HEAR THE CHEERS
Volume 1 Issue 11
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Cheers from Deb and Darren
Hi Everyone!
We are so excited to announce the release of our monthly newsletter so we can share all the exciting happenings in our club! So be on the look out each month so we can all HEAR THE CHEERS!
We will be continuously looking for helpful and interesting information to share with our HTC family, as we know how invested our families, friends and players are, and want to give everyone a place to find out our latest news and reasons to cheer! We ask that you share your photos and updates with us so we can post and celebrate with you!
We want to celebrate some accomplishments from this past year, including our U16 RCC Team qualifying for the National Club Championship, our California RCC team competing in their first RCC tournament in St. Louis, our non-profit organization HTC Youth hosting two very successful fall jamborees, our youth teams competing at the Shooting Star Kids Cup, and our great success at this year's 4Goals Cup! Thank you to all of our players, coaches, and families for making this past year a huge success! Cheers!
As we look forward to the upcoming Winter Season, we want to remind everyone about our Club philosophy, Mission, and Reason for Being! We can sum it all up in our motto; HEAR THE CHEERS! We are here to provide opportunities for our players, coaches, families, and community where we can Cheer for you, for each other, and for our community at large! So here's to a spectacular 2020 and all the opportunities to CHEER for our HTC family!
Thank you for being a part of our HTC family, you all make us proud everyday!
See you on the field/court soon and we cannot wait to HEAR THE CHEERS!
Deb & Darren
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HTC California RCC
In early June we took our first California team to an RCC tournament in St. Louis. The team faced some high level club competition, working hard all weekend and gained an extremely valuable experience. We look forward to seeing what this group of girls can do in the future. CHEERS for HTC California.
Shooting Star Kids Cup
At the end of June our youth program took several teams to the Shooting Star Kids Cup in Lowell, MA. We had athletes of all ages participating consists of U10, U12 and U14. The teams consisted of both girls and boys, everyone working hard, gaining valuable tournament experience and most importantly having fun!
Regional Club Championships
This past Spring we had our 3 teams compete against the best clubs in the Regional Club Championships.
U14 RCC Team - This strong group of young woman came together after limited practices as a full team and competed hard against some strong talent. Their team work and excitement to compete allowed for an amazing experience as a first time team to a regional championship. The future looks bright!
U16 RCC Team
- Our U16 had a very successful weekend in NH, winning all of their games and qualifying for the National Club Championships in Spooky Nook, PA. later in the summer. The team was undefeated in their pool, and then went on to beat two strong teams on day 2, winning the last game in a shoot out. All this effort and hard work earned them a bid to National Club Championship Tournament in July!
U19 RCC Team
- Our U19 also traveled to the regional club championships in Epping. Their hard work and effort made for a weekend filled with amazing experiences competing against the top clubs in the Northeast. We were very proud of their dedication to teamwork and competitive spirit!
National Club Championship
Upon earning 2nd place at the RCC's, our U16 team qualified for the National Club Championships and traveled to Spooky Nook, PA in late July. The team faced incredible competition and battled with a strong defense and united play. In the end they placed 13th in the nation. Chris Mills, one of the our U16 coaches said this about the team:
"The chemistry on this team is what set us apart from the rest. This is a fantastic group of young women and I am excited to see what else we can accomplish together in the future."
Congrats and CHEERS to the success of our U16 team!
4Goals Cup
This past July HTC participated in the 4Goals Cup in Lowell, MA. There were club teams from around the Northeast of all ages, ready to compete. We entered the following teams; U10, U12, U14, U16, U19, Collegiate, Women's. Everyone enjoyed the company of other Field Hockey enthusiasts and the tough competition. We are very proud of our U12 team who took home the 4Goals Cup this year winning their division. All players worked hard, competed, and had FUN!
Youth Programs
This fall we held youth clinics in three different locations, Branford, Cheshire and Madison. Our young players had the chance to work with great coaches and some older HTC players to enhance their skills and enjoy this great game!
