SUSSEX HOCKEY ASSOCIATION

What is the County Player Pathway?

Sussex County Hockey provides and additional hockey environment for eligible Junior players. The focus is for them to further develop their skills, game understanding and passion for the game. We call the journey they take through county, their pathway.

The pathway each player takes through the programme depends on their age and after assessment, at each stage of an annual cycle. County age groups are based on the players school year, at the beginning of the first school term in September. This translates as follows:

• Under 13 – School Year 8
• Under 14 – School Year 9
• Under 15 – School Year 10
• Under 16 – School Year 11
• Under 17 – School Year 12

Under 13 & Under 14 enter a Development Centre programme in the summer months, and then into an Academy programme after a selection process in the autumn. From that into the Championship Squad selection, ahead of championship games in the spring.

Under 15 & Under 16 enter a Development Centre programme in the Autumn, and then into an Academy programme after a selection process. From that into the Championship Squad selection, ahead of championship games in the spring.

Under 17 go straight into an Academy in September programme and from that into the Championship Squad selection, ahead of championship games in the spring.

Goal-keepers are part of the relevant age group, however, receive a dedicated more specialism focused Development Centre phase, and specific training during the Academy & Championship Squad phases, as well as working alongside field players during this time.

The pathway for players lasts for one year at a time, with each new year starting a new cycle. As players plateau and develop, this timeframe allows for every player to develop their hockey potential at their own pace. Some players leave the pathway after a year, new or returning players join.

How to take part in the Sussex Junior County Programme

Access to the junior county programme is by nomination, or invitation only.

Players who did not take part in the previous season’s Junior County Programme must be nominated to attend via a club or school.

Players who took part in the immediate previous season, will be invited to take part in the next season’s activity by the county directly.

Who should take part?

Players whom a club or school coach believe have potential to develop, should be nominated to attend the Development Centre stage of the upcoming program.

These players should already posses a suitably high-level of hockey ability & experience, or, have identifiable physiological, psychological potential, which can be used to develop hockey ability.

If you are interested in taking part in the programme, please speak to a club or school coach about being nominated. However, please understand that every child develops at different rates and, therefore, it might be damaging rather than positive, for a child to be part of an assessment and ultimately a selection process. Trust your coaches guidance.

Only one county

Each player can only be nominated to the development system of one county; hence for players on the borders of Sussex with Kent, Surrey and Hampshire this might require a further discussion with parents/guardians of their preference, based on where they live, go to school or their club’s location.

Signing up and taking part – Spond

Sussex Hockey uses the app “Spond” to register and manage players in the Junior County programme.

If you are new to Sussex, your club or school coach will send instructions of how to register in Spond, once they nominate you to the programme.

If you took part in the previous years programme, and you are being invited to take part again, you will already be using Spond for Sussex County Hockey activity. You will receive a notification via the app, inviting you to join the next age group.

Parental permission is completed by the parent via the Spond app and so this means Clubs / Schools do not have to obtain the permissions normally required for nominations and the sharing of personal information with us.

Where does County Hockey activity take place?

When possible, we run the initial Development Centre activity in three locations (East, Central & West) across the counties to make them accessible. However, this depends on the number of nominated participants and coach availability, it might not be possible to run centres in each location.

Details in Spond after nomination

Once you have been nominated and joined the relevant group in the Spond app, relevant sessions (with locations) will be available to take part in. If none of these times, dates and locations are suitable for you, please contact Sussex Hockey via the app.

Information you MUST understand, before taking part

We insist that everyone intending to take part in the Junior County Programme, reads and understands our Ethos, Selection Criteria and Playing Attire, as well as adhering to our code of conduct. Anyone not conforming with one or more of these criteria, will be turned away, and removed from the programme.

Ethos, Code of Conduct, Selection Criteria & Playing Attire

Equity, Diversity and Inclusive practice drives everything we do. Each year the Development Centres are regarded as a whole new Year & we try to look at holistic development of our young people with hockey based technical & tactical elements as well as physiological and psychological input. We regard what we do as all being part of belonging to the Sussex Hockey family. We encourage and develop your young players giving them the option of not only playing hockey, but coaching and umpiring as well.

