Talent System Overview
England Hockey has ambitions to deepen the talent pool of players with the most potential and to do so it is vitally important that we embed a non-linear talent system that creates more opportunities for progression via multiple routes. A fluid system that places the player at the heart is fundamental by recognising that talent develops at different rates and each individual journey is unique. England Hockey are therefore pleased to communicate information regarding the nomination process for players into Talent Academies that aligns to this ambition.
Nomination, Assessed, Selected - The Three Stages
It is important to understand that these are three separate stages. A nomination is not a place. Every player follows the same path:
1. Nominated
A player is put forward for the Academy by their club, county or school coach, through the England Hockey nomination system. A nomination means the player enters the assessment stage. It does not mean they have a place.
Please use this link to nominate a player from your school, club, or county:
https://tanominations.talentplatform.hockey/talent-academy-open-nominations/
2. Assessed
Nominated players are invited to assessment activity (ID and assessment sessions), where they are observed and evaluated against the England Hockey framework. Assessment is how potential is judged fairly and consistently.
3. Selected (or not)
Only after assessment is a player selected into the Academy — or not selected. Players who are not selected are given written feedback, and can be nominated again in a future season.
Key rules
One route only. A player can only be nominated through the England Hockey nomination system, by their club, county or school coach. There is no other route into a Talent Academy.
Nominate once per season. A player only needs to be nominated once per season to be considered for assessment at any point that season. If a player is not successful, they must be nominated again to be assessed the following season — a nomination does not carry forward automatically.
County Hockey. Players selected into a Talent Academy are no longer eligible for County Hockey.
Please use this link to nominate a player from your school, club, or county:
https://tanominations.talentplatform.hockey/talent-academy-open-nominations/
To find out more about the Talent Academies Player Identification and Selection Guidelines, please visit the documents and downloads section.
Players are allocated to a Talent Academy based on the club they play their junior hockey at. If home or school is closer to a different Academy, a transfer can be requested when accepting a nomination. Players already in an Academy who move club, school or home should email talentacademy@englandhockey.co.uk to request a transfer, providing the reason and detail (location of home/school).
-
Nominations and assessments follow the same yearly rhythm. There are two nomination windows — a main window in the spring and a “Last Look” window in the autumn — with a separate assessment period that follows. This gives players more than one opportunity to be put forward and seen.
How the year works
- Early Identification (Jan–Feb). An early look at younger players who may join a Talent Academy in the following season. Assessments for these players start in March, with potential follow-up in June.
- Main Nominations (Mar–May). The primary nomination window for players eligible to join in the following season. Nominations close on 1 May — players not nominated by this date cannot be assessed.
- TA Excel & Super Series (Apr–May). The highest-potential Academy players are nominated to attend TA Excel, a national assessment stage that can lead to an invitation to the England Age Group Super Series — see “The pathway beyond the Academy” for how this works.
- Assessments (Late May–July). Nominated players are assessed. Talent Academies combine assessment outcomes with their returning players.
- Squads Confirmed (July). Talent Academies confirm final squads for the new season. Players and clubs are notified following the selection process.
- Season Starts (August). The new Talent Academy season begins; training, education and competition get underway.
- Last Look (Oct–Nov). A final opportunity to nominate players for what is now the current season. These players would be assessed in December/January to start in January of the same season.
