Five intense days at Champions High School Hockey Camp
The two dozen state championship signs – 12 for lacrosse and 12 for field hockey – are context clues that girls who step onto the Champions Stadium pitch are serious business and not there to waste time.
On Aug. 1, 40 athletes grades 9 through 12 and a few invited younger players began a five-day field hockey camp in high heat – three days were a full six hours, while Wednesday and Friday were cut back three hours.
There are the normal skills-and-drills sessions, and afternoon full-field and cross-field scrimmages, which are overseen by college officials.
The is a slogan around Cape hockey and lacrosse that teams don’t reload, they reconfigure. The 2022 graduated senior class, part of a Division I state champion team, was stacked with talent including Noelle Sabbagh, Reagan Ciabattoni, Samantha Connors, Emma Duffield, Sierra Manifold, Somer Dorman, Molly Mendes, Ella Rishko, Casey Schnupp and Kelly Bragg.
Sabbagh (Delaware), Ciabattoni (Duke), Duffield (Swarthmore), Connors (Appalachian) and Dorman (Lock Haven) will be in college hockey camp next week.
“Cape kids work hard to get on the field,” said Camp Administrator Debbie Windett. “They go to summer camps and show up at open fields, and our two middle school programs are solid. Athletes who commit and work hard just get better.”
The first day for fall practices is Monday, Aug. 15. There will be a final open fields night Tuesday, Aug. 9.
