Juniors

Club Age Groups for 2024-25 Season

Age 5 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 1 in 2024-25 academic year : U6

Age 6 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 2 in 2024-25 academic year : U7

Age 7 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 3 in 2024-25 academic year : U8

Age 8 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 4 in 2024-25 academic year : U9

Age 9 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 5 in 2024-25 academic year : U10

Age 10 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 6 in 2024-25 academic year : U11

Age 11 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 7 in 2024-25 academic year : U12

Age 12 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 8 in 2024-25 academic year : U13

Age 13 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 9 in 2024-25 academic year : U14

Age 14 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 10 in 2024-25 academic year : U15

Age 15 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 11 in 2024-25 academic year : U16

Age 16 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 12 in 2024-25 academic year : U17

Age 17 (on 1st Sep 2024) - Year 13 in 2024-25 academic year : U18

Action shots courtesy of the great @essem4_photo

Autumn Term 2024 & Spring Term 2025

PADDINGTON RECREATION GROUND (3G pitch)

Sunday

10.30am - 11.45am

U6 (Boys & Girls)

U7 (Boys & Girls)

U8 (Boys & Girls)

U9 Girls

11.45am - 1pm

U7 (Boys & Girls)

U8 (Boys & Girls)

UCS PLAYING FIELDS, CRICKLEWOOD

Sunday

9am - 10.15am

U9 & U10 Boys

U10 Girls

10.15am - 11.30am

U11 Girls

11.30am - 12.45pm

U12 Girls

PADDINGTON RECREATION GROUND (water based pitch)

Sunday

10am - 11.15am

U13 & U14 Girls

U11 & U12 Boys

11.15am - 12.30pm

U13 & U14 Boys

U15 & U16 Girls

12.30pm - 1.45pm

U15 & U16 Boys

U17 & U18 Girls

U17 & U18 Boys

PADDINGTON RECREATION GROUND (mini pitch)

Sunday

9.30am - 10.30am

U10 - U12 Goalkeepers (Boys & Girls)

10.40am - 11.40am

U13 - U14 Goalkeepers (Boys & Girls)

11.50am - 12.50pm

U15 - U18 Goalkeepers (Boys & Girls)

MIDWEEK TRAINING 2024-25

Midweek training is invitational for players who are likely to be in Tier 1 or Tier 2 teams for league matches.

Paddington Recreation Ground (water based pitch and mini pitch)

6pm - 7.15pm

Tuesday

U12 Boys

U15/U16 Boys

U15/U16 Girls

Wednesday

U13 Girls

U14 Girls

U17/U18 Girls

Thursday

U12 Girls

U13/U14 Boys

To enquire about a place for 2024-25, please contact Message Alex Smart

Please make sure you provide the DOB for junior players so that we know which age group they are in.

Please do not register on Teamo until you have a place confirmed.

We would prefer not to have a waiting list but unfortunately facilities are in great demand and we have limited space to accommodate more players at this time.

Please see the Ways to Play section for opportunities for non club members.

Participation in activities is open to everyone and players are not prioritised based on their school or friendship groups.

Membership Fees 2024-25

Registration Fee

£15 for first child, £13 for each additional child.

Membership Fee (Sunday)

Club membership is for the season (September - June). You will receive a payment request ahead of the Autumn term and payment will be taken ahead of each term starting.

To defer your place, or to let us know that your child is leaving the club, please complete the form below at least one month before a new term starts.

https://forms.gle/RNALLFdBEvTNBCgE7

Three instalments for the season are: Autumn £155, Spring £95, Summer £95.

If you would prefer to pay in six instalments, please contact us.

Membership Fee (Midweek)

Midweek training runs for U12-U16 Boys and U12-U18 Girls. Due to pitch space, these sessions are invitational for players who are likely to compete in more challenging leagues.

Two instalments for the season are: Autumn £80, Spring £80.

Payment Process

1. You will receive a payment request for the registration fee. This confirms your place(s) for next season.

2. You will then receive a payment request for membership fees which are taken ahead of the Autumn, Spring and Summer term. The deadline to complete the membership fee payment request is 18th August 2024.

Leaving HWHC or deferring your place

Please let us know as soon as possible if your child is leaving HWHC, or if you want to defer their place.

Please complete the form here:

https://forms.gle/PiqSJXKajKT8BLkY8

Financial support

We offer support to players who need financial assistance with membership fees.

Please contact the Head of Youth & Development for further information: Message Alex Smart

Protective kit

Shin pads and a mouth guard are mandatory for all training sessions and matches. Players under 18 are not allowed to take part without this protection.