We attended two fall Youth Jamborees, one in September and another one in October. These Jamborees were a great way of bringing together our younger players for lots of field hockey and loads of fun! We are very excited about the turn out of young players wanting to learn more about the game of field hockey and improve their skills.
"The fall youth season was great. We were in three locations with a wide range of ages, anywhere from pre-K to 7th grade. It was awesome to see a lot of those players come to our two jamborees, and we are looking forward to seeing them in the winter season. I am also looking forward to starting indoor season, especially with a full U12 team this year. This winter I can't wait to coach the U14 teams again, girls I have been coaching for almost two years."
Kelsey Iwanicki
HTC Youth Coordinator
We can't wait to continue our work with these young, enthusiastic players. The future of our club is certainly bright!
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Club Program
This winter we will be offering club practice in six locations in CT, two locations in MA and one location in San Diego. New player evaluations begin at the end of November and practices start in early December. Click the black button to the right for more information on how to sign up for the winter club season.
We cannot wait to get started!
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Clinics
Our Clinics are for players in K-5th grades. We will offer clinics in six CT locations, two MA locations and one California location. Our c
linic practices are meant to improve individual player skills no matter what their current skill level. Each session is an hour long and consists of a total of eight sessions over the winter season. Check out more information by clicking on the button to the right. Join us to have fun and learn some new skills!
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Tournaments
This winter we are offering a variety of opportunities for our players to compete in tournaments. We will offer National Showcases, Local Turf Tournaments, and Hard Court Indoor Tournaments. These tournaments will be awesome opportunities to showcase your new skills and have some fun! Click on the black button to the right for more information and to register for our tournaments.
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Academy Program
Our Academy Program is perfect for players that are looking for more opportunities to perfect their game! The Academy program will be offered in Connecticut in two locations, North Team and South Team. This Academy program will consist of outdoor skill training on Turf and hard court training opportunities. We will also be offering a Academy Program at our HTC San Diego Site. The program in CA will consist of additional practices that will enhance your outdoor skills!
Click on the black button to the right for more information about the HTC Winter Academy program.
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Indoor Hard-court Program
This winter we will be offering our indoor hockey program. This game is played on hard court surfaces. New this winter is our U12 Indoor Training Team. Evaluations for all age groups will begin in early December and practices will start in different locations beginning in mid-December ending in March. Click on the black button to the right for a listing of our offerings this winter indoor season.
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HTC San Diego
HTC San Diego will begin their 2nd year and we are super excited for the upcoming winter season.
What a tremendous first year for our HTC San Diego site! We had some great club practices, awesome clinics, competitive tournament action, intense league play, and our first Regional Club Championship appearance by our CA U16 Team!
We will be offering the following events this winter season;
Club
- All 6th-12th Grade Players - Full and Half Season Memberships.
Clinics
- All K-5th Grade Players are welcome to join us to learn the game and enhance your skills.
Academy Program
- This is for players that want a few more practices to enhance their game!
Tournaments
- We will offer some great competition opportunities for our players!
Our new year will begin with our New Player Evaluation that will take place on Sunday, November 24th at Alga Norte Park. All NEW players that want to join our club must attend. Current players in our club can register for their winter membership now. Click on the button below to register and to find out more information about our HTC San Diego site.
Contact
Mika Black
, our California Regional Director, for additional information.
We are excited for a competitive and FUN winter season! Cheers!
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HTC MASSACHUSETTS
HTC MA South Shore
Winter clinics and club practices will begin in December for our HTC Hingham site.
New player evaluations are on December 4th from 5:00p-6:30p in Hingham. We are looking forward to another great season in Hingham!
Contact
Emily Matthews,
our HTC MA South Shore Regional Director for more information.
HTC Western Mass
We are super excited to announce our new HTC Westfield site! This site will be led by our HTC Western Mass Regional Director Anika Goodhue.
