Colts

The Next Generation

Welcome to Season 2011/12.

We fondly refer to our youth hockey section as ‘The Next Generation’ and we provide a safe and enjoyable environment where young players from the age of 4 to 18 can learn and enjoy hockey. We are very proud of our growing youth section and we are always delighted to have new young people join us.

Reading provides a create a safe, fun and professional hockey environment for children for both sexes aged 4 to 18. Sessions for most ages run throughout the season on a Sunday morning. Refreshments are available to buy for parents and guardians who stay to watch.

At all ages we provide a balance of training and hockey game/match play suitable to the age of the child which allows them to continually develop their skills and understanding of the game whilst enjoying themselves and taking exercise.

Join in!

We welcome girls and boys from age 4 to 18. No-one needs to have played hockey before as our sessions cater for all abilities. All that is required is the enthusiasm to want to get active and find out about hockey.  Anyone can come along and join in some sessions before deciding whether hockey and Reading is right for them and we can often provide hockey sticks for trial sessions.

Coaching Sessions

All sessions are held at our Sonning Lane club. The child’s age on September 1^st 2011 dictates which group they should join.

Coaching Sessions start on Sunday 4^th September. 

Boys and Girls train together in all age groups from Under 6 to Under 12.

Under 6’s       Sunday 9:00am to 10:00am,  Registration at 8:45am   

Under 8’s       Sunday 9:00am to 10:30am, Registration at 8:45am

Under 10’s     Sunday 9:00am to 10:30am, Registration at 8:45am

Under 12’s     Sunday 9:00am to 10:30am, Registration at 8:45am

Contact Nick Hooper: e mail nhooper@marsandco.com   mobile 07970 662434

From Under 14 to Under 18 Boys and Girls train separately.

Under 14’s     Sunday 10:30am to 12:00 noon, Registration at 10:15am

Under 16’s     Sunday 10:30am to 12:00 noon, Registration at 10:15am

Under 18’s     Sunday 10:30am to 12:00 noon, Registration at 10:15am

Contact Beverley Thompson: e mail beverleyt@humanics.co.uk   mobile 07899 910868

Click on the relevant link below for further details on each age group.

Colts U6 – U12

Colts U14 – U18

Information for parents

Membership

Before starting the first session (even if it is a trial session) you will need to complete a Membership form for your child and hand it to an administrator for your childs age group. This is essential for ensuring that we can run the sessions safely for everyone involved.

If you are an existing member you still need to have an up to date and signed membership form, and a preprinted version with your existing details should be available to review and amend at the first Sunday session on 4th September. For new members blank forms can be downloaded below.

Download our Membership Form

Click here to download a 2011/12 Colts Membership Form

Registration

Again, to ensure your childs safety, all players must be registered with one of our team of administrators upstairs in the Club House before the start of each session. Coaches cannot allow unregistered players to train.

Club Kit

Our youth playing kit, along with sticks and other hockey accessories, is available from Clubgear, the Reading club shop inside the club house, which is usually open on Saturdays 10am – 4pm and on Sunday morning 9.30am – 12.00pm.

It is not essential to have club kit for training, but we expect our colts to play any matches they play in club kit.

For coaching sessions just need sports clothes suitable to the weather, shin pads and footwear for Astroturf. A properly fitting gum shield is ESSENTIAL.

Child Safety

The safety of your child is of paramount importance to us. Reading Hockey Club has been awarded ClubsFirst status and  is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable playing and social environment for all.

Further details of our policies can be found at the following links:

• Data Protection Policy
• Junior Club Rules
• Coaches Charter
• Safeguarding and Protecting Young People

The Reading U14 Girls became the Mercian Home Counties Champions on Sunday by beating Canterbury 2-0 in semi-final and then Old Loughtonians 2-1 in the Final.

This success has come on top of them winning the England Club championship West Regional Finals 3 weeks ago and so ends a highly successful season in which they remain unbeaten.

In League and Cup competitions their season record is played 13 Won 11 Drew 2 Lost 0 GF 65 GA 7 – pretty impressive stuff – congratulations girls – and a big thanks and well done to their coaches Roger Wall and Rob Thompson!

In the next 12 months Reading Hockey Club, in association with the Berkshire Hockey Association (BHA) intends to run a series of Hockey Camps, some for a mix of abilities and some more specific in nature, supporting the BHA’s Single System Youth Development programme.

• All Camps will comprise a mix of Early Learners and Junior Skills (aged 8-11; 2001-2004 birthdays), Improvers (aged 12-16; 1996-2000 birthdays) and Advanced coaching (County level and above, aged 12- 16; 1996-2000 birthdays), both boys and girls.
• Within 4 day camps we may introduce 2 day groups for older and more experienced Colts.
• All coaches will be EH or Internationally Qualified; Coach Ratio not more than 1:12; Specialised Goalkeeper coaching will be provided on some/all days (TBA) Over 5 Hours hockey training each day – 10.00 a.m. – 16.00 p.m. Cost to be £35.00 per day with a reduction to £30.00 per day for attendance at all days of the Camp
• Camps will be held at Reading Hockey Club – Sonning Lane RG4 6ST

Intended Programme

Application Form & Procedure ( Download Application Form )

Please register interest with Jo Newman for any of the Camps via email at thenewmans37@btinternet.com and then

• Complete and return attached form with a passport sized photo and cheque
• Include the childs name on the back of the cheque and photograph and make payable to ‘Reading Hockey Club’
• Check you have signed the form and given emergency contact number for the day
• Return to: Jo Newman, 37, Blandy Rd., Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1QB
• Queries will be handled by Jo Newman via email.
• Please note that even for regular attendees this is a new year and therefore we need a new form and photo.

Important information for RHC Camps

Camp will begin at 10am and finish at 4pm (please report to registration each day).  Children need to bring:

• Change of clothing
• Packed lunch
• Plenty to drink
• Shin Pads
• Mouth Guards
• Trainers or proper Astroturf shoes (not studded football boots)
• Stick if possible

All other coaching equipment (and sticks if required) will be provided by the coaches. Goal Keeping kit possibly can be provided, given good notice of need.

Booking Conditions

• You must book and pay for the full length of the course to receive the published course price.
• A cancellation policy applies as follows: 28 days or more – full refund, 14-28 days – loss of 50% of the course fee, 1-14 days – loss of 75% of course fee
• Reading Hockey Club reserves the rights to exclude from or refuse entry to the Camp any person we believe is causing or has caused damage to the facilities, or is being disruptive to the other attendees. No refund will be given under these circumstances.
• Reading Hockey Club reserves the rights to cancel a course if there are insufficient numbers.