Field hockey teams from around central Maine gather at center field for opening ceremonies of the Victories Over Violence field hockey tournament on July 28, 2023 at Thomas College in Waterville. Morning Sentinel file photo

WATERVILLE — For a few years now, the Skowhegan field hockey team’s annual fundraiser has taken on a new meaning — and with it, a newfound level of enthusiasm.

Victories over Violence tournament, which raises money for domestic violence initiatives in central Maine, is in its fourth year. This tournament, which is Friday at Thomas College, marks the biggest yet with a record 13 teams participating.

“It’s very cool (to see its growth),” Skowhegan head coach Paula Doughty said of the tournament, which raises money for the Family Violence Project. “Last year, with just eight teams participating, we were still able to raise $46,000, so this year, with 13 teams, we’re hoping to up that as much as we can.”

From 2011-20, the tournament was organized as the Battle for Breast Cancer with proceeds going to the Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center in Farmington. In 2021, with the pandemic coinciding with an increase in domestic violence, the event was rebranded.

It’s a cause, Lawrence head coach Shawna Robinson said, that’s easy for players and coaches to rally around. Players are enthusiastic to bond as teams around something that provides them and their communities with much-needed support, and local businesses are happy to help.

“We really come together as a team with all the fundraising we do for it,” Robinson said. “Some of (our players) have friends who have been in some of those situations, and I think it’s been really great for them to learn some coping skills as well as where to go for help if people might need it.”

Of particular importance to players and coaches is a 45-minute educational session that takes place hours prior to the tournament. This year’s educational piece is psychological violence, which Doughty said ranges from threats to aggression, intimidation, manipulation and even ghosting.

Field hockey players run toward the sidelines after the opening ceremonies of last year’s Victories Over Violence tournament at Thomas College in Waterville. Morning Sentinel file photo

“I taught psychology in public school for a long time, and we dealt with a lot of these things, and even I learn something new every year,” Doughty said. “Every year, the kids come out of (the educational piece) and say, ‘Wow, that was amazing.’ They get a lot out of those seminars.”

Skowhegan and Lawrence have participated in the tournament since it began as the Battle for Breast Cancer, as has Mt. Blue. Also participating this year are Messalonskee, Winthrop, Gardiner, Maine Central Institute, Erskine Academy, Waterville, Nokomis, Spruce Mountain, Mountain Valley and Dexter.

That’s a star-studded field of teams from central Maine and nearby communities. Winthrop is the defending state champ in Class C, and Skowhegan (22 straight) and Dexter are reigning Class A North and C North champs, respectively. Messalonskee (13-4), Nokomis (12-3-1) and Spruce Mountain (15-2) also enjoyed strong 2023 seasons.

“I know we’re excited about some of those crossover games,” said Messalonskee head coach Katie Brann. “Candidly, being a Class A team, we sometimes think we always play the best competition, but playing some of those other teams can be a very good wakeup call to know that there’s strong teams in every class.”

The increase in participants would have meant fewer games per team this year had the tournament been played with one 11-on-11 game on each field at a given time. To ensure ample playing time, this year’s tournament will have 11-on-11 field hockey on Bernatchez Field and two 7-on-7 games played simultaneously on Smith Field.

Although it’s not a full field hockey game, the 7-on-7 format is one that coaches and players have come to enjoy. Doughty said the passing in the seven-a-side format makes for some high-quality play, and Robinson said her girls have savored playing in a Friday night 7-on-7 league in Orono this summer.

“That’s been a great experience for the girls,” Robinson said. “They have a great complex up at (the University of Maine), and the competition has been really good competition for them, and they’ll be ready for some more 7-v-7 (on Friday). We’re a good 7-v-7 team; I hope we’re as good at 11-v-11 as we are 7-v-7.”

More important than the action taking place on the field, though, is the money being raised. That itself turns into quite the competition with each team aiming to out-raise the others for a good cause.

“The spirit of the day and getting to see everyone in their purple is something we’re really looking forward to,” Brann said. “It’s a long day, but when you get to the end of the day and hear that final dollar, you know it’s going to really benefit some families in this area.”