As the sun sets over Paris and the Games of the 33rd Olympiad draw to a close, we challenge everyone to show where the values ​​of Olympism are more present than in a small corner of the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir hockey stadium in Colombes.

Perhaps with a touch of magic from the spirits of the 1924 Olympic Games host city, we came together as a global hockey and sports family to welcome and inspire more than 25,000 visitors over 15 days to pick up a stick and try our great game.

In international sport, sports education and development is often seen as a ‘nice to have’, yet the global mission is to continually remind people that the drive to be faster, higher, stronger (and together) exists not just to achieve sporting excellence or to entertain, but to inspire people of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and abilities to achieve their own personal excellence, make friends and show respect for others.

Sport launch is about giving spectators the chance to try a sport, often for the first time, whilst also giving them the opportunity to see our elite athletes at the highest level. It enables a total experience – to watch, play and be inspired. We believe this is just as important as a gold medal.

So what did we do?

Thanks to the vision and collaboration of the Paris2024 hockey team, the Sport Initiation was placed at Yves du Manoir directly opposite the main spectator entrance inside the venue. A 58m wide by 40m deep area (just under half the size of an 11-a-side hockey field), the surface was a combination of existing artificial turf with cork infill and plastic tiles. Activities included “The Hockey Escape”, an inflatable obstacle course for all ages, a speedshot cage, a goal-scoring cage, a goalie testing area, an adult play area and a 10m x 20m tiled court with Hockey5s boards accessible to under 12s only. Around the back fence was a “Hockey Travel Zone” with information on the history of hockey, how to play, where to play and the values ​​of hockey.

We had a team of 30 incredible sports and SPX volunteers, as well as 10 staff and volunteers from Fédération Française de Hockey, USA Field Hockey and the FIH. Our needs and requests were professionally met by the brilliant Paris2024 team and colleagues at the FIH.

Over 15 days, with 100 bats and balls and an energy marathon, the initiation area enabled an incredible 25,243 people to pick up a bat and try their hand at hockey!

Just 5 of the many highlights of the sports introduction at Yves du Manoir:

• Watch as enthusiastic volunteers who have never played hockey before teach spectators how to play hockey
• We welcome Olympians and other guests to hold master classes, sign autographs, interact with fans and sign our Wall of Fame.
• Seeing the smiles, joy and happiness of everyone having a great time
• I experience first-hand the solidarity of all employees and volunteers who pull together to make everything great.
• We share the space to celebrate the extended team that oversees the sport and event aspect of hockey and invite them to “feel” the front of the house and sign the “Wall of Fame”.

Above all, the values ​​of excellence, friendship and respect were embodied by the team of staff, volunteers and visitors who chose to spend their Olympic experience in our small but extremely precious corner of the Paris 2024 Games.

Thanks

On behalf of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), we would like to thank the Paris2024 team and volunteers, the staff and volunteers of the Fédération Française de Hockey, the staff of USA Field Hockey, our friends and colleagues at the FIH, the team at Sportways, Nike ZELUS, authorized licensee of NIKE, Inc., all our very special guests and of course the 25,243 visitors.

Thank you for your trust in our vision, for the challenges you have given us when necessary, and for celebrating with us.

A huge thank you to everyone

Mike Joyce and Andre Oliveira

FIH Academy