Field Hockey 101.
A group of Grade 8 girls from Skaha Lake Middle School had an opportunity to experience the sport of field hockey first hand recently.
Thanks to coach Brenda Kelly, from Princess Margaret Secondary School, and a group some of her current and past players, including graduates, the girls got to learn some of the basics of the game.
“There isn’t a team at the school (Skaha) right now, so we thought it would be fun for them to learn a little bit about it,” said Kelly during a break in the action. “At first I think some of the girls were, ‘I’m not sure about this’ and now there are lots of really positive, ‘this is OK’ and they seem to be laughing and having fun so I think they’re OK with it.
“I think that fun part is that it’s a lot of people it’s a big team, 11 players on the field so lots of different people get to play. At Maggie, we have a no-cut policy, so I say to them when you come you’re going to try a new sport and when you come out for the first time you’re welcome and we don’t cut anybody.”
Along with learning the skills the girls also just got to play against each other in a game setting.
READ MORE: Penticton high school field hockey teams do battle
Kelly hopes that be giving the senior girls at Skaha a little taste of the action they will come out for the secondary school team when they come to Maggie in the fall.
“I think that when the kids are able to grow up with the sport they are a lot more interested. If we get them started at an earlier age they are a lot more likely to continue on with it,” she said. “Also, I think, they just really like the camaraderie and it’s a really nice group of kids who seem to be attracted to it.”
READ MORE: Newly formed SESS girls’ field hockey team looking for players
The sport is also proving to be popular with many of the international exchange students who come to Maggie and play and then go home and tell their friends who are coming to Penticton about the game.
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Mark Brett | Reporter
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