This guide is designed to answer the questions coaches get and provide some know how on how to develop your game and enjoyment in our sport, this is not a guide on how to move up sides in the club as being selected for teams but on how to improve which can be achived by all at all levels of the club

Player Pathway

The club offers a range of playing opportunities either inside the club or on offer by external hockey organisations, the journey that players take will not necessarily be a straight line and different players will access parts of the clubs offer at differeing speeds and ages. If you any queries please contact your age group coach or :-

Badgers – [email protected] 

County Hockey – we would encourage all our junior players from under 13 to 17 to trial and hopefully play for Northamptonshire, it really adds a different experience to the hockey season and helps players develop and improve –  

All trials will take place at Moulton College, Pitsford Road, Moulton, Northampton, NN3 7SX. Please see below for the gate and time for each age group. http://www.northants-hockey.org.uk 

Playing Programme

Selection

Policy to be confirmed in June

Training Squads

Training sessions are offered to everyone to prepare themselves for open age matches for the Ladies 1-5 and Mens 1-7 sides, coaches allocate players to these training squads in conjunction with captains and the Player Development Manager. Here is a document that explains why and where people will train. Principles – Training

Technique

Whilst you will recive input from coaches and captains on your hockey techniques there is great content on Youtube, one noted International player that has produced a hugh quantity of useful videos is Jeroen Hertberger watch these tips and test them out at training  Hertzberger TV

Fitness

Taking care of your personal fitness will form a significant part of how well you play hockey, what level you play at and how much you enjoy it, England Hockey have produced a recommended guide to how much and what you should be doing,  EH Conditioning programe it is based on the England U18 Boys squad but applies to girls and adult members alike,  it recomends strength and conditioning work without weights as U18 should not use weights unsupervised, most people dont have personal equipment anyway but  it can easily be adapted for use with equipment such as weights. 

Injury Prevention

We are working in partnership with Move4 Physio a company specialising in Physio and injury rehabilitation, it is important that as exisiting adult members and as growing teenagers we understand the importantance of preparation for games, maintenance of good habbits including warm ups and cool downs to maintain our bodies and avoid injury. Move4 Pysio have prepared a video that helps understand what to do and consider Injury Prevention video 

Feedback

there are many opportunities to get feedback on your hockey and we would encourage all players to consider getting feedback when you can,  the obvious source of feedback is coaches and captain depending on which side you play in and which session you train in.

When you ask for feedback please bear in mind that the person you are asking may not be in a position to deliver quality feedback at that precise moment or just may not be comfortable doing so, please ask them in advance or approach a coach or the Player Development Manager if you feel you would like feedback and please be patient. It may be best to wait a day or two.

“Feedback, when given is about the strengths a player has and encouragement to exploit them plus the areas in which they need to develop and advice on how to do that.”

One common question asked is, “what do I need to do to be promoted into a team”  you need to realise that development is for its own sake, it doesn’t mean automatic promotion, as other players in higher teams may be improving as well.

Mercian Marauders 

In February each year we will select a group of players to be invited to trials for the Mercian Marauders  programme, which provides talented u13s players the opportunity to represent their region in the UK Lions tournament for the Mercian Marauders. (This is not a club run activity and NHC is only signposting players to it).

 The tournaments take place in June (boys) and July (girls) at Nottingham Hockey Centre. 

This performance programme is open for any talented or aspiring u13s to attend with three trials sessions taking place. Squads will be selected from these with a training programme and the tournament to then follow.

This is an excellent initial taste of performance level hockey and helps to develop and improve young players. NB The UK Lions is not an England Hockey programme so is not a route to England age group squads however it has served Saints players well in the past and futhered their hockey development.