 15 as of January 1st of that year and therefore eligible for the U16 team. Players cannot play for a younger group (ie. a U12 player playing on a U10 team) but they can play for an older age team (ie. a U16 player playing on the U19 team). Sometimes higher level players will be moved up to play with older players. This is based on their skill, experience and maturity levels and only happens with coaches’ approval at both levels and only on an individual basis.

How are players chosen for tournament teams? 

Players are chosen for teams according to position, experience and skill. On U14 and under, teams are generally divided evenly. On U16 and U19 the Black team (and sometimes pink-depending on numbers) is made of the higher level players. Usually a tournament will allow clubs to have 2-3 levels of teams. Players are placed by coach recommendations and generally will stay on the same team for the season. Sometimes they will change depending on how many players are able to attend a particular tournament.

Why isn’t the tournament schedule posted more than a week ahead of time? 

We don’t usually get the final schedule until the Sunday before the tournament. Often the “final” schedule still has changes up to the day before a tournament. We will alway have the latest information on the News page.

What if my daughter would like to attend Cal Cup and/or National Festival tournaments but can’t afford the cost? 

Players for these teams must apply and tryout. Once a player is selected, we can create payment plans and will have fundraising opportunities to raise money. If you would like to help out with our fundraising, contact us at strykerfieldhockeyclub@gmail.com.

What if I would like to donate to Stryker Field Hockey Club? 

We are a non-profit organization. If you or your company would like to donate to Stryker, please contact us at strykerfieldhockeyclub@gmail.com

I would like to help How can I get involved?

We have positions on the Styrker Board, team parents, photographers, fundraising, tournaments, and more. If you want to get involved, contact us at strykerfieldhockeyclub@gmail.com.