For most of Northern California, hockey players are in the heat of the summer (unless you live in foggy San Francisco), balancing vacation days with camps, trainings, and tournaments. And yet, fall is already on the horizon: Cal, Davis, and Stanford have all announced their 2026 schedules, and high schools are prepping for tryouts in early August.

This month there's a lot to celebrate. Nexus Championship rosters were announced, with a remarkable 38 NorCal athletes selected for the Junior NXC alone, alongside AAU Junior Olympics selections. SF Hawks made their National Club Championship debut in Virginia Beach. And several NorCal young men competed at the IFHC Junior Tournament in Surrey, BC.

Before we get to all the congratulations: best of luck to the adults competing at the highest levels this month. The Olympic Club women head to St. Louis for the Adult National Club Championships, looking to bring home the trophy for the fourth time. And later this month, USA Field Hockey sends 15 Men's and Women's Masters Teams to the Masters World Cup in Europe, including 21 NorCal athletes. Best of luck!

Competition Recap

Anoushka Gollerkeri (University '28) competes for U16 SF Hawks at NCCs

SF Hawks Make Their National Championship Debut

The U16 Girls National Club Championship took place June 25-27 in Virginia Beach, with 24 teams qualifying from Regional Club Championships across the country. SF Hawks earned their spot through the Region 11 qualifier, representing The West alongside RUSH Devils of San Diego.

It was the culmination of a three-year climb. "To be among the country's top 24 teams is a huge honor," said coach Michelle Van de Braak. "We started on this journey three years ago when we participated in our first qualifier. Over the years we worked our way up the west coast ranks to earn this spot at Nationals."

The Hawks opened against AGH, the team that would go on to finish as national runner-up, falling 10-0. The gap in experience was immediate and instructive. "The first game at Nationals was equivalent to being thrown in the deep end of the pool," Van de Braak said. "Their execution was fast — ball speed, transition play, athleticism, everything."

What followed told a different story. SF Hawks competed closely in their remaining four games, including a 3-2 loss to Patriot that could have gone either way. The team finished 0-5 on the weekend, but the trajectory across those five games reflects exactly the kind of growth Van de Braak had hoped for. They're already motivated to return next year.

U16 SF Hawks at 2026 National Club Championships

Sikh Sports Warriors Finish 2nd at IFHC Junior Tournament

For the fourth consecutive year, a joint US-Canada squad traveled to Surrey, BC to compete in the India Field Hockey Club Junior Tournament. The Sikh Sports Warriors — a U23 roster of 14 Americans and 5 Canadians, sponsored by the Sikh Sports Association of USA and coached by Maan Sidhu of Team Canada — finished second on points after a 2-2 tie with the eventual champions in the final game. Fresno Hawks also sent a U18 team to the same tournament and went undefeated, taking home gold.

NorCal players on the Sikh Sports Warriors roster: Karan Bir Singh, Aneet Bir Singh, Mehtab Singh, Jovan Bains, Kabir Mandair, Jaiveer Dhami, Gurmyn Gosal, Harman Kalsi, EkNaam Singh, Reid Smithwick, Krish Juneja, and Tegbir Bal.

Community Spotlight

2026 Junior Nexus Championship

38 NorCal athletes were selected for the 2026 Junior Nexus Championship — up from 23 last year! The Junior NXC is a key step in the Olympic Development Pathway and serves as a tryout process for the Junior National Teams. Competition runs July 9-19 in Virginia Beach. Local collegiate coaches Megan Frazer, Craig Haley (both Stanford), and Kieran Minton (Cal) will also attend as coaches.
Full rosters | Schedule & Results | Selection announcement

U14: Eloise Edwards, Aunika Guild, Spruha Kadam, Mika Nakamura, Ziza Polak, Reheth Sandhu, Sloane Spector, Cora Wesmiller, Aria Doshi (alternate)
U16: Emma Girsch, Amiroop Kaur, Stella Kwok, Nora Langenfeld, Hana Mercado, Gianna Monge, Lula Polak, Vera Schut, Vivienne Wong, Scarlett Gammack (alternate), Teya Halali (alternate)
U18: Kushi Amogh, Paola Brouwers, Genevieve Ferrini, Ryan Hemeon, Caitlyn Hughes, Kira Kelly, Eva Layton, Francine Lemieux, Storey Lewis, Margaret Magnano, Hailey Moncada, Lizzie Moorehouse, Hazel Stang, Olivia Vandebraak, Colette von Klemperer, Amelia Zedonis (alternate)
U21: Carolyn Cordoni, Bridget Schilb

