Women's field hockey is gaining in popularity in the Suroît region. The proof? Last year, the Storm du Sud-Ouest increased its number of female players from 53 in 2021 to 120 in 2022. The sports organization is still in recruitment mode for its 2023-2024 season for interested girls. 

In 2022, the number of teams under the Storm's management increased from 5 to 9: three U9 teams, one of which was based in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, two U11 teams, two U13 teams, one U15 team and one U18 team. 

For the season starting in the next few weeks, Storm management anticipates that they will have to deal with more than 11 teams. Interestingly, for the first time in its history, the Southwest Storm will be welcoming U5 players this year. 

"This is the first year we'll be bringing together the territory's U5 and U7 girls to learn field hockey together," explains Marc Garceau. 

For the uninitiated, the Storm du Sud-Ouest territory includes the following 6 men's associations:

- Association de Hockey Mineur Vaudreuil-Dorion;

- Valleyfield Minor Hockey Association;

- Hudson Rigaud St-Lazare Minor Hockey Association; 

- Association de Hockey Mineur de l'Île-Perrot;

- Association Hockey Mineur Soulanges;

- Field hockey Mineur Huntingdon;

Girls from M5 and M7 up to Junior, i.e. those born from 2002 to 2019, who want to learn about field hockey and play against other girls, can register directly with STORM. 

You don't need to have played field hockey before to join the team. There's still time to join the Storm; camps start after Labor Day.