We will offer our Club Program and our clinics at this site. Our winter season begins with our club evaluation on November 24th, from 9:00a-10:00a. All New players to our club must attend this evaluation.
Registration and information can be found by clicking on the HTC Westfield button to the right!
Join us this Winter for a Fun and Competitive Season! Cheers!
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HTC Youth! Inc. was founded by Darren and Deb in 2017. The idea behind the organization is to provide high-quality coaching for new players in areas throughout Connecticut and surrounding states. The program seeks to establish youth programs in a various of towns for players in grades kindergarten through eighth grade, in order to prepare them for high school and college level playing.
2019 was a great year for HTC Youth! Inc.
In the spring we partnered with the University of New Haven field hockey team as they worked with the New Haven 'LEAP' program and taught over 30 boys the great game of field hockey twice a week.
In the summer we ran clinics in Madison and Branford that had over 50 young participants.
This fall we hosted two youth fundraising jamborees that brought over 200 youth athletes together over two weekends in September and October.
We ended the fall season with a terrific clinic series at Miss Porters School in Farmington, CT. This clinic was led by HTC Youth! board member Nelle Andrews, her staff, and the Miss Porters team, with special guest coaches, US National Team Member Ally Hammel, University of New Haven Field Hockey members Taylor Geaglone and Olivia Boyle.
If you are interested in learning more about the program or want to bring a clinic to your area please click on the link below which takes you straight to our website.
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Player Spotlight
Tess Csejka
- Amity High School
- Committed to BU
- HTC Member since 2016
What was your favorite HTC moment?
Scoring the game wining goal to advance to the next round at RCC’s last year.
What has been your favorite high school FH moment so far?
Beating Greenwich last year in the first round of states 2-0, and scoring both goals. No one thought Amity could ever beat a FCIAC team, but we proved them all wrong.
Why did you choose Boston University?
I chose BU because when I visited, I fell in love with the city, school and coaches. Everyone was very welcoming and I knew I would fit in well. Not to mention, the academics are great.
What do you plan to major in at BU?
I plan to major in education. I want to be a P.E. teacher when I’m older and eventually a coach. I love working with kids and sports have been such a huge part of my life.
What advice do you have for our younger HTC players?
Keep at it and don’t give up! Always work on your skills, even when you’re not at practice. Simply stick handling in your yard or even just watching videos, will strengthen our game and make you the best player you can be.
What has HTC meant to you?
HTC gave me the opportunity to take my field hockey game to the next level. The coaching has been amazing. I would like to thank the support from all of the coaches, especially Deb and Darren.
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Coaches Spotlight
Mika Black
- HTC California Director
- HTC Member since 2015
- Alumna of UMass Amherst
What is your HTC moment?
Getting the opportunity and support from Deb and Darren to start a club site in California when I decided to move to San Diego. I love providing opportunities to compete at a high level for all our players! Taking a team to our first RCC tournament this past summer in St. Louis was so exciting for all of us! Cheering on our players as they competed and excelled on a national level was something special!
What do you do now in addition to your role at HTC?
I am currently in business school working towards an MBA.
Fun fact about yourself?
Just recently completed the Chicago and NYC 2019 Marathons.
What advice would you give to our current HTC players?
Learn from each moment that you show up to training, games, tournaments and school. Sports can teach you how to be a strong individual and teammate. Identifying your strengths and weaknesses can help you work towards your goals on and off the field.
How did club field hockey help you realize your dream of playing at the next level?
I attended UMass Amherst. I didn't begin playing field hockey until high school and immediately grew a love for the sport. I had some amazing coaches and mentors that helped me get to the successes that I have and still continue to experience today. Committing myself to club and playing as much hockey as I could throughout the year helped me grow into the player and coach that I am today. Huge credit goes to my family for supporting me through any sports that I wanted to try and especially when I decided that field hockey was the sport that I wanted to pursue in college.
