Welsh Hockey Union Youth Conference 2004
25 May 2004
The 2nd annual Welsh Hockey Union Youth Conference was held in April 2004 at the Welsh Institute of Sport, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. The purpose of the conference was to provide youth with the knowledge and skills required to develop the game of hockey within schools and clubs. The conference, which was aimed at people aged 15 – 21, was attended by 13 current hockey enthusiasts. Each of the attendees had been nominated by their club or Hockey Development Officer following their initial support of local development programmes. The cost of the conference was underwritten by OPUS and Sports Council for Wales Sportsmatch initiative.
Last years conference was attended by 11 hockey activators, all of which received a FIH Hockey Leaders Award in recognition of their contribution to Welsh Hockey.
The Welsh Hockey Union can boast the first FIH World Youth Promoter in Bethan Walsh and had a further two activators; Andrew Seimann and Sally Raitt who attended the 2nd World Youth Conference in Holland in July 2003.
The two-day residential course began on Saturday 24th April with a presentation on the current Welsh Hockey Union development strategy. This was followed by a club development workshop and the candidates were then asked to plan a club development programme linked to the FIH Global Marathon that will be run on 16th & 17th May. This event will enable the Youth Conference attendees to put into practice some of the key skills that were also acquired on the weekend including an umpiring qualification and coach education development. The Saturday evening involved an element of physical delivery with the RAF running a Speed, Agility and Quickness session.
Sunday 25th all candidates completed their Dragon Umpire qualification and a Dragon Sport taster session. The event concluded with an annual Welsh Hockey Union Activator calendar of events being devised. These events include:
- FIH Global Marathon
- Development day linked to the European U21 Tournament (24th – 31st July)
- Attendance at the newly formed Welsh Hockey Youth Forum
- RAF Careers taster day (October)
- Assisting their clubs in formalising junior development programmes
Youth attendees included:
- Amie Walker – Wrexham – Wrexham HC
- Andrew Harris – Cardiff – Whitchurch HC
- Ben Samuel – Torfaen – Cwmbran HC
- Brendan Noble – Vale of Glamorgan – Bridgend HC
- Bethan Stevens – Swansea – Swansea LHC
- David Roll – Cardiff – Whitchurch HC
- Elin Morris – Ceredigion – Crymych HC
- Laura Richards – Rhondda Cynon Taff – Tonyrefail Comprehensive School
- Lorrisa Turner – Wrexham – Wrexham HC
- Natalie Blyth – Swansea – Swansea LHC
- Rachel Fido – Cardiff – Howardians LHC
- Rachel Phillips – Rhondda Cynon Taff – Tonyrefail Comprehensive School
- Rhodri Ryland – Cardiff – Whitchurch HC
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