AUGUST 12, 2020
Welcome to MAX Field Hockey’s first Weekly Digest!
With the coronavirus pandemic changing the course of our regularly scheduled content for the Fall High School season, we will be working hard on updating and improving our existing content as well as exploring new opportunities and areas of coverage over the next couple of months. We will be releasing a “weekly digest” like this as we do so to provide updates and to track the major high school, youth, club and college news from around the nation.
If you are interested in sponsoring a weekly digest, please email us at admin@maxfieldhockey.com!
2020 MAX Field Hockey High School National Invitational at The Proving Grounds Cancelled
Last month we decided to cancel our 2020 High School National Invitational. We refunded all teams fees and extended their invitation to the 2021 invitational.
*We noted that we are still considering the idea of a potential more informal play day that weekend and/or potentially a second weekend as well, but we have yet to make a decision as the PIAA has bumped back their decision to return to play another two weeks.
2020 High School Ranking & Player Award Update
With the constantly changing COVID landscape, varying state association and conference decisions being made or delayed daily, and the general uncertainty of the High School season across the country, MAX Field Hockey will not be doing our regular weekly High School regional and national rankings.
In the spirit of the game and our commitment to covering the High School game, we will be releasing Preseason Regional Players to Watch. We will treat these as if the High School season was moving forward as it normally would. For postseason rankings and awards- we are going to keep this TBD and see what actually happens this Fall. If it makes sense and there is enough participation, we will try to do some version of each.
MAX Field Hockey Player Ranking Update
We are currently working on turning our Class of 2023 Top 100 Players to Watch into a full feature with action shots (we originally released the list in table form in March). We have emailed all players on the list for action shots and will be releasing the full feature sometime in the next couple of weeks.
We heavily rely on summer selections and event performance in the updating of our player rankings. Since the majority of the summer’s major events were cancelled, the updating of our player rankings is currently paused, but we will be revisiting our lists and nomination/feedback processes over the next couple of months. Please hold off on submitting player feedback until we have communicated how we are moving forward and outline how to submit nominations/feedback. It is very hard to manage all the incoming feedback when it comes in at different times and in different forms.
View, search and report field hockey college commitments
MAX Field Hockey hosts the largest database of field hockey college commitments in the country! View and search all college commitments and college commitments by class via the “College Commitment” dropdown of our main menu bar. View recent commitment feature stories on our homepage, and follow the latest features over our different social media channels: Facebook (/maxfieldhockey) —- Twitter (@maxfieldhockey) —- Instagram (maxfieldhockey)
Check out our 44 college commitments for the Class of 2022 here!
Top Athletes Compete at Under Armor Select Game, Watch Online
Check out a full recap of College Connection’s 2020 Under Armour Select Game, including team rosters, Player of the Game award winners, video footage of the games and goalie showcases, and more.
All Three NCAA Field Hockey Championships Cancelled
The NCAA Board of Governors directed each division to make a decision on its fall sport championships. With the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, athletics administrators and communities as it’s priority, the Division II and III Presidents Councils announced the cancellation of all their 2020 Fall NCAA championships. While the Division I Presidents Council has until August 21 to decide whether they will hold fall championships, the rule stands that if 50% or more of eligible teams cancel their season, the NCAA will not hold championship events in that division. With the Big Ten’s announcement canceling all Fall sports, field hockey is already below that percentage with less than 15 teams (Big East minus ODU, and ACC) left moving forward.
HIGH SCHOOL FIELD HOCKEY 2020 SEASON STATE-BY-STATE STATUS
**This information is to the best of our understanding at this time**
Please email us at admin@maxfieldhockey.com if you have newer/different info
CALIFORNIA: The CIF announced that high school sports seasons won’t begin until December or January. In an unprecedented decision, the CIF will allow athletes to participate on club teams at the same time as their high school seasons in a temporary suspension of CIF rules.
COLORADO: The CHSAA has modified the athletics calendar year into four seasons. Field Hockey will be a part of Season C, which begins March 1 and concludes with championships by May 1.
CONNECTICUT: The CIAC is expected to make a decision on fall sports sometime today, Wednesday. Previously, the CIAC has outlined exact details and limitations for field hockey this fall- first practice day in cohorts of 15 (August 27), first practice date of full teams and full contact (September 11), first scrimmage date (September 18), first contest date (September 24), max number of regular season games (12), max number of games per week (2), last date to play (October 30), and tourney experience will provide all participating teams with additional games (Format TBA- November 2-15).
DELAWARE: The DIAA voted to support a condensed sports schedule for the 2020-2021 academic year. Under this proposal, there will be no sports in the fall. A condensed fall sports season would be played in between condensed winter and spring seasons in 2021. All sports would have six weeks of regular season competition and two more weeks for tournaments under this model.
