NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2026 / AEG and Dignity Health Sports Park (DHSP) are helping connect young people with the power of sport through a youth field hockey clinic designed to promote access, learning and community engagement ahead of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Held on September 15, 2026, at DHSP in Carson, California, the clinic was developed for over 30 fourth-grade students from Towne Avenue Elementary School. The program offered students an opportunity to experience field hockey firsthand while learning from U.S. Olympian and three-time NCAA national champion Ashley Sessa.
A member of the U.S. Women’s National Field Hockey Team who competed at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Ashley Sessa introduced students to her Olympic journey and the fundamentals of field hockey. Planned instruction included how to hold a field hockey stick correctly, dribble, pass, receive and drive the ball. These activities were designed to make the sport approachable for young participants while encouraging physical activity, confidence and interest in Olympic competition.
The initiative also addressed an important consideration in youth sports participation: access to equipment. On behalf of equipment brand Osaka World, Sessa presented Towne Avenue Elementary School with a $5,000 donation of field hockey equipment. Dignity Health Sports Park also donated $2,000 to give students and the school resources to continue exploring the sport beyond the clinic.
By combining athlete mentorship, introductory instruction and equipment access, the program demonstrates how collaboration among businesses, athletes, schools and community institutions can help reduce barriers to participation. It also illustrates how major sporting events can create opportunities for local engagement well before competition begins.
The clinic carried particular significance as Southern California prepares to welcome the world for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. DHSP, identified as Carson Field for LA28, is slated to host five Olympic sports and three Paralympic sports, including the Olympic field hockey competition. Introducing Carson students to the sport provides a direct connection between a global event and the young people living near one of its host venues.
City representatives also participated in the day, including Carson Mayor Lula Davis Holmes, Carson City Councilmember Jawane Hilton, and DHSP representatives General Manager Adam Duvendeck and Senior Director of Community Relations Tamala Lewis.