Basic mouth guards that you mould at home can be purchased on Amazon or Sports Direct. For those playing regularly, we recommend getting a mouth guard fitted by the dentist. Willow Tree Dental in Swiss Cottage offers a discount to HWHC members.

Those playing at Performance and Challenge level should have astro shoes rather than trainers, a left hand glove, and hockey face mask if they are involved in defending penalty corners.

Club kit

Our club kit supplier is Hawkin Sport and the online club shop is available HERE.

Please select "Junior Kit" from the menu on the left hand side. Players move to adult sizes from around U14, depending on their height.

U6-U8: There is a plain white playing shirt which is a more cost effective option.

U9+: The home playing shirt starts in size 26 which is approx age 6-7.

Girls: A Ladies style shirt is available from size 32 (Ladies Size 10).

If you are ordering a club playing shirt for the first time, please indicate the age group on your order and Hawkin Sport will allocate a number to be printed on the back

Club kit is required for U12-U18 Performance players: home playing shirt, skort/shorts, socks.

Players competing in Tier 1 leagues only will also need a red away playing shirt and red socks.

We expect Challenge players who are regularly taking part in matches to have a club home playing shirt, skort/shorts and socks.

Development players taking part in matches can wear any white top if they do not want to purchase club kit.

If your child is not taking part in many matches, club kit is optional.

Hockey sticks

Players are welcome to borrow a club hockey stick for training. Please make sure it is returned at the end of each session. We do not take spare sticks to matches.

If you need help buying a stick, there is a helpful guide on the Grays hockey website.

Second hand kit

We regularly hold second hand kit sales. Details for sales are sent via email.

If you have kit in good condition that you no longer require, please drop it at Paddington Recreation Ground. There is a second hand kit donation box in the storage container at the end of the sprint track. All club kit is gratefully received, along with astro shoes, shin pads and hockey sticks.

We offer specialist goalkeeper training from U10 - U18 for boys and girls. No prior experience is necessary.

Club kit is available to borrow. Goalkeepers are also welcome to purchase their own or borrow from school.

Junior GK Training Schedule

Sessions are run on Sunday term dates at Paddington Recreation Ground on the mini pitch (behind the water based astro turf).

9.30am - 10.30am: U10, U11 & U12

10.40am - 11.40am: U13 & U14

11.50am - 12.50pm: U15, U16, U17 & U18

Information for After School Clubs in 2024-25 is TBC.

All players in U9 - U12 age groups are invited to take part in Mega League tournaments. They are optional and training runs for those not taking part in a tournament.

Tournament details will be confirmed ahead of September 2024.

One U12 Boys and one U12 Girls team take part in the Performance league in addition to Mega League tournaments.

Selection for these additional fixtures is made from the squads attending midweek training.

Performance League dates will be confirmed ahead of September 2024.

There are 14 league teams from U13 - U18, playing from Tier 1 to Tier 3.

Fixture dates will be confirmed ahead of September 2024.

Photo @essem4_photo

Junior training

Paddington Recreation Ground, Maida Vale, London W9 1PD (U6 Mixed, U7 Mixed, U8 Mixed, U9 Girls, U11-12 Boys, U13 - U18 Boys & Girls)

UCS Playing Fields, Cricklewood NW2 2BN (U9-U10Boys, U10 Girls, U11 Girls, U12 Girls)

Junior 'home' matches

Paddington Recreation Ground, Maida Vale, London W9 1PD

UCS Playing Fields, Cricklewood NW2 2BN

Mallinson Sports Centre, Bishopswood Road, Highgate N6 4NY

Transport

Paddington Recreation Ground: Maida Vale

UCS Playing Fields: Cricklewood or West Hampstead

Mallinson Sports Centre, Highgate: Highgate

Parking

There is a car park at Paddington Recreation Ground. The entrance is on Carlton Vale. The cost is £1.50 per hour on weekdays and weekends. You can park for free on residential roads surrounding the park from 6.30pm on weeknights and any time at the weekend.

There is a car park at UCS by the Kantor Centre; when that is full, parking is available at the weekend on residential roads.

For Mallinson Sports Centre, parking is on residential roads alongside the venue.

If you are on the waiting list for junior club membership, there are still opportunities to get started and enjoy hockey with HWHC.

After School Clubs

We run after school sessions for Year 3 - 7 at Paddington Recreation Ground.

Further information can be found in the After School Clubs section.

If anyone would like to attend but cost is a barrier, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Head of Youth & Development at Message Alex Smart

Holiday Camps

Our camps are open to non members.

Please see the Junior Hockey Camps section.

