Do you have ⚽️ leagues? How about stuff for kids?

(TL;DR … No leagues. Lots of friendlies. Lots of kids programs. Simple field. Simple rules.)

Thanks so much for asking. Our two most frequently asked questions by a long mile on Rt 22 here in Canaan.

I’ll hit leagues first and then programs for kids.

Nope, we don’t really do leagues. It’s actually very rare to see a referee out on our field. If they are, they are probably doing a clinic or playing themselves.

That being said, we do LOTS of ⚽️ friendlies. These are weekly games among friends played to 🎶 (iPhone connects to a terrific sound system designed for rodeos 🐎). Some games (~5) go all year long where they rent the field for 10-week sets. Same time each week, usually 90 minutes. They will block holidays. During the dog days of summer, if the weather is too 🥵, they can cancel and tag another game at the end of their current season. (We do have two large overhead doors that are raised for a good crosswind, but we have no AC 🆒.)

As the weather gets colder (Oct), we have LOTS more ⚽️ friendlies (~10) per week set up in the same way. These are usually groups or teams that play outdoors as pickup or leagues – where our field becomes their winter ❄️ home. We only heat the field to the low 50’s F. So it is an environment where you want to get on the field and start moving. 

We are sticklers in asking that players have only water 💦 on our field. No food. No snacks. No gum. And no spitting. Yeah, so pretty much Soviet-style rule. But we really pride ourselves on being a clean, healthy, safe space. We ask that groups take out EVERYTHING they bring onto the field. Occasionally, folks slip up and leave stuff. We are constructive but consistent in our feedback. Occasionally, we joke “Are you guys pros? The discarded water bottles you left on the field … these for the cleaning crew to pick up?” We list our simple set of rules at fhcanaan.com/rules.

Side note: We really are – by design – a playing/coaching space with zero room for spectators. We do have good cameras watching the field at fhcanaan.com/live. These are mostly used by parents wanting to watch their kids at practices.

All the things happening on the field are listed on our calendar fhcanaan.com/cal. For each event in the calendar, if you 🖱️click on it, we try our best to list the 📧 address of the organizer for that game or practice. The thought here is allowing interested players/parents to learn about a game or program, how it is organized, and whether there is room for new players.

So if you are new to the area, or just have awoken from a long athletic slumber, just email us at ✉️fhcanaan@icloud.com with info like the type of game you are looking for, your playing experience if any (where “None” is an okay answer!), and maybe where you live. We know all the games pretty well and can quickly point you in the right direction. 

Also, if you want to start a new set of ⚽️ friendlies (or just one game), email 📧 us describing your group and days/times that you may currently play outside or elsewhere. We’re pretty good at quickly responding and finding available field time. And for groups not carrying their own insurance, we ask players/parents to complete the fhcanaan.com/waiver.

Bottom line: We’d love to have you playing on our field. It’s why we exist. It’s why our tagline is “Where I Learned to Love The Game”.

Last but not least… the kiddos! Okay. They’re really why we exist. All the same rules above apply.

And simply yes, we have LOTS of practices/programs for kids in the colder months. 

We don’t run them ourselves, but it is local clubs and coaches that make our field their winter ❄️ home. Clicking onto any event on our calendar, you can see the 📧 address of the lead coach/organizer.

Usually it is easier to 📧 us at fhcanaan@icloud with this basic info: 1) has your child played before?; 2) what type of experience are they looking for?; and 3) what town do you live in? We know all the clubs and programs and will do our best to send you in the right direction.

Thanks again for asking. Sorry for the long answer to these simple questions. But that’s about all there is to know.

We so hope to see you on our field. 🙏🏽