Explore the Game
Phase Two, "Learning to Train," in the Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model is vital for youth hockey players, generally between the ages of 8 to 12. This phase focuses on developing fundamental movement skills and basic sport-specific techniques, providing a foundation for future athletic success. Emphasis is placed on teaching players how to train effectively, introducing them to structured practice sessions that include a variety of drills to improve their agility, balance, coordination, and speed. Players begin to understand the importance of practice and repetition in skill acquisition, while also starting to grasp basic tactical concepts and the rules of the game. This stage prioritises enjoyment and fostering a love for the sport, ensuring that training is engaging and fun to promote long-term participation and commitment. By the end of this phase, athletes should have a solid base of fundamental skills and a growing tactical awareness, preparing them for the more intensive training later in their hockey journey.
Lower North Island U13 Festival
Festival events are held over a long weekend from Friday 4th October to Sunday 6th October. Half the teams will attend an event in Whanganui and the other half will attend an event in Wairarapa. All athletes participating in the in-season development programme who wish to attend the festival will be included.
Attending the Lower North Island U13 Festival cost is an additional $400 per player. A deposit of $100 has been applied on top of the programme cost through PlayHQ with a separate invoice to be sent out at a later date for the remaining balance.
Unsure about attending the Festival?
If you're uncertain about participating in the U13 Festival, you can simply register for the programme first and decide later. The deadline for making a decision is September 8th. This will help us arrange accommodations and other team logistics smoothly.
The festivals will be split into East and West based associations.
EAST Location: Wairarapa
WEST Location: Whanganui
U13 Festival Dates: 4th - 6th October 2024
Festival Format:
7-a-side format (half field)
Goalkeepers included
Equal ability teams
Important Information
In order to register for the 2024 Wellington Hockey U13 In-Season Development Programme, players need to be under 13 years old as at 1st January of the year in which the festival is played and they must be in Year 7 or 8 to qualify.
The U13 In-Season Development Programme will be run in Term 3.
Registration Opens: 5th June
Information Evening #1: 9th June
Information Evening #2: 2nd July
Registration Closes: 16th July
Development Days: 21st & 28th July
Training Block: 4th Aug - 22nd Sept
Under 13 Training Sessions are on Sundays at the following venues at the set times listed below.
Fraser Park
NHS
Kapiti
9am - 10:30am
9am - 10:30am
3:30pm - 5pm
Under 13 Development
Training to learn and explore the game. Athletes will learn the foundational principles of attack, defence and transition hockey in an 8 week programme.
