Updated AAU Junior Olympic Games Pathway & Expansion

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Houston, Texas is set to host the thrilling 2025 AAU Junior Olympic Games from July 29 to 31. The AAU Junior Olympic Games are known as the largest national multi-sport event for youth in the United States. The field hockey competition will be held on a premier playing surface at Episcopal High School and will showcase fast-paced and dynamic action, highlighting top-tier talent.

With even more excitement to add this year, the boys’ division will expand into two age divisions - U-14 and U-18. This addition and shift are to better align with the current pool of boys playing. Boys teams will once again be competing in the small-sided format of Hockey 5s . The U-16 girls division is also growing, with eight teams, two more from previous years, battling it out in the traditional 11v11 format on water-based astroturf. With more teams joining the girls division, this year promises to be more competitive than ever.

In the past the U-16 girls athletes selected to participate in the Junior Olympics came from evaluation at the Nexus Championship. As the Nexus program continues to grow in both size and value, USA Field Hockey has made the strategic decision to change the advancement pathway for girls to the AAU Junior Olympic Games. To create more opportunity for individual athletes, a spot at the Junior Olympics will now only be earned through advancement from Regional Selection Camps as a Nexus participation. At the conclusion of all five Nexus Regional Selections Camps, USA Field Hockey will simultaneously announce those selected to both the prestigious Nexus Championship and the AAU Junior Olympics Games – players are not eligible to be selected or participate in both. The anticipated registration window for invited athletes will be mid-June.

As USA Field Hockey remains committed to growing the game across the country, advancement in the girls division will have balanced representation from all regions of the country.

“We ask our Nexus athletes to embody a growth mindset to training and learning throughout their experience in the pathway,” said Liz Sanders, USA Field Hockey’s Director of Nexus. “As a program we are working to utilize that same approach, looking to be innovative and ready for change, if it is best for the players. This shift in the advancement process to the AAU Junior Olympic Games provides more elite-level playing opportunities for athletes, reduces instances of de-selection, and is expected to foster greater confidence in young women.”

The decision to include boys in the Hockey 5s format comes as part of the ongoing efforts to promote and grow field hockey for boys nationally leading into the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Field hockey is an Olympic sport for men and women, and the third most widely played sport in the world. Hockey5s, a small-sided, shorter, more intense variant of traditional field hockey, emphasizes speed, skill and teamwork, providing a thrilling experience for both players and spectators.

On the boys side, Junior Olympians will be selected based on coach recommendations. In addition, boys competing in the upcoming Cal Cup tournament, May 23 to 26, will be able to try out there. This ensures a high-level of competition and guarantees that the most promising young talent can showcase their skills at this event.

“With the huge success of the U-16 boys division playing Hockey5s at the 2024 AAU Junior Olympic Games, we are building on that momentum in 2025 by creating more boys competitive playing opportunities and we couldn’t be more delighted,” added Marc Bakerman, USA Field Hockey’s National Boys Development Manager. “Adding a second division demonstrates that we are growing the game for boys and they enjoy the fast and furious action of the Hockey5s format.”

For more information about the 2025 AAU Junior Olympic Games and to stay updated on the event, visit the event page.

Marc Bakerman, National Boys Development Manager is the contact for Boys at this event: mbakerman@usafieldhockey.com

Taylor Rideout, Nexus Senior Manager is the contact for girls: trideout@usafieldhockey.com