This site is dedicated to the promotion of field hockey in the Western United States and Canada to buid a stronger community by offering resources for all players, clubs, teams and organizations in the West.

Time for Change: USFHA focuses on Regional Development in the West

a bit of national history:

In the past, the United States Field Hockey Association (which has primarily been a women's sport in the USA) was regionally divided into 11 Sections. These Sections would rotate hosting the National Hockey Festivall (formerly called the National Field Hockey Tournament) over the Thanksgiving holiday (in late November).

Each of these Sections would also hold their own Sectional Tournament from which players were selected to teams to represent their Section at National Tournament. At one time, players were selected at the Tournament to try out for the US National Team. With the advent of the Open Divison and the decision to hold the Hockey Festival at "fair weather" sites, the representation of Sectional teams has died and the strength of the Sections has depreciated and in some areas disappeared altogether.

On the men's side, the men's leagues were governed by the FHAA Field Hockey Association of America. To be a FHAA member league there needed to be a min. of 4 club teams:all players registered of FHAA. The season began in the Fall through end of May with Club championships in June. FHAA Championship was from 1985-1992.

In 1993 the FHAA and USFHA merged to form one governing organization on the behest of the US Olympic Committee.

regional update 2004:

The Field Hockey West Regional Tournament will be held November 6 & 7 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. The Divisions will be: Women, Men, Mixed, Masters, Veterans and Youth (Coed: U9, U12, U14). There will be 5 fields: 3 regulation and 2 mini-fields for the Vets/Masters
and Youth teams. The fields are grass but wonderfully maintained. The turf field is still closed and there are no monies at this point to rebuild it. Registration will begin in mid-late September.

Cal Cup Tournament hosted by the Field Hockey Federation had its largest field of teams ever. Next year there will be an expansion in the Super Division with the advent of an additional turf field in the football stadium.

The Bay Area Field Hockey Association (men) and the Northern California FHA (women) have each grown to 10 club teams over the past 20 years.

The LAFHA will be moving their home fields to the new Home Depot Olympic Training Center in Carson, CA this fall.

San Diego area has grown to add another organization to the original women's SDFHA. The International FH Club is comprised of mixed teams and also offers competition for high school players.

Arizona has 2 clubs: Phoenix Scorpions and the U of Arizona FH Club. These teams are competive and love to travel to tournaments. Both the IFC and the Arizona clubs hold annual mixed team tournaments which are competitive and fun.

Seattle and Portland have been small pockets of dedicated players over the years and are both working on establishing Association status.

Youth programs have been developed in San Diego, LA, Moorpark and the SF Bay Area.

Collegiate club teams at UC Irvine, UCSB, UC Davis, UCLA, Pepperdine, Cal Poly, Chico State are forming the Western Collegiate Field Hockey Conference this year. Divison 1 Varsity programs at UC Berkeley, Stanford and U of Pacific are members of the NorPac FH Conference.

where we are now:

United States Field Hockey Association has been in the process of restructuring the US into Regional Chapters with Regional Directors. The focus behind this move is to help develop field hockey regionally and allow the regions to self-sufficient. The Field Hockey West Chapter (California and Arizona -Associations with Seattle, Portland and Utah) has been chosen to be one of the two models for the nation. The Regional Chapter does not now, nor will in the future, contemplate the operation of any league/association. The Chapter purpose is to provide liaison between its Region and USFHA and to provide the following Programs/Services to its membership:

· USFHA-developed curriculum for coaches, umpires and players (adult and youth) to be used in clinics for developing the same.

· Centralized resource for all program development from equipment, promotional material, clinic/league support and coaching aids.

· Establishing annual Regional Tournaments with divisions for men, women, youth, mixed and masters/veterans.

· Local/Regional Coaching Certification Program.

· Identification of existing and future facilities dedicated to field hockey.

where we will be in the future:

· Established middle school leagues with the inclusion of regional competition at Regional tournaments.

· Regional tournaments during the year to be hosted at sites around the Chapter: i.e.: Moorpark, Stanford/Cal, San Diego. Divisions to include men, women, youth and Masters/Veterans.

· Resurrection of the Golden Gate tournament in the Bay Area.

· Reinstatement of the California League: competive men's summer league.

· Establishment of a competitive women's summer league.

· Expansion of new members by 10% by 2004.

· Regular hosting of USA men's and women's International team competitions.

· Field Hockey West Coaches Convention: To alternate between No. and So. Cal. This event to have National/Collegiate coaches/umpires/administrators as speakers.

· Support for developing more youth, high school and collegiate programs.

· More facilities built dedicated to field hockey.

what you can do:

Get involved! Local contacts and programs can be found on our Chapter website at as well as the Regional schedule and camp listings. If you are interested in helping on the Regional level, please contact me directly.

Here's to the Best in the West! Think Globally, Act Locally!

Heidi Faith
Director, Field Hockey West
a Chapter of USFHA
650-938-6746 h
650-386-6746 w
Email Director
'Think Globally; Act Locally'