WELCOME TO KETTERING HOCKEY CLUB JUNIOR ACADEMY

Our Junior Academy provides a pathway for young players to really develop their hockey, from possibly their first introduction to the sport right through to representing the club (and maybe even beyond!) at adult level. Our continuous target is to make KHC Junior Academy a real centre of excellence for junior hockey, and as such we focus on fun, engaging sessions that make our youngsters want to keep coming back and push themselves to be their best.

At the Junior Academy we coach players from ages 5-14. From age 13 onwards, junior players can be invited to play in the senior teams which is great for their development and can be a terrific confidence boost. From our experience the juniors love transitioning to the senior teams and usually move up the squads very quickly, and it’s all part of helping each player reach their full potential.

We have excellent facilities at Bishop Stopford School and our nearby clubhouse. All junior members who have trained and played throughout the season are invited to our annual end of season Junior Awards Night. We also have two Junior Social Co-ordinators who arrange social events for the children throughout the season. Membership with the hockey club also grants access to Kettering Sports Club which includes cricket, archery, tennis, football and shooting.

Where and when do we play? Training takes place on the astroturf pitch at Bishop Stopford School, Headlands, Kettering, NN15 6BJ. We train on Tuesday nights for all ages, 5-14, and on Thursday nights for ages 11-14. For those in the 11-14 age range players have the choice as to which night they attend or are welcome to attend both sessions. Our season runs from August through to March/April. Training for the 24/25 season starts on Tuesday 20th August.

Matches: Children of all ages get to play in regular monthly tournaments (festivals) against other local clubs on Sunday mornings. These are friendly events and very popular. We also have a ‘Badgers’ team known as Junior Skymoons who play regular Saturday matches. Badgers matches are full sized 11 a-side games featuring up to two senior players on each side with a focus on development. These are really fun games with teas back at the clubhouse afterwards! We also arrange further full sized matches on Sundays both against other local clubs as well as training matches between ourselves, so there is always plenty of hockey available to everyone!

Home fixtures are played at Bishop Stopford School and away fixtures will be mostly within a 20-mile distance from Kettering. All junior fixtures can be found by clicking the 'Teams' drop down button from the main menu on our website and selecting the relevant Under 8s-14s team or Junior Skymoons.

What to wear & bring? You/your child must wear trainers/boots suitable for astroturf (no studs or blades) and shin pads. We have plenty of sticks and shin pads available to borrow if you don’t yet have your own. Sports clothing suitable for the weather at the time should be worn and a drink/bottle of water will also be needed. Gum shields are also advisable.

What does it cost? Junior training is £3 per session but if it’s your first time attending then your first session is free. Club membership is also required for the season, payable after your first 3 training sessions, and this is £55 for the year. Sunday festivals are free to attend but for those playing Badgers or other full sized games there will be a £6 match fee. For those children attending two training sessions per week, two training fees would be payable.

At Kettering HC, we are a club that wants people to play hockey and should anyone experience genuine financial hardship then we encourage them to speak to our Treasurer, Kirsty Smith, in the strictest of confidence, to discuss the payment of their Annual Subscription. Kirsty can be contacted on treasurer@ketteringhockeyclub.co.uk

Who Can Play? We coach young players from ages 5-14 and encourage players of all abilities and skill levels to get involved and attend training. Players in school year 10 or above are welcome to attend our senior training and we can give you more information about this on request.

Goalkeeper training: We have dedicated junior goalkeeper training on Tuesday nights with two goalkeeper coaches on the team and they are both present most weeks. Those wanting to learn the art of goalkeeping receive a combination of dedicated goalkeeper training with the coaches as well as joining the rest of the teammates for group sessions.

Hopefully this gives you the information needed before coming to see our Junior Academy for yourself, but if you have any questions please feel free to email juniors@ketteringhockeyclub.co.uk

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