A group of Mars girls in grades 7 through 9 go through their first field hockey workout recently. A movement is under way to make field hockey a varsity sport at Mars in two years.

ADAMS TWP — Field hockey is coming to Mars — with an assist from Pine-Richland.

Jason and Emily Bowser have committed themselves to bringing the sport to the Mars Area School District. They have a daughter, Anna, in seventh grade at Mars who had been playing field hockey in Pine-Richland's developmental program.

“She really enjoys the sport,” her father said. “But you can only play on their developmental team until sixth grade.

“Our daughter wants to continue playing field hockey. The only way to do that was to develop a team at Mars.”

With the help of current P-R field hockey coach Donna Stephenson — who brought the sport to Pine-Richland in 2004 — the Bowsers have formed a club team in Mars this fall for girls in grades 7-9. Stephenson has helped put together Sunday clinics for those girls.

All the team is doing this fall is holding those approximate 90-minute clinics each Sunday.

“Our goal is to debut this team as a high school sport at Mars in two years,” Emily Bowser said. “Right now, we're teaching the girls the game. I'm learning it myself.”

She is serving as an assistant coach on the squad.

Read more in Thursday's Butler Eagle.