If you are unfamiliar with England Hockey’s ‘Talent System’, please refer to the page in this section giving some general background information by clicking here. Part of the system is county hockey,

Cheshire has 2 county hockey associations, West Cheshire and East Cheshire. Deeside Ramblers lies pretty much in the middle so our juniors can attend either, according to personal preference and convenience.

Each of West Cheshire and East Cheshire organises its own junior county hockey programmes for u13s to u18s, known as "Junior County (Sub Area) Hockey" (previously known as Development Centres (DC) and Academy Centres (AC)).

If you would like to discuss whether to attend West Cheshire or East Cheshire sessions, please speak to your child’s coach. The decision may boil down to which sessions are most convenient in terms of location and timing. If you live in Wales, you have the option of attending Hockey Wales’s own Development Centres and/or 360 Programme. See the Hockey Wales website for details.

The 2 Cheshire county centres have different processes for those wanting to attend.

West Cheshire
West Cheshire invites all those interested to attend their sessions but requests those wanting to attend to email the organiser in advance (details below). As and when West Cheshire notifies us of its session dates for each age group, we will update parents directly. A summary of the information as and when received from West Cheshire is also reproduced at the foot of this page.
Those who have attended in previous years should get an email directly from West Cheshire notifying them of arrangements.

East Cheshire
East Cheshire maintains its own website with a lot of useful information (including session dates once finalised). Click here.

Unlike West Cheshire, those wanting to attend East Cheshire need to be nominated by the Club (unless they have attended in the previous year, in which case an automatic invitation to attend is sent by East Cheshire).

It is the Club’s policy to nominate on request all keen players to ‘give it a go’ unless they are very inexperienced. Following nomination by the Club, invitations to register are then sent out by East Cheshire.

Please contact the Junior Coordinator if you would like your child to be nominated and include the following information (which will then be passed on to East Cheshire):

Child's first name and last name
Gender
Date of Birth
Parent contact email
Parent name
Parent contact number
Goalkeeper or outfield.

Please bear in mind that the usual cut off date for nomination is mid-July; however, we will of course liaise with East Cheshire if you join the club only after this date and want us to try to get you included.

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WHEN RECEIVED, INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENROLMENT PROCESS FOR WEST CHESHIRE WILL BE POSTED HERE - scroll down to find relevant age group / gender

[information received from West Cheshire as at 07/09/25]

Please note that all requests to join the sessions below and any queries regarding West Cheshire sessions should be directed to Paul 'Willo' Williams, West Cheshire and Wirral County Hockey: 07840 812676 / Willohockey100@sky.com.

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"West Cheshire U12 / U13 and U14 girls (school years 7, 8 and 9)

Sessions take place at:
Abbey Gate College
Chapel Lane
Saighton
Nr Chester
CH3 6EN

on the following dates:

Sunday 14th September 1pm - 3pm (registration from 12.45)
Sunday 21st September 1pm - 3pm (registration from 12.45)
Sunday 16th November 2pm - 4pm (registration from 1.45)
Sunday 14th December 1pm - 3pm (registration from 12.45)

so 8 hours of hockey coaching from Lead Coaches Lianne Preston and Tom Williamson, assisted by Kev Mccann, Emily Hardwick and our young helpers.

We apologise that due to administrative issues this is extremely short notice before our first session.

We may offer asession between 21st September - 16th November, but the North West Area league and EH Chamopionship fixtures will take place at this time so the Hockey Calendar is very full.

At the end of these sessions, players will be selected to participate in further practice sessions and matches against other North West Counties (Cumbria, East Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire) and in May and June against North East

The cost of these sessions is £80 which may be paid in cash, cheque payable to 'West Cheshire Junior Development Centre' or by Bank Transfer.

our bank details are

West Cheshire Junior Development Centre

Sort Code: 402020

Account number: 21518380

If paying by bank transfer, please use the following style of reference:

Age group (eg U12G / U13G / U14G) followed by your daughter's surname and first initial eg U12GWilliamsP (if i were to be an U12 girl)

I appreciate that clubs and school will be drawing heavily on your purse strings shortly, so if you would prefer, payments may be spread as follows:

3 payments 21/9 (£27) 16/11 (£27) and 14/12 (£26)

although to make life easier for our Treasurer, please could we ask you not to make payments before Sunday 21st September

Please share these details amongst your daughter's friends at school

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me

Details of our U15 / U18 girls and our boys programmes will be published shortly"