The Talent Development strategy “A New Way Forward” was launched at the end of the 2021-2022 season and is designed to provide an environment which helps all junior players to realise their potential. A copy of the latest EH Document regarding the Talent System Framework is linked on the right hand side of the page.
London Hockey is responsible for the organisation of activity which form the first two levels of the Talent Pathway for players aged U13 - U17 in the Greater London area.
Development Centres (DCs) are the first level of our Talent Pathway. Players are nominated by their club or school to attend centres across London for a series of training sessions over the summer period where they receive coaching in core skills and match play following EH guidelines. DCs will be run at a number of different venues and players select the one which is the most convenient for them.
Following the DC sessions, some players will be selected for further assessment for the Academy Centres. Anyone who is not selected for the next level will have the opportunity to be assessed again the following season if renominated.
The London Training Squads are the second level. There are two squads per age group & gender will be run, one in the north and one in the south of the Area. Training will be held at different venues across London and will run from October/November to March on Sunday priority dates in the EH Centralised Calendar plus some Friday evenings.
A representative match squad will then be selected to play a series of matches in a South Counties Tournament against County teams from Berkshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Sussex which take place from March to May.