Junior Regional Performance Centres (JRPCs)

A Junior Regional Performance Centre (JRPC) is a training centre for the U15, U16, U17 and U18 age groups which, from 2009/10, will be open to anyone who has successfully come through assessment from a Junior Academy Centre (JAC) or who has previously been involved in National Age Group Squads (NAGS) activity.

What is a Junior Regional Performance Centre?

A Junior Regional Performance Centre (JRPC) is a training centre for the U15, U16, U17 and U18 age groups which, from 2009/10, will be open to anyone who has successfully come through assessment from a Junior Academy Centre (JAC) or who has previously been involved in National Age Group Squads (NAGS) activity.  After attending a JAC, a JRPC is the next step on the U18 Player Pathway.  

What happens at a JRPC?

JRPCs provide regular training sessions where players will receive high level coaching on the core skills of hockey from JRPC coaches, with additional input from England Hockey’s Centrally Contracted Coaches (CCCs).  There are two tiers of JRPC activity:

Tier 1 – a phase of training followed by two days of competition
Tier 2 – a phase of training followed by either a High Performance Assessment Camp (HiPAC) (U15 & U17) or the England Hockey Futures Cup (EHFC) (U16 & U18)

In Tier 1 competition the JRPCs are grouped into four clusters of three.  From Tier 1 activity, players will be selected to represent their cluster squad at Tier 2.  These cluster squads are called the Saxon Tigers, the Pennine Pumas, the Wessex Leopards and the Mercia Lynx.

The combination of training and competition allows players to develop in a variety of situations and ensures that they are assessed in more than just the competition environment. 

Where and when are the JRPCs?

There are 12 JRPCs nationwide, in areas of the country previously agreed by England Hockey and the Regional Associations. The exact venues will be appointed in May 2009 following a comprehensive tendering process.

Players should attend whichever JRPC is closest to where they live (or in the case of boarding pupils, where they attend school).  Pilot activity is being run during 2008/09, but from 2009/10 JRPCs will run from August to November.

Information about the location of JRPCs is available from your England Hockey Regional Office and at www.englandhockey.co.uk/jrpclocations. If you are not sure which JRPC is closest to you, contact your JAC manager/administrator or your England Hockey Regional Office. 

Who organises the JRPCs?

JRPCs will be run by Regional Hockey Associations, who will appoint coaches and managers/administrators to organise and run all Tier 1 activity.  The manager/administrator will be the main contact regarding nominations, dates and times of the Tier 1 sessions and the coaches will be responsible for the training and competition with support from England Hockey Centrally Contracted Coaches (CCCs).

Tier 2 activity will be run by England Hockey, who will appoint coaches and managers/administrators.

Is there a cost to attend a JRPC?

A fee will be charged for attending training sessions and competitions. 

What is the next step on the U18 Player Pathway?

Players will be selected from Tier 1 competition to represent one of the cluster squads at either a HiPAC (U15 & U17) or the EHFC (U16 & U18).  From the EHFC competition, players may then be selected for involvement in the National Age Group Squads (NAGS) (U16 & U18).

Players who do not progress beyond the JRPC tiers will have been identified as talented players. They should continue to work on their game at club and/or school and through attendance at their local JAC with the aim of progressing through to JRPC activity again the following year.

Which Age Group?