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 field hockey. In the short time that I've run this club (Since January 2007), we've already introduced the sport to kids in Ridgewood, Franklin Lakes, 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 G-Force, IMPACT, Quik Stix, Rapid Fire, 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.

NJ Express Yearly Cycle

December - February
Winter Season
Indoor League at the Dome

March - May
Training Season
Clinics are run at the Dome
(high school/middle school)

March - June
Tournament Season
Travel Tournaments for U19, U16, U14
Tournaments are on selected weekend days
Practices are determined by coach

July
Summer League
Tuesdays/Thursdays
At Ramsey HS

July - August
Camps are offered at the SuperDome
Choose from Level I (K - 5),
Level II (6 - 9),
or High School Level

August - November
Festival Preparation
15 Practices are held on Sundays at Northern Highlands Regional HS
You must attend 12 out of 15 practices