This past week Wellington Hockey was lucky enough to host 77 cap Black Stick Amy Robinson as she led the Perform Holiday Programme for year 7/8’s and Secondary students of the Wellington region.
The programme hosted two days of hockey exercises, workshops and games for each age group on the turf of Wellington’s Cello NHS1 over the second week of the term 2 school holidays.
Our participants took part in the programme designed in collaboration with Amy and Wellington Hockey coaches and trainers. Though the weather wasn’t entirely cooperative, over 60 participants were still on the turf to take part in this awesome opportunity to rub shoulders and learn from some of the best New Zealand has to offer. The programme included combative exercises and leadership sessions to develop their skills both on and off the turf and encourage their holistic development as hockey players. All participants took home something new from the days many quoting their ability to build upon their hockey independently with the learnings from the sessions.
The programme was also run parallel with the Wellington Hockey Goalkeeper Academy Holiday Clinics led by New Zealand age group and Wellington Senior representative Max Ruffell. The goalkeepers engaged in positionally specific training designed to hone in and develop their skills in the goal while also taking part in games and scrimmages alongside the Holiday Programme participants.
This Holiday Programme builds upon the programmes that were run last year by Wellington Hockey and by hosted Black Stick Captain Blair Tarrant and former Black Stick and four-time Olympian Shae McAleese.
It is our hope we will be able to continue to provide opportunities for the youth of Wellington to learn from the players and role models of New Zealand Hockey. Keep an eye out for future opportunities via our Facebook and website or feel free to contact us at info@wellingtonhockey.org.nz if you have any questions or queries regarding upcoming development programmes.