Become a youth player today!

Thinking of coming along?

Youth hockey evening training runs from September to May half term 2024.

Over the summer: there are Saturday sessions for all ages at 9am, and sometimes summer camps.

We’re based at Walthamstow Academy, Billet Road, Walthamstow, London. E17 5DP.

The coaching team are all club members -volunteering their time and energy! Brilliant people

Everyone here is a volunteer. Some are here week in week out, and others more “ad hoc” coaches when time permits them.

All have DBS checked, attended Safeguarding Children courses. Many have first aid.

If you would like to come along to one of these sessions please contact Rob at: youth@walthamforesthc.co.uk just so that we know to expect you. You’ll need to let us know your name, age, and whether you’ve played before.

After your first session, if your child likes it and wants to join, we can then discuss the membership process with you.

What you’ll need:

  • Astro trainers – or trainers with very good grips.

  • A hockey stick and shin pads (covering the ankle ideally) We have plenty of both you can borrow.

  • A gum shield (better if ‘pre-moulded’, but you can buy from us for £3 on the day if you don’t have one)

Meet the Coaching Team

  • Philippa Leguen de Lacroix

    Head of Youth.

    Level 2 England Hockey.Lead coach for the U14 Girls, U16 Girls and U8s/U6s coach. Loves scoring goals.

    Read Bio

  • Rob Boulton

    Rob is a hockey player and parent of Eliza who plays. He’s lead coaching the U12 girls this year. He’s calm, clear, and enthusiastic!

    Read Bio

  • Name

    Welfare Officer

    welfare@walthamforesthc.co.uk

    Read Bio

  • Name

    Deputy Welfare Officer deputywelfare@walthamforesthc.co.uk

    Read Bio

Tournaments

We currently enter u10, u12 and u14 tournaments within the Essex Mini League and U14/U16 in the England Hockey and Essex leagues. We also arrange friendlies for U8 and all teams.

You’ll also find all fixtures on the Spond app when you join.

Youth Awards

The club awards two main awards to youth players each season:

  • Most Improved Youth Player – to the player who has shown the greatest improvement.

  • Youth Player of the Season – to the player who has excelled at hockey, both in terms of ability but also in terms of effort, attitude and generally being recognised as a great member of the WFHC youth section.

Here is a list of previous & current award winners and also the adult club’s Roll of Honour.

We are also part of the Jack Petchey Achievement Awards scheme with an award being given out every month during the season. These can be awarded to anyone between 11 and 25 and are nominated by anyone within the club.

London Youth Games

Every June we enter U14 teams into the qualifying tournament for hockey at the London Youth Games. The boys and girls have made the finals tournament in July several times. Training for the team begins after Easter for anyone in Year 9 who lives in or attends a school in the borough of Waltham Forest.

Essex Hockey

Youth players can also aspire to play for the county. Our club feeds into the Essex Hockey Association, and we nominate players to train for Essex Trials each season with the aim of going on and representing the County.

The Player Pathway provides an environment that helps all junior players realise their potential, whether that means they are the best club player they can be, seek a lifelong commitment to the game through coaching or volunteering or perhaps go on to represent England or Great Britain at junior or senior level.

The Player Pathway

The Player Pathway is made up of the following tiers:

  • County Development – provide a local entry point to the Player Pathway for U13s-U17s

  • County Teams – delivered in 49 counties, provide a high quality talent programme for players identified in U13-U17 age groups

  • Talent Academy – based across the country providing frequent, high quality training with the best coaches for U15 and U17 players

  • Futures & Challenge Cup – supports player development within a high intensity and pressurised best-v-best tournament environment

  • Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) – provides additional training and sport-related education for U17 players selected from Performance Centres

  • National Age Group Squads (NAGS) – selected at U16 and U18 age groups for girls and boys. Provides the first taste of international competition for our young players

  • U21/Development Programme – an elite training environment for players who aim to transition into the senior programme and become world-leading players

To find out more information visit England Hockey - Player Pathway Handbook.

Our Junior Hockey Sponsors – CHAPS & Homeserve

Thanks to Homeserve and CHAPS: Central Heating And Plumbing Supplies for sponsoring our youth kit for 2012-2020!