This page was last updated on October 7, 2023

Registration: Registration will open October 11th, 2023. Please use the registration tab above to access the registration portal. 

Location: Carleton University – Norm Fenn Gymnasium
Duration: Oct/Nov/Dec – March (depending on program see below)

Stick Together Program

Program Details

The Nighthawks Stick Together Program offers FREE field hockey programming for Indigenous youth this winter. For details on the program and how to register please click red the program details page. 

The Nighthawks have moved away from traditional age groups and towards skill level and readiness. The Nighthawks offer 4 indoor programs:

  1. Junior Beginner : for those who are still learning the basic skills.
    • For example a new player between 8 and 13 years old
    • or a returning player between 8 and 12 years old.
  2. Junior Intermediate : for those who do have some basics
    • For example a returning player between 12 and 15 years old
    • or a new player between 14 and 16 years old who has previous experience with team sports.
  3. Senior Women: for women or older girls who have a good grasp of hockey skills
  4. Senior Men: for men or older boys who have a good grasp of hockey skills

Refer to the handy graphic to help you understand the fluidity of the four programs. If you’re not sure which program to register for please send us a message and we can help you decide. 

Please visit the schedule page for the full and detailed schedule of the indoor season.

Junior Programs: For 8 to 18 year old boys and girls on Saturday mornings:
Junior Beginner will be from 8:30-9:30am on Saturdays from November 11th to March 30th, 2024
Junior Intermediate will be from 9:30am-11:00am on Saturdays from December 2nd to March 30th, 2024
Equipment: as usual, the Nighthawks will provide sticks during the first few sessions, but we encourage all athletes to have their own equipment. To purchase an indoor stick (different than an outdoor stick!), please visit our official sponsor’s site Revamp Sports. We do now have a local Revamp rep so be sure to reach out to us when you’re ready to make a purchase.

Senior Women’s Program: Sunday mornings from January 7th to March 24th. The Women’s team will be participating in the Ottawa Women’s Indoor league which includes Carleton University and uOttawa. The team will play a game every Sunday between 9am and 12pm. 

Senior Men’s Program: October 14th to March 4th on Saturday mornings.

About Indoor Field Hockey

Indoor field hockey differs from its outdoor parent in several ways:

  • The playing field is in a gymnasium with a hard floor.
  • The shooting circle is a semicircle measured out 9m from each goal post.
  • Side-boards mark the sidelines helping to keep the ball in the field. The board surface facing inwards to the playing surface is angled slightly to encourage the ball to bounce down, not up.
  • The game is divided into 2 periods of 20 minutes.
  • The players may not hit the ball, but only push it or deflect it, and may not raise the ball except in the shooting circle, with the purpose of scoring a goal.
  • The balls and the sticks are similar, but players prefer lighter sticks than what is used for the outdoor game.
  • The small field and sideboards make indoor field hockey a quick, technical and physical game. Some of the original rules eventually influenced outdoor hockey, such as unrestricted substitution. It is often an ideal game for field hockey players to develop vision on and off the ball, developing a better understanding of tactics and set plays30th