ILLINOIS: The IHSFHA has moved field hockey to the spring season (Feb 15-May 1).
KENTUCKY: The KHSAA will allow field hockey practices to being August 24, with first competition dates set for September 7. No out of state travel is allowed and teams are limited to 70% of games.
MAINE: The MPA delayed the start of field hockey until September 8, and first contests until September 18. The fall sports committee will decide on postseason play.
MARYLAND: The MPSSAA has postponed the field hockey season and is working to finalize modified competition seasons for all sports during the second semester. The IAAM (private schools) has pushed fall practice dates to September 1 or later and anticipates that league play will commence on or after September 21.
MASSACHUSETTS: The MIAA has pushed the field hockey start date to September 14. Although the MIAA has set a date for when formal practices can begin, which sports can be played, if any at all, this fall will be decided by the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and Governor Charlie Baker’s office.
MICHIGAN: Preseason begins August 12th and the MHSFHA is awaiting and announcement from the MHSAA regarding game play. While MHSAA does not govern field hockey in the state of Michigan, MHSFHA believes it is prudent to follow the MHSAA guidelines for boys soccer, with sport specific modifications/amendments. An announcement regarding the return to competition is expected on or before August 20th.
MISSOURI: Some conferences and counties are already practicing (began Monday, August 10) while others have delayed their start. Game play is delayed and still up in the air. Check out a breakdown here.
NEW ENGLAND PREP: The NEPSAC has cancelled it’s Fall championships.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Preseason is delayed to September 8. Returning to interscholastic competition this fall still remains up to each individual school district.
NEW JERSEY: Practices may begin September 14 and games may begin October 1.
NEW YORK: The NYSPHA announced on July 16 that the fall sports season would be delayed until at least September 21 and the 2020 regional and state championships would be canceled. A condensed season beginning in January 2021 is mentioned if sports are off-limits the remainder of 2020.
NORTH CAROLINA: The NCFHA announced they are cancelling the Fall season. The NCFHA includes about 2/3 of the states field hockey programs. The NCISAA delayed the start of the season to the following dates: August 10 start date, August 24 scrimmages are permitted, August 31 games are permitted, but that was contingent on the state being in Phase 3. As of 8/5- Governor Cooper extended Phase Two until at least September 11.
OHIO: The OHSAA said that all fall sports could resume on Aug. 1, but a statewide order that was extended later that day by the Ohio Department of Health makes competition in certain sports impossible, including Field hockey. Field Hockey is considered a contact sport and can only hold practices and intrasquad scrimmages if each team member proves she has passed a coronavirus test within 72 hours of that competition, which is very unrealistic.
PENNSYLVANIA: The PIAA board of directors had decided to go ahead with the start of fall sports as scheduled, but it was up to schools and the 12 PIAA districts around the state to delay the start of sports if they wanted. Following a strong recommendation by Governor Wolf to postpone sports until 2021 last week, the PIAA is not pausing mandatory fall sports activities until they reconvene August 21. Voluntary workouts may continue with local approval.
RHODE ISLAND: The RIIL has pushed back the start of fall practice from Aug. 17 to Sept. 14 and potentially to four seasons of high school sports. All plans are “contingent upon the finalization of school reopening plans on August 17 & school sports guidance from the Governor’s office.” The fall season will be played as a reduced season, with six weeks of regular season play and two weeks of playoffs. Seasons will start on Friday, Oct. 2 with the potential for injury fund and scrimmages beginning Sept. 28. The RIIL recommends one game per week “with flexibility for schools to add additional games at their discretion” and play Friday-Sunday. [MORE]
TEXAS/OKLAHOMA:As of July 16th, the SPC delayed field hockey competition between schools until at earliest September 8th. SPC counter games would not occur until, at earliest, the week of September 21. SPC will not regulate when or how individual member schools hold training sessions or practices.
VERMONT: The VPA pushed back the start date to the first day of school, September 8th. For the start of games, Vermont schools will have to be in Step 3 (Schools are open with enhanced distancing measures. Attendance is restricted to those from limited transmission areas only). They will begin the school year in Step 2 (Schools are open with enhanced distancing measures for those who live in the geographic area only).
VIRGINIA: The VHSL (public schools) has pushed field hockey to the spring- Feb 15-May 1, with the first game date set for March 1. The VISAA (private schools) field hockey championship has been cancelled, but the VISAA has left it open for conferences and schools to make individual decisions to compete in the fall.
WISCONSIN: The WHSFHA is following the WIAA protocol for contact sports like football, soccer, and volleyball. Practices can begin September 7 and schedules will be limited. Postseason play is still undecided.