London Youth Games

HWHC runs the London Youth Games hockey teams for Westminster, Camden, Brent and Kensington & Chelsea.

Eligible players in Year 7 - 9 must live or go to school in one of these boroughs to take part.

Training sessions start after Easter and are free for eligible players to join.

Please get in touch with Head of Youth & Development at Message Alex Smart to find out more.

To check availability for a place in your child's age group, please get in touch via the CONTACT page, selecting "Junior Hockey and Camps" in the enquiry section.

Please make sure you include your child's DATE OF BIRTH so we know which age group they are in this season. Club age groups work like school years; please see the Club Age Groups section for further details.

If we do not have a space available, we will add you to the waiting list.

After School Clubs and Holiday Camps are open to non members and players on the waiting list.

Junior sessions are lead by England Hockey qualified coaches, International hockey players, parent volunteers and players from the senior club.

The club runs regular development workshops for coaches.

Coaches hold an enhanced DBS check.

If you would like to find out more about getting involved in coaching, whether you're a player or a parent, please contact us at Message Alex Smart

We play hockey in the rain and the cold! If the pitch is frozen or if the weather puts players at risk (torrential rain, strong winds, thunder and lightening) we will not run a session. We will send a message via Pitchero to cancel with as much notice as possible.

We are unable to respond to individual emails regarding the weather.

We nominate players for London DC (Development Centre) from U12 - U17.

2022-23

57 players selected for Academy Centre.

12 players selected for Talent Academy.

4 players selected for England NAGs trials and 3 selected for England U16 Boys.

2021-22

49 players selected for Academy Centre.

7 players selected for Performance Centre and Challenge Cup.

4 players selected for England NAGs trials.

2019-20

29 players selected for Academy Centre.

8 players selected for development squads.

3 players selected for Performance Centre.

1 player selected for England NAGs trials.

2018-19

23 players selected for Academy Centre.

14 players selected for development squads.

2017-18

18 players selected for Academy Centre.

3 players selected for Performance Centre.

2016-17

12 players players selected for Academy Centre.

2015-16

11 players selected for Academy Centre.

2 players selected for Performance Centre.

HWHC trains and selects the Westminster, Camden, Brent and Kensington & Chelsea hockey teams (boys and girls) for the London Youth Games.

Eligible players for 2024:

Must be in Year 7-9.

Go to school OR live in the borough they are playing for (ie. Westminster, Camden, Brent or Kensington & Chelsea).

Players who are currently in London Hockey squads (or another County) are unfortunately not eligible for London Youth Games.

TRAINING:

Wednesday 17th April – 22nd May

6pm – 7.30pm

Paddington Rec

Squads for the competition will be selected after 22nd May. Selected players will continue to train on:

Wednesday 5th June – 26th June

6pm – 7.30pm

Paddington Rec

There is no cost to join the training squads or take part in the London Youth Games.

COMPETITION

(Players must be available all day on their competition date)

Boys: Saturday 29th June

Girls: Sunday 30th June

SIGN UP

If your child would like to join the LYG training group, please complete the Google form here:

https://forms.gle/nmDVBz9AMEjJeJPr8

A player can be eligible for more than one borough and play for either Westminster, Camden, Brent or Kensington & Chelsea.

2023

Westminster Girls - Finals

2022

Westminster Girls - Finals

Camden Boys - Finals

Westminster Boys - Plate Winners

The Welfare Officer is Alexandra Smart - should you have any questions or concerns you can reach her at Message Alex Smart

How long is the season?

September - June. Please see the Term Dates section.

Can I join midway through the season?

If we have a space available in your age group, you may be offered a place and we will adjust membership fees accordingly.

Do I need experience?

We welcome players of all abilities.

Do you run holiday camps?

We run holiday camps at Paddington Recreation Ground during school holidays. You can book via the Teamo calendar.

Do you train during school holidays?

There are no training sessions during half term or school holidays. Please check Term Dates.

Some league matches fall during school holidays.

If there is a match, does training still take place?

If your son/daughter has a match, they do not attend Sunday training. Players who do not have a match should attend training as usual.

If it's raining, do you still play?

Training and matches will not be cancelled for rain. If there is inclement weather or if the pitch is frozen and we are not able to play hockey, we will let you know via Teamo.

At what age do you start senior hockey?

Players are able to play senior level hockey from age 14. At this age we encourage junior players who are ready to start integrating into the senior club.

Do you offer training and provide kit for goalkeepers?

We have goalkeepers from U10 - U18 and support them with specialist goalkeeper coaching on Sundays. They are also welcome to use club goalkeeping kit.