Hockey Wairarapa - Hockey is changing

Hockey NZ is striving “To be the World’s Best Hockey Nation”.

As Hockey actively looks at fresh ways of thinking around the next steps for the sport we love. The focus is on keeping the quality of the experience with hockey enjoyable, creating balance in sport participation and nurturing talent at the right times. That’s because we believe that people, especially young people, who receive quality experiences in sport become sport lovers for life.

Sport plays an important role in our society, contributing to national identity and wellbeing, but our country is facing a problem – too many young people are walking away, especially in their teenage years.

This is harming the health of young New Zealanders. It’s also stopping many realizing their full potential.

We’re asking all those involved in the delivery of youth sport to remember this: young people play sport to have fun with their friends. If they stop having fun, they stop playing sport.

The problems;

Focusing too early on just one sport
Putting winning before skills development
Making young people train like professionals

Success should be defined by enjoyment, effort and improvement. There should be opportunities for all young people to be involved, not just those perceived to be most talented.

Key principles of community hockey

The following principles should be applied by administrators, coaches, parents and teachers involved in leading, supporting or managing all hockey participation and development opportunities throughout New Zealand.

PARTICIPANT FOCUSSED Meet the needs of the individual

FUN Make Hockey fun and enjoyable for all involved

SAFE Ensure a safe, supportive and encouraging environment

INCLUSIVE Provide equal and accessible opportunities for all who choose to engage with our sport regardless of ability, disability, race, religion, culture, age or gender

HOLISTIC Provide holistic and appropriate development for all, including but not limited to; players, coaches, umpires, parents & whanau

WELLBEING Encourage healthy lifestyles and Hauora

One of the first change we have made was to introduce the small sided game format for year 7 and 8 players.

The benefits for spectators

Faster
More Skillful
Excitement
More goals

The game will be played

on a half field
6 field players and a goal keeper.
2 umpires per field

With the dissolvement of Hatch Cup and Collier Trophy, we as a region have teamed up with other associations across the lower North Island to create opportunities in replacement of these tournaments.

Any players in the year 7 and 8 age group will be able to participate in a skill/development training program and enter with a team into a lower North Island 4 day festival. This enables all players to enjoy the experience of staying away, playing games and representing the Wairarapa, while increasing their skill base, without the pressure of winning.

https://hockeynz.co.nz/about-us/hockey-is-changing/competition-change/

More information on these community changes are here on the HNZ website

https://hockeynz.co.nz/about-us/hockey-is-changing/community-changes/

More information on these Performance changes are here on the HNZ website

https://hockeynz.co.nz/about-us/hockey-is-changing/performance-changes/

For now if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our RDO -

Jess Collins. rdo@hockeywairarapa.org.nz

More information on Hockey New Zealand’s changes can be found here

https://hockeynz.co.nz/about-us/hockey-is-changing/

Supporting Information

Balance is Better – Click here

Changing Youth Sport (Alex Chiet – Sport NZ) – Click here