The purpose of this assignment is to examine, what is available for the sport of hockey locally and nationally, from picking up a Hockey stick, to playing for England. Hockey is very popular sport among men and women in many countries around the world. Hockey has several regular and prestigious international tournaments for both sexes. These events include the Olympic Games, the quadrennial World Hockey Cups, the annual Champions Trophies, and World Cups for juniors.
The national governing body for England is called “England Hockey”. This body is seen to be the ‘guardian’ of the sport as it works in co-operation with both the national and continental organisations to ensure consistency and unity in hockey nationally and around the world. At grassroots level, my local club “Spencer” offers approximately 25 training sessions and matches from September to the beginning of the Easter holidays for juniors (ages 7-18). This comes at a price of �69 for the entire season, the only things that these children need to bring along to sessions and matches are mouth and shin guards as well as wearing the appropriate clothing. Matches and training sessions are on Sundays which means that children who play matches on Saturday with their schools are still able to play on Sundays too. The aims of Spencer are to provide a safe and fun environment for children of all abilities to play hockey in as well as to develop the player’s ability and to foster attitudes of fair play and co-operation. “Spencer” offers structured progression from schools into adult hockey and beyond.
Bromley and Beckenham Hockey Club (B&B HC) is home to a hockey course called “BUZZ” holiday course. Holiday Courses are delivered for children aged 4 to 12 years old at selected Bromley “Mytime” facilities. Courses are split into age and ability groups and include a combination of structured coaching/fun games and mini matches. Children will develop the basics of the game including passing, control, dribbling and shooting through a structured programme. All the coaching here is by full qualified coaches from B&B HC.
The National Govering Body has a youth panel which consists of volunteers between the age of 16 and 24. Their aims are to give Young People a voice at national strategic level, to develop and deliver specific projects including the National Youth Hockey Festival and to encourage and support the development of Youth Panels at regional and sub regional levels. The NGB have recently funded the equipment for a scheme called “Zone Hockey”. Zone Hockey is an adapted version of hockey that can include players of all abilities at grassroots level. It is ideal for players with special needs, but offers opportunities for integration with the able bodied. It is a 5 a-side game and can be played both outside on a hard surface, on a quarter of an Astroturf pitch, or inside a sports hall. Girls and boys, both disabled and the able bodied, can participate side by side in what is a high scoring, fast moving, fun game of hockey.
England Hockey is awarding candidates from 13yrs and above to develop their knowledge, over 14 hours of teaching, in three main areas of hockey, Umpiring, Coaching and Managing. It is envisaged that the award will provide the voluntary sector with greater insight into Hockey, and provide more volunteers as we prepare for London 2012. This award was set up in November 2005. The NGB is funding grassroots development in collaboration with Club redevelopment. So if the NGB was to fund the development or the redevelopment of club facilities and equipment, the club would have to sign a contract which would have a clause in it. Saying that as part of the funding they would have to have an up and running grassroots level at the club for a certain length of time.
“Stix Skills” is a fun award scheme for anyone less than 14 years of age to find out how good their stick skills are! They participate in 6 tests and you gain points for things like scoring goals, dribbling round a cone and lifting the ball over a stick. All theses points are added up and the person is awarded Cub, Bronze, Silver or Gold for how well they did (Gold being the best). They would receive a certificate and a badge for their achievement. This is an example of a scheme that would encourage children to start playing Hockey.