NASHVILLE, Tenn. – March 14, 2018 – USA Field Hockey’s Sport Development team will be in Nashville, Tenn. next week to exhibit and promote field hockey at the annual SHAPE America National Convention.
SHAPE America is the largest organization of professionals involved in school-based health, physical education and physical activity, dedicated to teaching and promoting active, healthy lifestyles. Founded in 1885, SHAPE America provides a comprehensive array of resources, leadership in the development of standards and guidelines, professional development and advocacy for its members, as well as the general public. Sally Goggin and Jenna Ortega will be representing USA Field Hockey and promoting the Citi and Harrow Sports sponsored equipment grant, FUNdamental Field Hockey and free Foundation Course offerings. They will also be connecting with educators from around the country to encourage schools to add field hockey to their physical education curriculum and after school programming.
The conference starts on Tuesday, March 20 and concludes Saturday, March 24. USA Field Hockey will be at Booth 1115 and will be conducting a field hockey demonstration on Thursday, March 22 from 10:30 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. in Demo Area 1. This will give all attendees an opportunity to pick up a stick and learn the basics. We encourage all attendees to join us.
“This conference is a key development function for us to attend; especially this year as new clubs are forming in Tennessee,” stated Ortega, USA Field Hockey’s Senior Sport Development Coordinator. “Nashville is a particular focus area for us, as field hockey is just starting to take off there. The first club in Tennessee, Nashville Field Hockey Club, just started last year and they are growing fast! Neil and Pam Padden, the club founders, are doing a great job creating field hockey opportunities for kids and adults. It’s exciting to see how much they’ve grown in a short period, and we look forward to helping them to grow and succeed.”
“In addition to our FUNdamental Field Hockey Grant Program, which offers free equipment, USA Field Hockey also offers Foundation Courses, which is free training to coaches and PE teachers,” continued Ortega. “Foundations Courses give people with little-to-no field hockey experience the information and tools they need to introduce field hockey in a way that is fun and safe.”
USA Field Hockey believes that introducing field hockey in the classroom is instrumental in growing the game across the country. If you are interested in information about SHAPE, the FUNdamental Field Hockey Grant Program or the free Foundation Courses, and other sport development programs and initiatives, please contact Jenna Ortega, USA Field Hockey’s Senior Sport Development Coordinator at sportdevelopment@usafieldhockey.com.