Mention hockey to some people and they conjure up images of cold winter days standing on the school playing field not doing a lot or school girls from St Trinian’s waving their sticks and baying for someone’s blood. Phrases such as “jolly hockey sticks” and “bully off” also spring to mind. Well times have changed.

With the development of synthetic pitches and advances in stick design and technology games can be played at a fast and furious pace. With no off –side rule and the ball moving at speeds of over 90 mph the action can be intense and the players’ fitness needs to be as good as any athlete competing at the top level. But before these dizzy heights can be reached a lot of hard work has to be done lower down and this all begins with grass roots and hockey development at the local schools and clubs. Hockey in Essex is played by more than 2,500 people every weekend. They come from all walks of life and age is no restriction. Men, women and children brave the elements at least once a week to participate in a game that offers something for nearly everyone. With 38 clubs affiliated to Essex County Hockey Association all abilities are catered for – from the beginner to the elite.

More than half of the clubs offer coaching specifically for young people. They provide sessions to help develop the young player and establish a vital pathway between school and club hockey. To ensure the clubs are offering a child friendly and safe environment England Hockey are actively encouraging and supporting the clubs to work towards accreditation. By achieving this award it shows that the club are committed to providing a minimum level of support to those left within their care. As well as providing opportunities for players it is also vital to develop officials both young and old as without someone to enforce the rules it would be difficult to play the game. Essex is proud to boast that they have several young people on the national promising umpires list as well as the current Young Umpire of the Year. With a development plan in place youngsters across the county are encouraged and supported to take up the whistle and emulate those currently moving through the system. 9Unlike some other sports hockey receives very little media coverage but with the forthcoming Commonwealth Games it is sure to hit the headlines. With both men’s and women’s competitions medals will be keenly contested and the action will be none stop. But why wait? Why not visit a club in your area now? Better still why not contact your local club and ask them to visit your school and provide some hockey specific coaching. This will give the pupils an insight into how the game is played and create that essential community link for those who want to play outside of curriculum time. For some it will be the opportunity to learn new skills. For others it could be the chance to try their hand at another game. Hockey crosses a lot of sporting boundaries and can offer those that have missed out before due to their size or athletic ability the opportunity to play a team sport. Those that already play team games will find many of their skills transferable and the transition from one to the other reasonably easy.

Hockey can also cater for those children with special needs. A version of the game called Zone Hockey has been developed to enable all players regardless of their ability the opportunity to participate. With the pitch divided into zones players can be evenly matched to ensure a fair contest. As with the game played on a full sized pitch the action is fast and furious and the young people enjoy the competitive challenge that team sport provides. If you would like any information regarding hockey in Essex check out the county website www.essexhockey.co.uk. You will be able to access details of local clubs and news of activities and events taking place in and around the county. Alternatively you could try www.englandhockey.co.uk here you will find all that goes on in the sport across the country. Of course if you do not have access to the internet you could always contact Jo Davey Essex Active Sport Hockey Activator on 07764 177555 she will be able to provide you with further information on any of the items mentioned above as well as details of any hockey specific courses.