Spring has sprung, and tournament season is in full swing! A quick glance at the Stick Together Community Calendar shows youth clubs competing across the Bay Area, Nexus athletes heading to Davis this weekend for Regional Selection Camp qualification, and adult leagues hitting their stride at Stanford and beyond.
This month brought exciting milestones: the Olympic Club women punched their ticket to Nationals, three NorCal Masters athletes competed at the Indoor World Cup in England, and a youth team in Oakland is entering its second season ready to compete beyond school practices. Plus, USA Field Hockey announced new pathways to the Junior Olympic Games for both boys and girls. What a time to be a hockey player in NorCal!
Community Spotlight
NorCal Masters Compete at Indoor World Cup
Three Northern California athletes represented Team USA at the World Masters Hockey Indoor World Cup in Nottingham, England (March 26-31). Our NorCal representatives: Yadvindra (Yad) Dhami (Sunnyvale) - Men's O-55; Prashant Aji (San Jose) - Men's O-60, Goalkeeper; Raghbir (Viri) Mangat (Gold River) - Men's O-65
Aji delivered standout performances in goal, making multiple saves against England, the Netherlands, and France—including stopping a penalty stroke. Mangat scored a field goal for the O-65 squad against Scotland.
Masters athletes are self-funded and support all travel and staff expenses. Last month we highlighted 21 NorCal athletes selected for this summer's Outdoor World Cup. To support their journeys, visit the MWC fundraiser.
Oakland Youth Team Hits Its Stride
Entering its second season, Berkeley Rose Waldorf School's field hockey team is finding its footing. Coach David Proudman, who grew up playing in the UK, has built a co-ed squad of grades 3-8 players that's getting ready to compete beyond school practices. The team kicks off in mid-April with several eager new third graders joining returning players as they seek scrimmages and tournaments against other Bay Area youth teams—a major step forward for a program that's building something sustainable.
Competition Recap
Olympic Club Women Qualify for Nationals
The Olympic Club women's team is heading to St. Louis! OC won the West Region Club Championships in Moorpark on March 22, punching their ticket to the USFHL National Club Championship in July.
The path to qualification was hard-fought. OC swept pool play with victories over Santa Monica (2-0), Rocky Mountain in a nail-biter (1-0 after regulation), and Monarcas (2-0). In the championship rematch against Rocky Mountain, OC dominated 3-0 to claim the regional title.
Up next: OC scrimmages Stanford (April 16, 7 PM) and UC Davis (May 9, 9 AM) as they prepare for Cal Cup over Memorial Day weekend and Nationals in July.
Spring Small-Sided Tournaments Crown Winners
Local colleges continued their spring tradition of hosting youth and adult small-sided tournaments. Cal kicked things off in early March with three days of competition across multiple age groups (U12 co-ed through U19 girls, plus boys, open, and adult divisions). Stanford followed over Easter weekend with U14 co-ed, U16 girls, U19 girls, and adult men's and women's divisions.
Congratulations to all participants and champions, including multiple U19 teams from DCity, Hayward Hawks, NorCal Impact, and SF Hawks. One more tournament left: UC Davis hosts a 7v7 tournament April 25-26. Register here
Playing Opportunities
Calendar Highlights
Check out our full community calendar for upcoming club tournaments, league dates, and summer camps. A few fun opportunities to keep on your radar:
- April 9: DCity FREE New Player Clinic - Final session of the season will be at the UC Davis Field Hockey Turf Register
- April 12: NCFHA Women’s League - Four Sundays at Stanford Varsity Field Hockey Stadium. Register
- April 18: Bay Area Hawks Cup - Hayward Hawks host the co-ed youth tournament in Fremont. Registration: Contact Aman at (510) 253-8237
- April 19: Stick Together Middle School Clinic Series - Beginner sessions continue on April 19 and May 17 Register
- May 22: Cal Cup - Registration is now open across 16 divisions. More details
Junior Olympics Field Hockey Pathways Announced
USA Field Hockey announced new pathways to the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games (JO) at the University of Iowa (August 2-6), expanding opportunities for both boys and girls.
Boys (Aug 4-6): A standalone 7v7 tournament featuring U-14 and U-18 divisions. Day one includes mandatory training with U-21 USMNT Head Coach Paul Singh, followed by player evaluation and team placement for two days of competition. Players qualify through prior JO participation, Cal Cup participation, or by submitting a self-assessment (open through May 25). Learn more
Girls (Aug 2-4): Two pools of six teams in U-16 and U-18 divisions, expanding to include U-18 athletes. Qualification is now exclusively through Nexus Regional Selection Camps. After all five Regional Selection Camps conclude, USA Field Hockey will announce simultaneous selections to either the Junior Nexus Championship or JO Games—athletes may only be selected for one event. More information
Coaching Corner
Level 1 Instructional Coaching Clinic in San Francisco
Following a successful session in Sacramento, USA Field Hockey is hosting another Instructional Coaching Clinic on Sunday, April 19 (9 AM - 3 PM) at Paul Goode Field in San Francisco. Coach Educators Pasindu Wanigasooriya and Katrina Carter will cover USA Field Hockey's Attack & Defense principles, core skills, and how to design fun and effective training sessions. This is an excellent opportunity for high school-aged players interested in coaching, as well as coaches from other sports (PE teachers, multi-sport coaches). Register
What to Watch
U.S. Junior National Teams Battle for World Cup Berths in Chile
The stakes are high in Santiago, Chile this month as the U.S. U-21 Men's and Women's National Teams compete at the 2026 Junior Pan American Cups (April 6-18). These aren't just exhibition games; they're World Cup qualifiers. The top three men's teams and top four women's teams punch their tickets to the 2027 FIH Hockey Junior World Cup, making every match critical.
Watch the next generation of American field hockey talent compete against the best in the Americas, with rosters featuring players who could represent Team USA at the LA28 Olympics. All matches stream free on the Panam Sports Channel. (No subscription required.) Full schedule and standings
Looking Forward
It's hard to believe we're moving ever closer to summer—longer days, warmer weather, and perfect evenings for field hockey. April brings immediate opportunities to get on the field: our middle school clinic series continues April 19, the NCFHA women's league kicks off April 12 at Stanford, and UC Davis wraps up small-sided tournament season April 25-26.
Looking ahead to summer: sign up to play or coach at camps, try pickup games in San Francisco or Sacramento, consider sponsoring a Masters athlete heading to the World Cup, or study for your Level 1 Certification. Want to give back this fall? The high school season needs umpires—learn more about certification here.
Before we go: enjoy this joyful video of the SF Hawks breaking in their new practice turf in Pacifica. It's moments like these that remind us why we do this.
See you on the sidelines,
The Stick Together Team
