31^st May 2006

 

 

To:        England Hockey  

 

 

A SINGLE SYSTEM FOR HOCKEY

 

The following represents Cheshire Hockey Association’s response to the vision for a single system for hockey in England.

 

The Association supports the principle of a consistent approach to player development, applauds the identification of the key role clubs have and will continue to have, and appreciates the work which has gone into producing the consultation document. 

 

The introduction to the document refers to its findings drawing on ‘a consensus of research into growth and maturity’ but it was disappointing that the document did not include any details of, or references to, the research.

 

 

The Association wishes to make the following specific observations on the proposals:

 

 

Player Pathway:

 

·         The venues for the Local Development Centres 1 and 2 ought to be at ‘neutral’ locations to promote equality for all clubs. 

 

It would, as now, be for each club to ensure they attracted and developed junior players from their ‘catchment’ area by ensuring access to appropriate resources (qualified coaches, location and availability of pitch facilities, effective club / parent-carer communication, player development recording system, etc).  There would then be equal opportunities for players from all clubs to be assessed against specific criteria to receive further coaching at a LDC located at a facility other than a club.  This would reduce the likelihood that certain clubs would be ‘promoted’ through their facility been seen as better as the LDC was located there.

 

 

·         Resourcing for Local Development Centres – coaches / volunteers, etc

 

There must be a fully funded coaches pathway in place, or well on its way to being in place, to resource the LDCs. 

Coaches working in clubs will need to be ‘enticed’ to LDC opportunities. 

 

Structured Season:

 

·         Availability of sufficient volunteers to support the two proposed cycles

 

There is concern that volunteer capacity is already heavily stretched to deliver the current programmes of development therefore there will be a need for some fast track volunteer recruitment and development programmes put into place throughout the sport.

 

 

·         Length of the hockey season for junior players

 

The document appears to suggest that all young players should be subject to a 10-month season.  Introducing player development across ten months of the year is likely to prejudice against young players who want to and should be encouraged to be involved in more than one sport – skills developed in other sports are transferable and must be included in records of players’ development.  If it is intended to introduce this from age 6 then we appear to be making young people choose their main sport much too early in their lives.  

 

 

Competition:

 

·         Age-appropriate and skill-appropriate competition

 

This Association is in full agreement with an appropriate competition structure being developed gradually to ensure ‘fit for purpose’ and applauds local level junior competition but again feels that volunteer resources are limited so development in this area would need to be as volunteer resources permit. 

 

·         Age date qualification

 

The game relies on school-based introduction to hockey as an option and early development of skills.  We must demonstrate that we want to be a big part of the active/healthy schools developments to enable hockey to benefit therefore we must appreciate the operational issues for schools if they cannot work to year groups.

 

Accordingly all school-related competition should be 1^st September age date qualification and all other be 1^st January.

 

·         FE/HE – Club links

 

The Association supports all efforts to promote FE/HE – Club links.  Continuing development for the U16/U18 to U21 age group needs this initiative.

 

·         Age restrictions on juniors playing in adult leagues

 

This is an area of concern for all clubs, whatever their size – from 1-team clubs which feel they will not survive without the opportunity to include young players in their squads to large clubs which feel they are in the best position to judge which teams their talented players should play in.  

 

This Association therefore welcomes this aspect of the single system being a long term development so that there are clear alternatives and clubs are supported through any transition period. However, the Association considers there should be no age restriction but that clubs must evidence as part of their affiliation that they have an appropriate system in place for individual players to be properly assessed for adult league play within a junior development programme and the decision to permit is reached between the Club’s qualified coach, the parents/carers, and the young person.

 

If however it is decided that an age qualification must be put in place then this should be 15 years of age for both girls and boys rather than each gender have a different age qualification.

 

 

 

 

 

Grass roots funding for development:

 

The Association feels very strongly that the withdrawal of grass roots funding (e.g. the Hockey Development Officer system) will result in there not being a fundamental, extensive base of junior players available for the development of hockey and therefore strongly urges that grass roots funding is included in the single system for hockey document.

 

 

 

Finally, Cheshire Hockey Association welcomes being invited to comment on the proposals in the document and in general, supports the principles.

 

However there has clearly been significant discussion in all areas of hockey around the country and the proposals have highlighted how crucial to the principles being put into practice are:

·         your having further debate on implementation with all the hockey family;

·         the availability of additional resources to support implementation; and

·         detailed planning and planned and agreed timescales.

 

 

 

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

Elaine Beech

Chairman

Cheshire Hockey Association