In north Raleigh, a field hockey movement is quietly growing

On Wednesday nights at Ravenscroft School, you'll find nearly 60 girls in matching blue shirts playing field hockey.

"It's really fun and like there's so many skills to learn," said 10-year old Millie Greff.

They're the original members of North Raleigh Field Hockey, a new recreational youth league that teaches the sport of field hockey to girls in grades 3-8.

Amory Martin, an eighth-grader at Ravenscroft, has only been playing the sport for a year.

It's fun, it's easy to pick up and you meet a lot of good friends.

"I was scared to do it at first," Martin said. "Whatever level you start at you'll get better and better and meet people along the way."

Finding a new passion and making new friends is exactly what North Raleigh Field Hockey Director Meg Cline hoped for when she started the league.

"I knew if I got them out here, they'd fall in love with the sport," Cline said.

Cline started playing field hockey at 7. She played for four years at Davidson College. She's coached at the high school and club level all over North Carolina, Virginia and even in parts of Chicago. She wants to see the sport grow at the youth level.

"It's fun, it's easy to pick up and you meet a lot of good friends," she said.

The goal of North Raleigh Field Hockey is to teach the sport, give people access to it and help prepare girls for joining a high school or club team in the future.

The inaugural season exceeded all of Cline's expectations.

"They've got some real skills now," Cline said.

The league begins their first summer session on May 20. In addition to summer league game play, they're offering one-hour small group skill sessions.

If you're interested in learning more about North Raleigh Field Hockey, you can go to its website or Instagram for the latest updates on the league.

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