What was your major in college?
Pre-Vet/Animal Sciences.
What is your favorite memory from your college playing days?
Winning A10's and going to the NCAA Tournament.
What do you love about HTC and how do you want to grow our HTC San Diego site?
I love the opportunities that HTC offers our players of all levels of experiences and ages. Since beginning in San Diego, I'm grateful to have an amazing group of coaches to continue to build our site. We are all determined to develop, motivate and mentor strong student-athletes and help them reach their goals.
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Alumni Spotlight
Ally Hammel
- Duxbury High School
- Boston University
- HTC Member since 2011
- US National Team Player
What is your HTC Moment?
My HTC moment would be my first trip with HTC to the hockey festival my sophomore year of high school. My best friend and I along with our Moms flew out to Arizona. The whole experience was so fun and eye opening to me. I knew I loved field hockey, but this opportunity made me realize I really wanted to pursue this sport. I met some awesome teammates during this trip, who I am still good friends with today! I learned so much during this tournament and came back ready to play more field hockey!
What is your Best College Field Hockey memory?
My best memory at Boston University had to be winning the Patriot League title my senior year. We worked so hard during the season to be ready for this tournament, and it proved to be helpful as we were in a tough match against American University. It was really amazing to win the title and get a bid to the NCAA National Tournament!
What is a Fun Fact about you?
My favorite type of ice cream is Oreo Cookie!
What are you doing now?
After graduating from BU with a Health Science degree, I was selected to the US Women's National Team. I am training with the team in Lancaster PA. I train Monday-Friday, and my days consist of either lifting and practice or a double practice inthe morning and the afternoon. I am working hard every day with an excellent group of girls and staff, excited to get started with the FIH Pro League season that starts at the end of January.
What does HTC mean to you?
HTC is a true family that supports all ages and levels of play. I have learned so much from the coaches, as well as, my teammates. I am so grateful to have been able to play for this Awesome club! HTC has truly helped me develop into the high level player I am today.
What advice do you have for our current HTC players?
Work Hard, but focus on enjoying the sport and your teammates!
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Community
Coach Sarah and Will participated in the 2019 Closer to Free Ride on September 7, 2019. They biked 10 miles and raised $900 to fight Cancer!
"Our son William and I have participated in this Ride for 2 years now. This cause is very near and dear to my heart because my father died of cancer at 53 years old. Riding in his honor with our son and having the rest of my family come cheer us on is such a highlight! I can't wait for our youngest son, Teddy to join us in a couple of years."
Cheers to Coach Sarah and Will!
HTC is Giving Back
Our club will choose one cause per year and work together to create awareness and raise money to help! This year I would like to announce that we will choose the Closer to Free Ride organization.
"I am thrilled that HTC will be participating to fight cancer! The sense of community, purpose, and pride that this organization brings to us as participants is like being on a team. To come together, make memories and have fun is what HTC is all about and so is Closer to Free!
I am honored to lead HTC's commitment to our community, to people that we personally know that have been affected by this disease, and spread our caring beyond the playing field."
Sarah Rahn
HTC Community Director
We will be asking for player volunteers who will serve as Community Ambassadors at each of our sites. These Ambassadors will help communicate with their site and help lead this fight! If you are interested in becoming one of our Community Ambassadors, click on the button to the the right.
Other Causes
We would also love to hear about how our players, coaches, and families are helping their communities! We want to help you communicate your cause and share your commitment to improve lives. Share your news by clinking on the button to the right! Thank you for your dedication to giving back to our communities.
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Let's Hear from you!
We would love to hear from you and have your share your "HEAR THE CHEERS" moments. We wanted to create this forum so you can share your thoughts, your HTC moments, and any special news that we can share with our club! Let's cheer for each other and celebrate our awesome club! Click below to share!
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hank you again for making HTC so awesome! We will see you on the field/court soon!
CHEERS!
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