2026 Senior Nexus Championship

The Senior NXC (July 17-19 in Virginia Beach) features elite collegiate and post-collegiate athletes who trialed at one of seven Senior Nexus Training Sites this spring, and serves as a selection opportunity for multiple U.S. National Teams. Two NorCal connections to watch: Jordan Reicher (St. Francis ‘23, American University ‘27) competing for "Scotland," and Pasindu Wanigasooriya (Davis Sr. HS) coaching "United States." Rosters and schedule

2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games

The AAU Junior Olympic Games — the largest national multi-sport youth event in the country — take place August 2-6 at the University of Iowa. Eight NorCal athletes were selected for the girls divisions. Selection announcement

U16: Mimi Bakker, Scarlett Gammack, Teya Halali, Kinsley Judge, Beatrix Monk, Abigail Scharrenberg
U18: Claire Gunning, Amelia Zedonis

Coaching Corner

Head Coaches Needed for Three Programs
Coaching is an incredible way to give back to the next generation and connects you to the larger hockey community. While it can be difficult to fit into one’s busy schedule, many athletic departments will get creative to accommodate the needs of head coaches. Please help the following programs identify candidates:

Playing Opportunities

Check out our Community Calendar for all of these events and more.

Summer Camps

July 11-12, 18-19: Rippers Scrimmage Camps (Marin)
July 13-17: NorCal Impact Camp (@ Mitty HS)
July 13-17, 20-24: Chico HS Camp
July 19-22: Nike Camp at Stevenson School
July 20-22: Triple Coast Camp (SF)
July 20-23: Rippers/Wolfpack FH & LAX Camp (Marin)
July 27-31: Pleasant Valley Camp (Chico)
July 31 - Aug 2: Rippers HS Preseason Camp (Marin)
Aug 3-6: SF Hawks Preseason Camp

Cal Berkeley Clinic Series
Train like a Golden Bear at Underhill Field in Berkeley! Coached by Co-Directors Tara and Steve Danielson and staff, this series offers three coed clinics (ages 10-18, 9:00–11:00am):

Sat, July 25
Sun, Aug 30 (stay for Cal vs. Central Michigan, 1pm)
Sun, Sept 6 (stay for Cal vs. Columbia, 1pm)
An additional ID Clinic (girls, ages 13-17, classes 2028-2031) will run Sat, Aug 15, 9am–2pm

SSA Annual Games | July 25 | Union City
The Sikh Sports Association of U.S.A. Annual Games will offer seven divisions: Open Men, Adult Social, U10 Co-Ed, U12 Co-Ed, U14 Co-Ed, U12 Boys, U19 Boys (Adult Social and All Youth Divisions will be 7v7, Open will be 6v6) Registration

Women’s Play Day | July 19th | Stanford
NCFHA is hosting a 2-game play day at Stanford's Varsity Turf. Register here until July 12th at 11:59 pm.

Khalsa Cup 2026 | September 5-6 | Stockton, CA
San Jose Khalsa's annual 7v7 tournament returns over Labor Day weekend at the University of the Pacific on water-based turf. Ten divisions from U8 through Masters O60, plus open Men's Super and Women's divisions with cash prizes. Entry fees due August 8, rosters due August 28. Register here.

Adult Weekly Pickup
South Bay Interest Form
East Bay WhatsApp Group
San Francisco (Fog City FH)

NCFHA hosted a women's play day on June 28

What to watch

FIH Hockey Nations Cup Highlights
Both US national teams competed at the FIH Hockey Nations Cup in June — the Women in Auckland, the Men in Cape Town. The USWNT brought home bronze, beating Chile 3-2 to close out the tournament, and now turn their attention to the World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands this August. The USMNT, with NorCal's Jatin Sharma on the roster, finished eighth. Catch the highlights from both final matches: Women | Men

Looking Forward

Believe it or not, high school preseasons kick off in early August, which means next month we'll share a full high school season preview covering key storylines from 2025 and what to watch for in 2026. Now's the time for athletes to get their touches in, coaches to finalize tryout plans, and anyone interested in giving back to consider picking up a whistle and becoming a referee.

One more thing worth supporting: Tracy Field Hockey Club is fundraising to complete a new water-based AstroTurf at Gurdwara Gur Nanak Parkash in Tracy. Several businesses and community members have already stepped up. If you'd like to contribute, reach out to Charnjeet Singh (209-407-8007), Vijay Singh (510-760-4973), or Aman Saini (209-601-7194).

And finally, a reminder that this sport is for everyone. O65 athlete Paramjit Singh, competing at the Masters World Cup this month, was recently featured in the USPS Employee News — a good read for anyone who needs a reminder of what's possible.

As always, if you have news, results, or events to share, send them our way.

See you on the sidelines,
The Stick Together Team

NorCal Athletes Shine at National Competitions