JUNIORS
At Bristol & West Hockey Club, we are all about providing fun, safe and engaging hockey sessions for our juniors.
The junior section of Bristol & West provides training on a Monday evening to boys and girls aged 8 to 16. Training sessions roughly follow the school calendar (although we continue over half-terms and to the end of April). They take place between
6:30 - 7:30 for Year 7 and below (U12s).
6:30 - 7:30 for Year 9 and below (U14s) and
7:30 - 9:00 for Year 10 and above, Monday nights, Mangotsfield School.
New players are welcome to join the 6:30 session where we usually have other O12's but new to hockey. You are welcome to join throughout the season, please contact us.
Coaches will advise if they think your child will benefit by slotting into another age session.
All training is led by qualified hockey coaches with parent helpers and concentrates on both skills and more importantly, fun. We also have a dedicated goalkeeper coach.
We follow the England Hockey coaching ethos of “the pitch being the classroom and the game being the teacher”. In simple terms what this means is that we keep drills to a minimum and play lots and lots of hockey!
School year
5 - 7
This age group are introduced to the basic skills of hockey in a fun way by dedicated coaching staff. We try to get them playing a form of the game as quickly as possible, possibly by using a softer or larger ball, if necessary. We enter the Avon under 10's and 12’s hockey festivals and tournament which gives these juniors the opportunity to compete against other local clubs in the local area.
School year
8 - 9
This age group still concentrate on the basics (there are a lot of them in hockey!), but increasingly they put these skills into larger game scenarios.
In June or July we also hold our Badgers’ tournament event. Several local Clubs participate and it is supported by our sponsor, Danco. It's always a huge success.
School year 10+
(14 to 16)
Training for the over 14s is aimed at stretching individual skill levels as well as coaching team drills in support of competitive matches. However, we also cater for complete beginners at any age. Our year 10s and above play in our Badgers team (generally ages 14 to 16) who play in the Bristol Badgers League most Sundays. For those that wish to, there is also the opportunity for some Badgers to step up into the senior teams to hone their skills and gain further experience (England Hockey minimum age 13).
training
U14s MONDAY 6:30-7:30
O14s MONDAY 7:30-9:00
Mangotsfield School
Rodway Hill
Mangotsfield
Bristol
BS16 9LH
costs
The Club subsidises the juniors but we ask that all juniors become club members.
Juniors should be re-registered each year. Registration is here
The membership fee for juniors is £50 per year and covers membership and training costs. Membership fee will be managed via Spond.
Training runs from September to April and generally runs over half terms.
Match fees for Badgers and Vixen games is £6.
All juniors that come to training are expected to wear hockey shin pads and bring the appropriate clothing for cold and wet nights. Gum shields are also required – we recommend that you speak to you dentist about the best option (mould-your-own guards can be tricky and uncomfortable).
Juniors should also bring a bottle of water.
We have a collection of hockey sticks for those new to the game to borrow and we can also give advice about how to buy the most suitable stick.
bristol & west
badgers league
Bristol & West are proud to support the development of young hockey players in the Bristol area. The Bristol Badgers League offers a platform for 11-15 year old boys and girls to play competitive, mixed matches in preparation for their transition into senior hockey.
The aim of this league is to provide an opportunity for mixed ability juniors to get used to playing full length games. It is encouraged that coaches communicate beforehand to try and balance the ability of the team they are putting out.
bristol & west Jaspers
VIXENS
Bristol & West Jaspers are thrilled to be participating in the inaugural Avon Vixens Hockey League. This is a fantastic opportunity for women and girls to play competitive hockey to develop their skills and be part of our team.
With fixtures on Sundays allowing up to 5 adults to join in, it provides the perfect opportunity for women to get back into hockey as well as a platform for our juniors to make the transition into our growing women's hockey teams.
