Reading Hockey Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Helen Jelley as Director of Hockey, effective for the 2026/27 season. Helen joins the club with over twelve years of experience spanning high-performance club coaching, national age group programmes, and whole-school hockey leadership, and will take strategic and operational responsibility for all hockey activity at the club.

In her new role, Helen will hold overall responsibility for the club’s hockey strategy and player development pathway, spanning all age groups from U6 through the junior and talent academy sections to the senior teams and will work alongside Reading’s Performance Squad coaches to support the pathway to the very top of the domestic game.

Until recently, Helen was Head of Hockey at Notre Dame School, Ladies 2s Head Coach at Wimbledon Hockey Club, and Junior Girls Development Lead at Old Georgians HC – roles that together reflect exactly the blend of junior development, senior performance, and strategic leadership that this position demands.

She has also served as Assistant Coach within England Hockey’s U16 National Age Group programme and as U18 Boys Assistant Coach with Scottish Hockey, giving her first-hand experience of talent identification and the national player pathway. Earlier in her career she served as Head Coach of the British Army Ladies Hockey team, where she built a high-performance culture from the ground up.

Away from coaching, Helen is a former Wales U21 and Senior international player, with national and European titles to her name as an athlete. She holds an FIH Level 4 coaching qualification alongside the European Hockey Federation Top Coaches Programme (2024) and England Hockey Level 3, among other professional qualifications.

Helen’s remit encompasses several critical areas of the club’s operations. As Head of Talent for the Reading Talent Academy (RTA), she will oversee the delivery of England Hockey’s Talent Academy Framework, taking responsibility for player selection and progression, coach allocation, and engagement with England Hockey’s national talent pathway. She will also act as Head of Junior Coaching for the club’s junior section, leading all coaching development, camp and masterclass programmes, and talent identification activities.

Beyond the pitch, Helen will lead Reading Hockey Club’s Schools Partnership Programme, building and managing relationships with independent and state schools across the Reading area to grow participation and bring new players into the club at all ages and abilities. She will act as the club’s principal liaison with England Hockey, partner schools, universities, and other Premier League clubs.

Tim Hunt, Chair of Reading Hockey Club said: “We are thrilled to welcome Helen to Reading Hockey Club. Her experience across every level of the game – from grassroots juniors to national age group programmes and elite club environments – makes her perfectly placed to lead our hockey operations. Her ambition to ensure that every player – junior or senior, beginner or elite – benefits from a consistent, high-quality hockey experience at Reading is exactly what we have been looking for and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”

Helen Jelley, Director of Hockey at Reading Hockey Club said: “I am delighted to be joining Reading Hockey Club and excited by the opportunity to help shape the next chapter of the club’s development. Reading has a wonderful hockey community and a real ambition to grow. My priority will be to work collaboratively with the club’s leadership, performance coaches and volunteers to build a clear and unified hockey strategy – one where every player, from U6 to EHL, benefits from a consistent identity and a clear pathway. I am looking forward to getting started.”