Field hockey players ages 6 to 14 worked on stick skills, passing, shooting, and more during the Newtown High School Field Hockey Camp, at Treadwell Park, in late June. For some the hope is this practice pays off once they reach the high school level in the years to come.

There will be another opportunity for middle-school-age players to build their abilities in a camp designated for those in grades 7 and 8, planned for August (more details to follow). That camp planning is in the works as part of the next step for youth field hockey in town with a new middle school program in the works for this coming fall.

“I strongly believe you’re only going to be as successful as your feeder program is,” said Ellen Goyda, who for the past couple of years has coached Newtown High’s team, has led this camp with the assistance of current and past NHS players who currently compete in college, and is starting the middle school team.

Goyda is stepping down from coaching at the high school ranks so she has more of a chance to watch her daughter, Katie, play at Bryant College in Smithfield, R.I. this fall. Katie is a sophomore and former standout with the Newtown High program, where she holds records for goals, assists, and points.

With roots in Newtown field hockey, having run the in-house youth league for eight years until 2017, Goyda wants to see the high school program continue to succeed.

The youth in-house program provides an opportunity for elementary- through middle-school-age players to learn the game and enhance skills, and now a middle-school-specific team will give the girls that are just a year or two away from high school more chances to compete together as they get ready for the next level.

“Matt Memoli (Newtown High’s athletic director) has been behind developing a middle school program 100% and it’s helping us get off the ground running,” Goyda said.

Some of the players from the early summer camp will have an opportunity to lace up their cleats and participate in the middle school camp, but all ages got a chance to develop their abilities in late June.

Younger campers were introduced to the game, and the older and more experienced players worked on advanced skills. The camp put an emphasis on stick skills, offensive and defensive game strategies, and developing an overall passion and love for the game among participants. There was plenty of fun in addition to skill building and learning, with a variety of awards for campers, such as the Crazy Stick Award won by Corinne Albrecht, younger sister of counselor Rachael Albrecht.

Counselor Nella Walsh, who will be a senior defender at NHS this fall, said the counselors teach the basics to the younger players and introduce some of the same drills high school players experience to the older campers.

“Seeing young kids learn it for the first time,” is what NHS defender Brooke Kinsey enjoys most about the youngest campers grasping skills. “As they get older we teach them more advanced things.”

Kinsey said counselors tried to make the campers feel comfortable with what they were learning but also push them out of their comfort zones just a bit to encourage growth.

Goyda said campers were, for the most part, divided by age group but that strong skills bumped some of the participants up with slightly older players.

“I’d rather challenge them than not push them,” said Goyda, adding that developing a good field IQ, and offensive and defensive techniques were among the things campers worked on.

Specifically, getting the ball up from the defense though the midfield to the offense and making it difficult for opponents to move the ball up the field is key for success.

“If we can instill that, we’re going to be looking pretty good by the time they get to high school,” Goyda said.

Goyda anticipates these camps and the middle school feeder program helping to make the Newtown High team one of the squads to beat year in and year out.

Walsh, Maddy Twitchell — who graduated this year — and NHS alum Kat Trammel, now playing at the University of New Haven, worked with a small group on shooting technique during part of the camp.

Trammel said the camp is a great opportunity for the older girls to start to bond since they will be playing together in high school.

“I love helping out. I see myself in a lot of these girls,” Trammel said. “Ellen Goyda just grew my love of the sport and helped me get ready for high school.”

Trammel went on to become Newtown’s third all-time leading scorer before continuing at the high school level. The addition of a middle-school-specific team stands to help prepare more girls for success on field at the high school level in the years to come.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andy@thebee.com.