Fresh off its winningest season ever, the Huntington High School field hockey team completed its second of two free youth clinics by sharing its love for the sport with half a dozen sixth, seventh and eighth graders on the Blue Devil Stadium turf field.
The two clinics were an opportunity for the high school players and coaches to “give back” to community that has supported the program on its great fall run.
The Huntington High School athletes worked with 13 intermediate and middle school level players last week and then after girls’ volleyball team tryouts drew away several Finley field hockey players this week, a second clinic brought another six budding stars to the turf field on Wednesday afternoon.
Blue Devil coaches Kathy Wright, Allison Conlon and Ellyn Byrnes and their players were excited to work with their younger counterparts as the group looks to strengthen the Huntington program for years to come.
The free after school session was open to Huntington students currently enrolled in grades 6-8. The district sponsored clinic included an opportunity to learn more about the sport of field hockey while having fun with the players and coaches who won 12 varsity games this fall. The clinic offered participants a chance to “improve your field hockey stick and game skills and have fun participating in interactive drills.”
This week’s group included sixth graders Campbell Arthur and Bella Bernzweig; seventh graders Chloe Donovan, Sophie Hoffman and Emma Sobocienski and eighth grader Sophia Van Arsdale.
Blue Devil players Grace Allen, Laura Curtin, Charlotte Curtin, Quinn Fox, Tessie Maerz, Markella Markotsis, Rachel Morina, Jordana Paniccia, Olivia Polinsky, Erin Scanlon, Ella O’Heir, Sophia Weiss and Aine Rimkunas served as clinicians.
“All of the high school girls and the younger girls had so much fun,” Wright said. “Us coaches, too!”