Sept. 20- EAST GRAND RAPIDS, MI There was no match for the EGR Lady Pioneers this past Saturday, for the first time in a month, but there was plenty of field hockey on Mehney Field that morning. The girls field hockey teams got a reprieve from the pressure of Saturday match-ups by having a light, fun weekend all centering on Field Hockey, nonetheless. On Saturday morning, the EGR Recreation & Parks Department's Youth Field Hockey Clinic finished its month of once a week clinics. The sessions focused on particular skills and each workshop finished with scrimmages. The clinics were open to girls interested in learning the game and ranged from Kindergarten to 5th graders. For the past four weeks, the program hosted 60 girls from across the East Grand Rapids community. Instead of resting on a light week and resting, the Lady Pioneers used the time after the clinic to go through a short but intense practice focused on honing their skills and sharpening their strategies on the field. While they practiced, the EGR Field Hockey Program hosted the 2nd Annual Parents Rules Clinic. Coach Sanders (West Chester (PA) Henderson '88) ran the parents through a litany of the rules to help them understand the calls being made and the hand signals used by referees. The intention is to build an understanding of the game their student-athletes are participating in, and also create some goodwill between the EGR fans and the referees who are doing what can often be seen as a thankless job, but vital to the EGR girls being able to take part in this sport. After the rules, Coach Sanders trained the parents on some basic skills to give them an idea of what their athletes are doing on the field. And then it was time for "The Game"- a rematch of last year's Parent-Player contest. It was evident from the start that the skill set of the parents was not at the same level of the players on the Varsity. However, what the parents lacked in skill, they compensated for by also not being in shape. The aerial and 3-D skills displayed by many of the players left parents scratching their heads and twisting like a children's top at the end of its rotations. The score was a reflection as the EGR players sprang out to a quick 2-0 lead. It looked like a solid start to another rout, similar to last year. As a warning to all students: Never underestimate the desire of parents to want to make sure their children know that they need to compete to the final whistle. The parents, having gotten some assistance from Head Coach Kelsey Chun (Ann Arbor-Pioneer '09) and Assistant Coach Annika Sponring (Delaware Christian Academy '14) in shoring up some of the glaring holes in the adult line-up, roared back to score their first goal ever against the team. And with the lead cut to one, the parents used the renewed vigor to put into effect the rules they had just learned, drawing a penalty corner late int he contest. With an overwhelming (and some would consider illegal number) of parents participating in the corner, they scored what seemed to be the tying goal. However, it was obvious, upon further review, the referee (Coach Sanders, who led the rules clinic) blew the call and awarded a goal on an illegal shot. There are many calls for Sanders to get his eyes checked and be relegated to remedial refereeing. With the game tied erroneously, the EGR athletes renewed their determination and scored on a wicked shot that brought the game back to a 3-2 lead. The game ended shortly thereafter and the result seemed commensurate with the actual skill differential on display. The parents are champing at the bit to get on the field again next year. The Seniors get to rest on their laurels of never having lost a Parent-Player contest. The underclassmen realize they have a legacy to defend in the future years. It was a fun time, filled with learning, laughter, and thankfully, no injuries to either side. The EGR Field Hockey program will be holding a similar clinic next year. It will be announced and the invite extended to all Middle School parents of field hockey players as well as anyone interested in learning about the rules. the better the understanding of the game, the more enjoyable the watching. Come see these dynamic young athletes compete over the next 4 weeks as they strive for the newly-sanctioned MHSAA State title. The team is headed to the University of Michigan Phyllis Ocker Field on Sunday to watch the #8 ranked Wolverines take on the James Madison University Lady Dukes. The schedule for next week is an OK Conference re-match on Tuesday night at 7 PM with Spring Lake as the Lady Pioneers try to secure their second Conference championship in as many years. The team will travel to Dexter to take on perennial powerhouse Drednaughts on their home field on Thursday. Finally, this action packed week will finish on Saturday back home against Grand Blanc on Mehney Field on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 11 AM. Go East!