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 - scrolll down to find relevant age group / gender

[Updated 10 September 2023]

For all West Cheshire sessions, please confirm your child's attendance to Paul Williams ('Willo') via 07840 812676 / Willohockey100@sky.com

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West Cheshire Sessions Sessions for U12 / U13 / U14 boys (school years 7 / 8 / 9) will take place at

Calday Grange Sports Ground
Telegraph Road
Caldy
CH48 1NX

(opposite Caldy Rugby Club)

on the following dates:

Friday 22nd September
Friday 29th September
Friday 13th October
Friday 12th November
Friday 19th November
Friday 1st December

6.15pm - 7.45pm (registration from 6pm)

so 9 hours of coaching led by Jay Cunliffe, Syd Roberts & James Gardiner

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)

The cost of these sessions is £81 which may be paid in cash, cheque payable to 'West Cheshire Junior Development Centre' or by Bank Transfer.

our bank details are

Account Name: West Cheshire Junior Development Centre

Sort Code: 402020

Account number: 21518380

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

U14B followed by your son's surname and first initial eg U14BWilliamsP (if i were to be an U14 boy)

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 22/9 (£27) 13/10 (£27) and 12/11 (£27)

---------------------------------

West Cheshire Sessions for U15 boys (school years 10) will take place at

Calday Grange Sports Ground
Telegraph Road
Caldy
CH48 1NX

(opposite Caldy Rugby Club)

on the following dates:

Friday 6th October
Friday 3rd November
Friday 24th November
Friday 8th December

6.15pm - 7.45pm (registration from 6pm)

The cost of these sessions is £54 which may be paid in cash, cheque payable to 'West Cheshire Junior Development Centre' or by Bank Transfer.

our bank details are

Account Name: West Cheshire Junior Development Centre

Sort Code: 402020

Account number: 21518380

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

U15B followed by your son's surname and first initial eg U15BWilliamsP (if i were to be an U15 boy)

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:

2 payments 6/10 (£27) and 3/11 (£27)

Throughout the season, players could be nominated for Engalnd Hockey Talent Academy. However, there are likely to be as few as twenty-five boys in the Talent Academy covering school years 10, 11, 12 & 13 which means that representing West Cheshire and Wirral at County Tournaments may be the highest level of Junior Hockey that some players may play, so I will emphasise that:

Our aim within West Cheshire and Wirral Junior County Hockey, where coaching and pitch resources allow, remains providing young players with excellent coaching, allowing them to develop good relationships with players from neighbouring clubs, competing against local counties and to achieve their full potential with the strongest players progressing to Regional and ultimately National standards.

Please could you contact Willo to confirm if your son wishes to participate in West Cheshire and Wirral County Hockey

---------------------------------

West Cheshire Sessions for U18 boys (school years 11/ 12 & 13) will take place at

Calday Grange Sports Ground
Telegraph Road
Caldy
CH48 1NX

(opposite Caldy Rugby Club)

on the following dates:

Friday 6th October
Friday 3rd November
Friday 24th November
Friday 8th December

6.15pm - 7.45pm (registration from 6pm)

The cost of these sessions is £54 which may be paid in cash, cheque payable to 'West Cheshire Junior Development Centre' or by Bank Transfer.

our bank details are

Account Name: West Cheshire Junior Development Centre

Sort Code: 402020

Account number: 21518380

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

U16B followed by your son's surname and first initial eg U16BWilliamsP (if i were to be an U16 boy)

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:

2 payments 6/10 (£27) and 3/11 (£27)

Please could you contact Willo to confirm if your son wishes to participate in West Cheshire and Wirral County Hockey

---------------------------------

West Cheshire Sessions for U12 / U13 / U14 girls (school years 7 / 8 / 9) will take place at

Abbey Gate College
Chapel Lane
Saighton
Nr CHESTER
CH3 6EN

on the following dates:

Sunday 17th September 1.30pm - 3.30pm (registration from 1.15pm)
Sunday 1st October 1.30pm - 3.30pm (registration from 1.15pm)
Sunday 12th November 1.30pm - 3.30pm (registration from 1.15pm)
Sunday 3rd December 1.30pm - 3.30pm (registration from 1.15pm)

The cost of these sessions is £72 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:

U14G followed by your daughter's surname and first initial eg U14GWilliamsP (if i were to be an U14 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 17/9 (£24) 12/11 (£24) and 3/12 (£24)

Please could you contact me to confirm if your daughter wishes to participate in West Cheshire and Wirral County Hockey

Willo

West Cheshire and Wirral County Hockey

07840 812676

Willohockey100@sky.com

--------------------------

West Cheshire Sessions for our U15 / U18 girls (school years 10 /11/ 12 & 13) will take place at

Deeside Ramblers Hockey Club
Gardenhurst Estate
Whitchurch Road
Tiverton
Nr Tarporley
CW6 9NA

on the following dates:

Sunday 10th September 12.30pm - 2.30pm (registration from 12.15pm)
Sunday 1st October 3pm - 5pm (registration from 2.45pm on the pig - pen)
Sunday 12th November 3pm - 5pm (registration from 2.45pm on the pig - pen)
Sunday 3rd December 3pm - 5pm (registration from 2.45pm on the pig - pen)

so 8 hours of hockey coaching from Lead Coaches Beth Alvey and Hannah Aldridge

The cost of these sessions is £72 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:

U16G followed by your daughter's surname and first initial eg U16GWilliamsP (if i were to be an U16 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 10/9 (£24) 12/11 (£24) and 3/12 (£24)

Throughout the season, players could be nominated for Engalnd Hockey Talent Academy. However, there are likely to be as few as twenty-five girls in the Talent Academy covering school years 10, 11, 12 & 13 which means that representing West Cheshire and Wirral at County Tournaments may be the highest level of Junior Hockey that some players may play, so I will emphasise that:

Please could you contact me to confirm if your daughter wishes to participate in West Cheshire and Wirral County Hockey

Willo

West Cheshire and Wirral County Hockey

07840 812676

Willohockey100@sky.com