Once a junior player reaches Year 9, they’re invited to join weekly senior training in addition to their usual junior age group training. This runs from September to April in line with the hockey league season.
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Enabling junior players to train with the adult section helps them to acclimatise to the senior game, and it also gives the senior section team captains the opportunity to spot players ready to move to join a senior squad (see below on league age requirements).​
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Initially, every junior moving to join senior hockey is invited to weekly ‘Competition’ squad training. As the season progresses, a small number of juniors may be asked to train with the Performance squads higher up the leagues, and will then be invited to join the respective session. Any changes would be fully discussed with the player and their parent/guardian - the key is to ensure everyone continues to play with the team where they continue to feel most confident, and can bring out their best hockey.​

Minimum age requirements for league participation: England Hockey stipulates that the minimum age requirement to play adult league hockey is 13. At Salisbury Hockey Club (SHC), to maintain strong focus on our younger players’ welfare and physical development needs, we invite girls from 13 years* or older to play women’s adult league games, and boys from 14 years* or older for the men’s section (*once we feel the individual player is ready to play as part of a competitive adult squad).

Further match play opportunities: in addition to making time for full-pitch play during weekly training for players who may not be quite ready to play within a league squad, through the season we try to organise ‘friendlies’ across the men’s and women’s sections. Friendlies are a great way for younger players to learn to use their skills in a mixed team with more experienced players, in a supportive environment where they can feel safe to make mistakes and learn.

Contacts: If you have any questions about development hockey, please get in touch with your respective senior section’s club co-captains - ladiesclubcaptain@salisburyhockeyclub.co.uk or mensclubcaptain@salisburyhocleyclub.co.uk.

Take a look at the ‘Keeping in touch’ page for details about registration, dates, and how to keep up to speed on what’s happening across the club.