The fall field hockey season is just around the corner and some players are getting a leg up on the competition with summertime training. Among them is rising eighth grader Jocelyn Schwartz, of Sandy Hook, who figures to be a big factor in the success of Newtown’s Middle School team and, the way things are looking, a fixture at the high school varsity level in the years to come.

Schwartz attended USA Field Hockey camps at Yale University and the University of Massachusetts during the spring and was selected to compete in the U14 Nexus Championships in Virginia Beach this summer. Players from around the country were placed onto 16 teams and Schwartz’s squad, Team London, won the bronze medal; the team allowed only two goals in five tournament games. Schwartz, primarily a forward, was one of just 11 Connecticut U14 players invited to the championships after a tryout at Yale.

“The opportunity to compete in the Nexus Championships was really exciting. The competition was great and I learned so many new skills. For example, my coach taught me how to play better defense as a forward to put pressure on the opposing team when they have a free hit,” Schwartz said.

“Nexus is an organization that connects elite players to the collegiate coaches from all over the country. They go through a process of attending three-day tryouts. They choose the best of their age group to move on,” said Ellen Goyda, who coaches the Newtown Middle School team and works with the Newtown High School players in the offseason.

The 12-year-old field hockey phenom has had quite a summer honing her skills on the turf. She attended overnight camps at the University of North Carolina and University of Connecticut, as well as the WC Eagles camp in Spring City, Penn. The WC Eagles is the premier club in the nation, as they routinely win the U14, U16 and U19 National Club championships. She also played on the Competitive Edge club team.

“She is a great kid who just loves field hockey. It’s in her blood — just wants to keep getting better and better and play more and more. Her ultimate goal is to play at the collegiate level,” Goyda said. “She really is just the best kid. She’s a coach’s dream. I can’t wait to watch her excel at the high school and beyond.”

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