ADAMS TWP — A wave of coaches, players and parents on Tuesday night flooded the Mars Area School District administration building to advocate for adding a new Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association sport.

Lauren Billinger, founder and director of the Mars Area Field Hockey Club, led a presentation that insisted the program has the participation, infrastructure and community support needed to recognize field hockey an official school sport.

“It (field hockey) has grown robustly in the last decade and a half through the expansion of youth programs at most of the local schools,” Billinger explained.

Under the school’s guidelines, any club vying to make the transition to an official sport must go through a two-year trial period to prove viability.

Billinger said the program includes about 50 students between the elementary and middle schools, and has an eye on increasing that number over time.

She said her three main goals as part of becoming a school sport are to become sanctioned under the PIAA, receive athletic department scheduling for games and to have access to suitable facilities, namely the turf fields at the district.

As a current club, however, Billinger argued playing on real grass at local fields is a detriment to the players, both for actual competition and the potential for injuries.

She also said there’s been issues with scheduling time to practice on the turf fields.

Mars athletic director Zach Matusak said any official school sports take first priority when it comes to utilizing facilities. After that, club sports the school recognizes can schedule practices and games.

Billinger also said some of the other benefits to accepting field hockey as a new sport would include giving athletes a chance to play multiple sports, with a season taking place in the fall, and the chance to be recruited and compete in college.

She said after sending out a questionnaire, 16 students expressed interest in the program. Under WPIAL rules, it takes 11 players to officially form a team at the varsity level.

Superintendent Mark Gross said the district will discuss the proposal and look into facility scheduling in coming weeks and months.

Similarly, last fall prospective members of the Mars Area High School girls flag football team came to the board and proposed the school adopt that sport. More than 40 students signed up to participate at the time, according to coach Johnathan Emhardt in an article released on the district’s website.

In December, Mars Area School Board members approved the official formation of the team.

The field hockey team will start its second trial season this spring as it works toward full recognition as a school sport.