My name is Richard Smith, and I am the founder of the New Jersey Express Field Hockey Club. I have been coaching Field Hockey for 13 years at the high school level. I have also been a high school mathematics teacher for 14 years.

I decided to start this organization because there are not many options in the Bergen/Passaic County area for introducing kids to the sport of field hockey. The few organizations that do exist seem to be interested in gouging parents, some of whom, being new to the sport, may not know anything about responsible pricing. They will offer high-profit leagues but do nothing to train kids. Or they will overcrowd rosters while collecting high fees per athlete for tournaments, leaving many kids without playing time. I feel that there should be more options available for athletes and parents.

Of roughly 65 high schools in Bergen County, only eight offer field hockey as a varsity sport, and that number is in danger as schools struggle to keep programs afloat. Passaic County only has six schools that offer such a program. In the short time that I've run this club (Since January 2007), we've already introduced the sport to kids in Ridgewood and Teaneck, and getting kids excited about field hockey. We've hired coaches who are enthusiastic about teaching the game to kids. We encourage local kids who graduate to stay involved and help us grow the enjoyment of this sport. We've worked in conjunction with many clubs, including South Jersey Edge, Rapid Fire, G-Force, Quik Stix, and Total Dutch in a spirit of cooperation and friendship to spread the joy of the game.

Field hockey is a sport that needs support at all levels, especially in the younger years. If girls could be introduced to the sport at an earlier age, we would surely see field hockey enjoy the proliferation that other sports, like girls soccer and girls lacrosse, have experienced in recent years.

Part of the problem is cost. There are few options available and those that do exist charge prices that are really prohibitive to parents of youngsters. Unfortunately, many young women who play field hockey pick up a stick for the first time as a freshman in high school (this is the case at many schools in North Jersey), and these girls tell me year after year that they wish that they could have played when they were younger.

It is for all of these reasons that I started the New Jersey Express Club. My number one goal is to provide parents with cost-effective training that their kids will enjoy. This is NOT a money-making operation. Our top two goals are low prices and your satisfaction. I am currently in the process of recruiting ex- and current players, as well as other head coaches to join me in making field hockey available to more youth in our area. Let's see what happens when your money goes directly into training and not lining the club owner's pockets!

Our programs are now in full swing, and we've planned out our calendar through the end of Summer 2009. The folks at Superdome Sports in Waldwick, NJ have been incredibly helpful and supportive of NJ Express and truly want to make "the Dome" the number one place in Nortn Jersey to go for field hockey. Please check our calendar for upcoming events. If none of these events are not convenient for you, then get in touch with me at rich@njexpressfh.com, and I will set up a clinic with a qualified trainer who can work with you at a cost which will not break your wallet. We are very flexible in our options, and we will do whatever it takes to make you satisfied.