Annual commitment for high level high school players competing in regional and national tournaments — the heart of our college recruitment pathway.
U16-U19 Travel is our flagship development program for high school players serious about reaching the next level. Once per week in the Fall and then two training sessions per week the rest of the year, multiple tournaments per season, and a coaching staff dedicated to preparing players not just to be recruited — but to succeed once they arrive at college.
Entry to U16-U19 Travel is via annual tryouts. Austin tryouts take place on Tuesday, Sep 1 • 6:30pm – 8:30pm • St. Stephen's Episcopal School.
At tryouts, families sign the season commitment — identical for both of our teams, Orange and White: Sunshine Showcase (Jan), the May championships in St Louis (Orange at the Regional Club Championships, White at The Midwest Cup — same venue, same weekend, one trip), and one hosted Texas tournament. Availability for the National Hockey Festival (Thanksgiving weekend) is declared at tryouts: it is required for Orange team consideration, and open to White team players who choose it.
Teams are set at the start of September. The last week of January — after Sunshine Showcase — is the one point in the season when players can move between Orange and White. A move never changes your family's travel plans — it changes only the division you play in, and players from both teams go on to play college hockey.
New to Lonestar? Players joining the club at U16 or U19 play their first tournament with White, regardless of ability — Orange selection is earned through how you train and compete in a Lonestar shirt, with the January window the first opportunity to move up.
Training attendance: the expectation is 90%, and we track it — attendance is the first thing coaches look at at the January window. Injured players attend and observe: presence counts, and the team learns together.
Read how Travel works at Lonestar — standards, teams, and the full season calendar →
Fall training is deliberately light — one sharp session per week — because many of our players are mid-school-season, and we'd rather complement school hockey than compete with it. From Winter, we step up to twice weekly.
Wednesday evening training at St. Stephen's, focused on technical refinement and tactical understanding. Sessions are mentally intense but physically restorative, purposeful, and held to the highest standard. Every rep has a purpose.
Players compete in regional events throughout the season plus national showcases where college coaches evaluate. Lonestar's tournament approach is intentional — we choose 3-5 events strategically to maximize player development and visibility, while keeping costs accessible and travel manageable. Tournament fees are pooled and split evenly across the squad — the club makes no profit on travel. See the full 2026–27 tournament calendar →
Players from 9th grade onwards who are committed to the game and ready for the demands of a competitive program. Prior experience is required but what matters most is work rate, coachability, and a genuine love for the sport.
90% of our graduating Travel seniors continue their careers at the collegiate level — a placement rate we believe is unmatched by any youth field hockey program in our region. Players have gone on to compete at Stanford, Harvard, U.Penn, Johns Hopkins, and dozens of other top NCAA programs across Division I, II, and III.
Monday (only from mid Nov) • 6:15pm - 7:45pm • St. Stephen's
Wednesday • 6:15pm - 7:45pm • St. Stephen's
Ten Wednesdays: Sep 16, 23, 30 | Oct 7, 14, 21, 28 | Nov 4, 11, 18
Two Mondays: Nov 16, 23
Two weeknight sessions per week. Nights, times, and venues published in December.
Two weeknight sessions per week. Published in February.
Tournament calendar: lonestarfhc.com/travel
Comfortable sports kit, tennis or turf shoes (no cleats), shin guards, mouthguard, and a water bottle.
Registration for Fall 2026 is open.
Everyone was incredibly patient and kind - the girls all accepted MK into the fold instantly and she never looked back. MK was truly a beginner, field hockey was the first team sport she had played and the learning curve was steep – when her school coach saw her again that fall of 8th grade he was shocked at how much she had improved (a testament to the Lonestar coaches and playing model for sure!).