The Sussex Hockey coaching family attracts young players / new coaches who have been in the system, parents who have coached at their club and wish to do more, as well as a number of coaches who have worked within the England Hockey performance programmes as well as ex or current National League players. We also run a Young Umpires programme to develop young players into umpires as well. We run mentoring programs to develop young players into coaches and umpires if they wish to join these programmes.

Our ethos is to develop all the elements of the game, and the people involved in it.

Code of behaviour for Parents, Carers, Supporters and Spectators

Who does this apply to?

The content of this Code of Behaviour is an extension of the Generic Code of Behaviour and it applies to all Spectators and Parents involved in hockey in England. The parts in bold italics highlight the specific elements which apply to this particular group.

Although the emphasis of this code is on young people, this is not exclusive to young people’s activity and it is recognised that parents and spectators will also be present at both training and games.

In order to protect the reputation of hockey in England, the code also applies to all those associated with England Hockey who are involved in hockey whilst outside England.

Expected minimum standards of behaviour and conduct

All such individuals involved in hockey will, at all times:

• Respect the spirit of fair play in hockey. This is more than playing within the rules. It also incorporates the concepts of friendship, respect for others and always participating with the right spirit.
• Focus on the young people’s efforts and enjoyment rather than winning or losing.
• Teach young people that honest effort and teamwork are as important as victory, so the result of each game is accepted without undue disappointment.
• Remember that people learn best by example.
• Appreciate good performances and skilful play by all participants.
• Encourage people always to settle disagreements amicably without resorting to hostility or violence.
• Respect the rights, dignity and worth of others.
• Respect umpires, officials, coaches, players and spectators.
• Respect the decisions of officials and teach young people to do the same.
• Leave the coach to communicate with individual players on the field of play.
• Show an appreciation for volunteer coaches and administrators – their efforts contribute hugely to young people being able to participate.
• Conduct themselves in a manner that takes all reasonable measures to protect their own safety and the safety of others.
• Inform the team coach, manager, captain or, if there is one, another member of a management team of any new or changed injury, health or welfare issue which they consider is appropriate for them to know.
• Promote the reputation of the sport and take all possible steps to prevent it from being brought into disrepute.
• Remember that young people participate in sport for their enjoyment, not yours.
• Protect others involved in the game from verbal or physical abuse and threatening or intimidating behaviour.
• Never ridicule or admonish a young person for making a mistake or losing a competition.
• Never use inappropriate language and gestures.
• Support all efforts to remove bad or abusive language and unsporting behaviour.
• Abide by the EHB Safeguarding and Protecting Young People in Hockey Policy and Procedures and Good Practice Guidelines.
• Abide by the EHB Equality Policy.

This should also include any contact, either in writing or verbally, with any member of the Sussex Hockey development team whether this is coaches, administrators, or at training sessions, games or umpiring within coaching sessions. The RESPECT campaign should be at the heart of everything we do in Sussex – we all try to do our best for the young players and plan to provide them with good role models within the system.

There will be disappointments at times, as there will be successes but the life lessons that can be learnt from how young people deal with these will develop respect in so many aspects of their futures whether that is hockey, sport, education, social interaction and the work place.

Playing Attire – What to wear

No-one is allowed to wear County, Club or School kit at the Development sessions – this is to ensure that it is known that this is an equitable, fair and transparent process as we approach each season as a new beginning.

Playing kit at Development Centres is a white or dark shirt, white or dark ie Navy/ Black skort or shorts (player choice not allocated by gender) and white or dark hockey socks. Shin pads and gum shields for field players is mandatory.

Goal-Keepers have to come with their own / school or club kit and a kit check is done at the start of each of the GK training sessions.

Those players who continue on to the Academy stage are expect to purchase Sussex County socks, but all other Sussex branded training wear is optional. We continue to insist that Club or School kit is NOT worn at Academy, this is again to ensure that we feel like a “Sussex Family” entity, rather than an extension of any other environment.

At the County Championships, players are provided Sussex match tops for games, and are asked to wear their own socks, Sussex bottoms if they have them, or unbranded bottoms at acceptable.