Jim Emery honored with NFHCA Junior Hockey Award

LAKE MARY, Fla — The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) is proud to announce that Jim Emery, director and coach of Herndon Reston Youth Field Hockey, has received the Junior Hockey Award at the NFHCA Coaches Appreciation & Awards Luncheon sponsored by AstroTurf®.

“Jim Emery saw a need in his own community and took the steps to create an opportunity for students to access the game of field hockey,” said Hall of Fame Committee chair, Katie Kloeckener. “He has dedicated countless time and energy into growing our game for the love of the game and we could not be more excited to honor him with this award.”

“I am honored and humbled to receive this award,” remarked Emery. “I am grateful for the nomination, and I am fortunate to have been working with scores of other volunteers who have taken on coaching and administrative duties to build a successful program.”

Herndon Reston Youth Field Hockey (HRYFH) is a community-based non-profit dedicated to developing players, coaches, and umpires to grow the game in Northern Virginia. HRYFH consistently conducts outreach to schools and community groups to increase diversity in the sport. Since being founded in 2013, HRYFH has partnered with surrounding community organizations to establish a recreational league for elementary and middle school players. In 2021, their fall league was comprised of six organizations and consisted of approximately 500 athletes. Additional organizations are expected to join in 2022. In addition to league play, formally known as the Northern Virginia Field Hockey Alliance, HRYFH has developed after school, learn to play, and learn to coach programs. In 2022, they launched a ‘modified’ travel program for middle and high school athletes. This project aligns with their goal of providing rewarding and challenging field hockey in a low-cost structure.

HRYFH’s mission is to “serve as a player-centered youth development program.  Through field hockey, we empower youth to use their imagination, creativity, and intuition to reach their cognitive, emotional, and physical potential.  As a community-based, volunteer-run organization, we support the participation of all youth regardless of gender, skill-level, or financial means.

The Award

​The NFHCA Junior Hockey Award was created in 2011 as a way to recognize individuals who have made a significant contribution to the maintenance or development of a junior field hockey program.

Emery was presented with the Junior Hockey Award at the NFHCA Coaches Appreciation & Awards Luncheon sponsored by AstroTurf as part of the 2023 NFHCA Annual Convention. Emery is the eleventh recipient of the NFHCA’s Junior Hockey Award.

The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) is a nonprofit organization serving field hockey coaches and supporters of the game from across the United States. The mission of the organization is to champion, strengthen, and celebrate field hockey coaches and the game. The NFHCA strives to cultivate and recognize the professional contributions of its membership and to foster and promote the growth of the sport. The NFHCA is responsible for providing a recognizable presence and voice in regard to legislation affecting the sport as well as interscholastic and intercollegiate programs.