(July 6, 2017) Pocomoke High School girls’ field hockey coach Brandi Castaneda is working to rejuvenate youth-based hockey programs in town.
In the hopes of introducing a new generation to field hockey, Castaneda has asked the city council to support use of the field behind the former Salvation Army at 300 Second Street for an outreach program targeting pre-high school age children.
“We used to do it through the Salvation Army [which] is no longer in existence in Pocomoke,” she said. “I kind of have a dream to bring that back in some form or fashion at a low cost, or no cost at all if possible, for families.”
Since taking the reins as field hockey coach at Pocomoke High School, following the untimely death of Susan Pusey in July 2015, Castaneda has strived to continue the tradition of excellence established by her predecessor.
“She was definitely a matriarch of our area,” she said.
Starting in 1991, Pusey spent 22 seasons coaching the high school field hockey team and over that stretch brought home 16 state championships.
“She was a beloved coach and she was mom to everybody,” she said. “I played for her and she was my mom’s best friend. To keep the tradition alive is what we’re all after.”
When she became field hockey coach two years ago, Castaneda quickly noticed a void left when the Salvation Army program shut down.
“To try and bring our programs back, I started the Future Warrior Field Hockey Program,” she said. “I have offered free programming at our area schools and programming through the YMCA.”
Since Worcester County middle schools lack organized sport teams, Castaneda has introduced field hockey skill-building sessions during the school year.
“I think Future Warriors have done a pretty good job getting into the schools, but in the summertime it would be nice to run clinics, and in the fall little leagues maybe,” she said.
While Castaneda offered effusive praise for the Worcester County Department of Recreation and Parks, she noted its location in Snow Hill is problematic for some.
“A lot of our families have difficulties getting there,” she said. “Sometimes you’ve got to make it accessible and bring the training back close to home.”
In addition to her own investment, Castaneda has received grant funding through the USA Field Hockey Team’s FUNdamental Field Hockey program, which provides free gear to help expose children to the sport.
“I have enough equipment on-hand to equip 40 players, except for mouth guards, which I can offer at cost to anyone in need,” she said. “Our plan is to use basic field setup at first and then fundraise to purchase goals.”
While official plans are still being formulated, Castaneda envisions incorporating field hockey clinics into the Pocomoke 4th Friday Street Festival slate of activities.
“On 4th Fridays this summer we could offer a skills session and small sided games to introduce the new location,” she said. “In the future I could offer a small games league on Saturday afternoons.”
For Castaneda, it all harkens back to days of yore when children congregated on sandlots to play pick up games of baseball, soccer or even field hockey.
“In a small town that’s how we all grew up playing ball,” she said. “No longer do you see kids taking their bikes to go play in a field anymore, but if there was a location I believe it would be something that would be utilized.”
Although continuing the Pocomoke field hockey championship tradition is vital, Castaneda said there are intangibles of far greater value.
“It’s not about the success and the wins … the successes are on a different level,” she said. “It’s where we learn character, it’s where we learn teamwork.”
Mayor Bruce Morrison said the town is fully backing Castaneda’s campaign and has granted permission to use the former Salvation Army field.
“It would be a good thing for Pocomoke youth,” he said.
He also said Pocomoke would investigate other funding sources to support the youth programming championed by Castaneda.
In total the Pocomoke High School field hockey program has won 19 state championships, which Castaneda said is no small feat for a school of roughly 330 students. It is her hope the activity can break through the constant distraction of handheld electronic devices and lure children’s eyes away from their phones.
“We can get kids to put those devices down and get plugged into something that we’ve all grown to love over the years,” she said. “That’s how we’ve become a title town in the past is each generation as their kids grow up we’ve all given back and put the time in.”
In the hopes of introducing a new generation to field hockey, Castaneda has asked the city council to support use of the field behind the former Salvation Army at 300 Second Street for an outreach program targeting pre-high school age children.
“We used to do it through the Salvation Army [which] is no longer in existence in Pocomoke,” she said. “I kind of have a dream to bring that back in some form or fashion at a low cost, or no cost at all if possible, for families.”
Since taking the reins as field hockey coach at Pocomoke High School, following the untimely death of Susan Pusey in July 2015, Castaneda has strived to continue the tradition of excellence established by her predecessor.
“She was definitely a matriarch of our area,” she said.
Starting in 1991, Pusey spent 22 seasons coaching the high school field hockey team and over that stretch brought home 16 state championships.
“She was a beloved coach and she was mom to everybody,” she said. “I played for her and she was my mom’s best friend. To keep the tradition alive is what we’re all after.”
When she became field hockey coach two years ago, Castaneda quickly noticed a void left when the Salvation Army program shut down.
“To try and bring our programs back, I started the Future Warrior Field Hockey Program,” she said. “I have offered free programming at our area schools and programming through the YMCA.”
Since Worcester County middle schools lack organized sport teams, Castaneda has introduced field hockey skill-building sessions during the school year.
“I think Future Warriors have done a pretty good job getting into the schools, but in the summertime it would be nice to run clinics, and in the fall little leagues maybe,” she said.
While Castaneda offered effusive praise for the Worcester County Department of Recreation and Parks, she noted its location in Snow Hill is problematic for some.
“A lot of our families have difficulties getting there,” she said. “Sometimes you’ve got to make it accessible and bring the training back close to home.”
In addition to her own investment, Castaneda has received grant funding through the USA Field Hockey Team’s FUNdamental Field Hockey program, which provides free gear to help expose children to the sport.
“I have enough equipment on-hand to equip 40 players, except for mouth guards, which I can offer at cost to anyone in need,” she said. “Our plan is to use basic field setup at first and then fundraise to purchase goals.”
While official plans are still being formulated, Castaneda envisions incorporating field hockey clinics into the Pocomoke 4th Friday Street Festival slate of activities.
“On 4th Fridays this summer we could offer a skills session and small sided games to introduce the new location,” she said. “In the future I could offer a small games league on Saturday afternoons.”
For Castaneda, it all harkens back to days of yore when children congregated on sandlots to play pick up games of baseball, soccer or even field hockey.
“In a small town that’s how we all grew up playing ball,” she said. “No longer do you see kids taking their bikes to go play in a field anymore, but if there was a location I believe it would be something that would be utilized.”
Although continuing the Pocomoke field hockey championship tradition is vital, Castaneda said there are intangibles of far greater value.
“It’s not about the success and the wins … the successes are on a different level,” she said. “It’s where we learn character, it’s where we learn teamwork.”
Mayor Bruce Morrison said the town is fully backing Castaneda’s campaign and has granted permission to use the former Salvation Army field.
“It would be a good thing for Pocomoke youth,” he said.
He also said Pocomoke would investigate other funding sources to support the youth programming championed by Castaneda.
In total the Pocomoke High School field hockey program has won 19 state championships, which Castaneda said is no small feat for a school of roughly 330 students. It is her hope the activity can break through the constant distraction of handheld electronic devices and lure children’s eyes away from their phones.
“We can get kids to put those devices down and get plugged into something that we’ve all grown to love over the years,” she said. “That’s how we’ve become a title town in the past is each generation as their kids grow up we’ve all given back and put the time in.”