We love hockey and we want to share our joy of the sport with others – to ignite and foster a lifelong love of the game.
Research shows that physical activity can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality, energy and mental well-being. Team sport provides the additional benefits of improving self-confidence, social development, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. We aim to provide a safe, welcoming, inclusive and enjoyable environment in which all of our members have the opportunity to learn and develop as hockey players and as people. With this in mind, we aspire to be…
+ + POSITIVE IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO! + +
This relates to all elements of club life and includes, but is by no means restricted to:
+ The goals we set for ourselves, both individually and collectively.
+ Positive interactions – with each other, opponents, umpires, on social media, etc.
+ How we learn, how coach and how we give feedback.
+ What we want to look like on the field – the way in which we try to play the game.
Positive mindset > Positive experience > Positive influence > Positive impact
Motivations for involvement in the sport will be wide and varied. We need to be mindful and respectful of this. For some the thrill of competition comes first, others may have clear personal aspirations and for some it may simply be a safe space in which they can engage in physical activity with friends. Either way, we want a club full of healthy, happy hockey players and we aim to cater for all.
Whilst we recognise that not everyone will reach the top of the hockey pyramid, we encourage players to dream big and aim to create an environment for all players to learn, thrive and reach their potential. This requires us to be flexible, adaptable and considerate towards the needs of each individual as we support their learner journey. All players need the opportunity to play with talented others, in order to have the opportunity to learn and develop, so it is talent development and inclusion (not talent development vs inclusion).
When we think about what a great talent development environment looks like, we need not only to consider the end goal, but also the process or the journey – the player experience. A number of factors contribute to the creation of a healthy talent development culture. They will be driven by the way we do things and the way we behave in relation to our common beliefs and goals. With this in mind, we have adopted the Four P’s of England Hockey’s Healthy Development Culture. Namely:
- Person – every person matters. Health, safety and wellbeing come first.
- Player – putting the player at the heart of everything we do.
- Performance – we encourage and drive high standards of behaviour on and off the pitch.
- Partnership – a person-first, player-centred, collaborative system for all.
