Top 2 reasons for your daughter to try field hockey: it is a great sport, and college scholarships are available
Top 2 reasons for your daughter to try field hockey: it is a great sport and college scholarships are available.
We are having a Q&A with local Co-Founder/Director Quan Nim Anderson of Focus Field Hockey. If you have ever wondered what would be a good sport for your daughter and dreamed of her having an opportunity to try for a sports scholarship, you might want to continue reading this article.
Field Hockey is a growing sport worldwide and this local club has had a great college scholarship success rate. Here are some quick facts about joining FFH (Focus Field Hockey) and what you need to and want to know.
What is the youngest age girls can join FFH?
FFH Youth League is for ages 5 yrs -12 yrs old.
FFH Club is for ages 12 and older.
What do the girls learn at each level?
The FHH Youth League really places the emphasis on the fundamentals of field hockey.
In FHH Club, they develop strong fundamentals and learn team concepts and understanding of the game.
Do you accept girls who have never played before in both the Club and Youth League?
Definitely. We are a teaching club. Girls learn the game while continually improving their skills.
Is field hockey a big travel sport?
There is travel in field hockey but it varies per level.
FFH Youth league will play locally, with occasional tournaments from Richmond to Virginia Beach.
FHH Club U-12 & U14 plays Richmond – Virginia Beach and has 1-2 out-of-state tournaments.
FHH Club U-16 & U-19 plays Richmond – Virginia Beach and has 3-4 recruiting tournament out-of-state tournaments.
What type of investment in equipment are we talking?
It is pretty basic equipment; your daughter will need a stick, shoes, shin guards, and mouth guards. If you are unsure what stick to purchase, because they are just starting, have them come and use our sticks for the first few practices – especially for the U-8s.
So when did you start playing?
I started when I was in middle school.
Where did field hockey take you?
Actually, it took me to Iowa; I received a scholarship to play for the University of Iowa.
As a senior I received Second-Team NFHCA All-America honors and was named to the All-Big Ten and all-region first teams and the NCAA All-Tournament squad. I have coached regional teams at National Futures tournaments since 2002. In 2004, I was a member of the NFHCA Regional All-America selection committee, and in 2003, was the assistant coach for the South team in the USFHA North/South Senior All-Star game.
I have coached collegiate hockey for eleven seasons and served as the Associate Head Coach at William and Mary. So I guess you could say Field Hockey made an impact in my life.
Would you say field hockey is a sport that offers college scholarship opportunities for young women these days?
Yes.
Do FFH teens get scholarships to colleges and what opportunities does FFH provide for high schoolers?
You could say FFH teens do pretty well in terms of college scholarships. We have 100% success rate for placing athletes in college programs if they finish out with the program. Here are last year’s scholarship players.
In terms of opportunities for our players, this year Focus Field Hockey will be hosting our 8th Annual Focus College Showcase. It is one of the nation’s most highly attended recruiting events. The one-day tournament takes place in Williamsburg,and is played on 12 multi-sport turf fields on Warhill Trail. All teams compete in five 7 v 7 games, with pool winners receiving a medal. This year it will be held on June 21, 2015.
Here is a list of colleges that have attended:
William and Mary
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Washi1ngton & Jefferson College
Old Dominion University
James Madison University
Harvard University
Stanford University
Michigan University
Kent State University
Bucknell University
University of Maryland
St. Joseph University
Christopher Newport University
Washington College
Washington and Lee
American University
Lehigh University
Iowa University
Michigan State University
University of Connecticut
Northeastern University
Vermont University
Georgetown University
University of North Carolina
Longwood University
University of Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth University
Lafayette University
American University
Boston University
Indiana University
Ohio University
Dickinson College
Thanks for all the info on Focus Field Hockey. But we almost forgot to ask the most important piece of info…are you still taking players?
Yes, we have ongoing registration. Just email me and I can let you know if we have spots available in your daughter’s age group. ( email quan
Check out Focus Field Hockey’s website for more info about the sport and this local team.
Bio: Quan Nim Anderson (Iowa, 1999), Co-Founder/Director
Quan Nim Anderson coached at William & Mary for ten seasons andserved as the Associate Head Coach before leaving. Prior to W&M, Quan served as assistant coach at Davidson for one year.|
As a senior at Iowa in 1999, Anderson received Second-Team NFHCA All-America honors and was named to the All-Big Ten and all-region first teams and the NCAA All-Tournament squad. She also earned all-region honors in 1995 and 1998 and was a Second-Team All-Big Ten pick in 1998. Anderson played in 86 games at Iowa and finished with 69 points on 29 goals and 10 assists. She was a two-year captain and received the Dr. Patricia Hicks Award given for overcoming adversity and showing perseverance and great strength of character.
Anderson has coached regional teams at National Futures tournaments since 2002. In 2004, Anderson was a member of the NFHCA Regional All-America selection committee, and in 2003, she was the assistant coach for the South team in the USFHA North/South Senior All-Star game.
Quan is a 1999 graduate of the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in social work. She is married to Jeff Anderson. The couple has two daughters, Dakota (10), and Gabriella (8) and two sons, Brady (5) and Chase (2).
Bio: Quan Nim Anderson (Iowa, 1999), Co-Founder/DirectorAuthor
