GRASSROOTS
GRASSROOTS
HOCKEY
With the Women´s Samsung Hockey Champions Trophy in Nottingham on 10-18 July fast approaching, the EHB highlights its strategic plan for the sport up to 2013 and beyond
H
ockey is now prepared for the once in a lifetime opportunity that the next four years will bring. The England Hockey
Board’s (EHB) 2009-2013 strategic plan
Uniting the Hockey Family demonstrates
that through the research it’s undertak- en and the changes it’s making to the sport’s infrastructure, the national gov- erning body is working towards Sport England’s objectives of grow, sustain and excel and has gained £2.7m in fund- ing to take this plan forward.
Schools
Most hockey players’ first exposure to the game tends to be through school sport and the EHB has dedicated signifi- cant time and energy to developing a range of products and services designed to drive its development and encourage more young people into the sport. Much of the focus over the past 18
months has been on the promotion and roll-out of the new version of the game – Quicksticks. This is an introductory game developed specifically for primary school children. It’s aimed at 7- to 11-year-olds and features a number of adaptations which make the sport more enjoyable and rewarding for children and easier for schools and teachers to deliver – even if they have little or no hockey knowledge. The key features of Quicksticks are:
• Specially designed equipment includ- ing a larger, lighter and safer ball and different-sized sticks – all featuring teaching aids on the artwork • No goalkeeper equipment or hockey goals are required • No sophisticated facilities are required. It can be played on a variety of sur- faces – including playgrounds, netball courts, synthetic turf, grass and on indoor sports hall floors • Educational resources can be accessed which include 49 illustrated challenge cards, the rules of Quicksticks and a curriculum resource which gives six weeks of lesson plans for years three, four, five and six to save teachers time in lesson planning • The game is playable by boys and girls of all ages and abilities. As no goalkeepers are required, it offers all players full involvement in the game and increased playing time • Smaller sides and simpler rules reduce stoppages, minimise danger and maximise ball contact
24 Read Sports Management online
sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital
and player involvement • All players are given a chance to manage and umpire These adaptations have helped to
overcome the barriers that previously prevented hockey being delivered to school children at primary school level and so the development of Quicksticks has provided a fun and engaging way for both young people and teachers to experience the sport. Last year, the EHB ran 120 Quicksticks
INSET training courses for clubs and schools – training 2,000 teachers and coaches in how to deliver the game. The target is now to accelerate the rollout of Quicksticks to reach more schools and clubs, with the ultimate aim of seeing Quicksticks being played in 75 per cent of primary schools across the country. Following on from the Quicksticks pro-
gramme is mini hockey – a seven-a-side game that aims to bridge the gap with the full 11-a-side game. Mini hockey has been in existence for more than 20 years and a review of the game is planned
Issue 2 2010 © cybertrek 2010
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