Birmingham 2022 | Commonwealth Games Legacy | Clubs | Communities | State Schools

Connecting Clubs and the Local Community

As we entered 2023, England Hockey widened their support radius and encouraged clubs across the Midlands to apply for funding to deliver new hockey activity to new groups of people who have not had access or opportunity to participate in the sport previously. The projects aimed to introduce hockey and deliver positive experiences to young people, families and adults from inner city areas, areas of high deprivation, with culturally or ethnic diverse backgrounds as well as those who are currently inactive or have longer term health conditions.

Midlands Clubs Activity

Across the Midlands area, clubs have been implementing projects within state schools and the local community to help increase the reach, access and participation of hockey. Details of their projects and activities can be found below.

Redditch Hockey Club are Bringing Hockey Back to Their Local High Schools

Locally hockey in high schools in not an option for most young people in Redditch. With inspiration and funding from the England Hockey Commonwealth Games Legacy project, Redditch HC are engaging with local teachers and high schools. By helping them introduce and develop hockey in curriculum time and through after school clubs, more young people are having an opportunity to have a positive experience of hockey.

It all started with a High School Festival… 1 day, 7 high schools, 104 children, skills sessions, 7 aside games, support from 10 club volunteers, coaches and the schools games organiser all resulting in the permanent addition of a new High School Hockey Festival and a positive, fun, informal introduction to hockey for many young people.

Have a look at the video for inspiration on how hockey clubs and local schools can positively work together.

Commonwealth Games Hockey Inspired Castle Mead Academy and Leicester Hockey Club Partnership

For students at Castle Mead Academy in the heart of Leicester, all it took was a visit to watch hockey at the Commonwealth Games and they were hooked.

With funding from England Hockey’s Commonwealth Games Legacy project, Leicester Hockey Club have been taking hockey to places where it doesn’t currently exist within the city. Developing relationships with schools to help children get positive experiences, develop their skills and enthusiasm and due to their clubs proximity, support interested children transition into club hockey and develop a lifelong love of the game.

Have a look at the video for inspiration on how hockey clubs and local schools can work together to bring hockey to new people and places.

: Recognising a lack of hockey being played in schools in their local area, Bloxwich are working with four schools to provide pupils with an opportunity to play hockey.

Through the provision of after-school clubs, they have delivered hockey to nearly 200 pupils across all schools and have plans to widen their programme to cover more schools in the future.
: Working with a local inner city primary school in an area of high deprivation, Harborne HC are providing pupils and staff with the opportunity to participate and integrate hockey into their school.
Through the provision of an after-school club, pupils are having a go at hockey for the first time and enjoying their experience. To ensure that hockey becomes a sustainable part of school life, the club are training staff and providing them with equipment, which will mean more children will gain exposure and experience hockey in the future.
In addition, Harborne HC have extended their popular Flyerz programme to local charities in Birmingham that support young adults with learning disabilities. People have the opportunity to participate in a tailored hockey experience in a familiar environment with support from experienced deliverers. For those that want to continue playing hockey there is an opportunity to join the clubs well established Flyerz sessions.
: With high levels of inactivity in the local area, North Stafford HC are engaging young people in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme in hockey.
Working with three schools across the area, hockey after school clubs have provided around 150 pupils from high deprivation areas with valuable sporting opportunities.
: High inactivity and obesity levels in the local area, coupled with a growing list of barriers to participation means that only 20% of schools in the Telford & Wrekin area play hockey.
Working with several primary schools, Telford & Wrekin HC have provided a mixed after-school session at their club which will see 175 children over the course of the project, learn to play hockey and put their skills to the test in a mini-tournament.
The club will help pupils transition into their club with a 'Golden Ticket' initiative that will give children access to free sessions and additional support.