HOCKEY DEVELOPMENT

The Creative Way

Jaap Suyk The Netherlands

WHAT IS HOCKEY DEVELOPMENT?

• To bring hockey in your country to a higher level;

• To promote the sport in his best possible way: field – indoor & beach hockey;

• To create the maximum number of clubs & talents;

• To have a national team what serves national sport and not the other way around;

• We believe in the creative way: not focusing on artificial pitches but on hockey.

STEP 1 : BENJAMIN HOCKEY

BENJAMINS : 6-12 YEARS

• U7-U8 leagues 3 vs 3 (no goal keeper);

• U9-U10 leagues 6 vs 6 (with goal keeper);

• U11-U12 leagues 8 vs 8 (with goal keeper);

• How interact with this age groups? Hockey school at (private) schools as an after school activity and create talents for Benjamin hockey;

• Dutch clubs have a new age group Funnies, U5 & U6 without competition only 2x training per week.

BENJAMIN TRAINING

Training & Fun Goal keeper school

BUSINESS MODEL HOCKEY SCHOOL

• 1-2 hours per week at (private) school;

• Program equal to school periods;

• Parents pay 3-5 euro per training or 120 – 200 euro per year;

• Indoor or outside facility;

• Don’t mix age groups, max. 2 years difference;

• Can start at age of 4 years.

PRIVATE CLUBS FOR BENJAMIN

• In most countries employees of multinationals have a private club;

• To entertain parents and children;

• Tennis, soccer, swimming pool etc;

• Investigate the opportunities for Benjamin hockey 6-12 years on saturdays;

• Like hockeyschools these Benjamins can be refer to hockey clubs.

NEXT STEP : BEACH HOCKEY

PERFECT & SIMPLE WAY FOR HOCKEY PROMOTION

BEACH HOCKEY: THINK ABOUT IT

Simple way

• Most countries have beaches and sandy place to play;

• Rules are easy and no big investments;

• Suitable for each age group.

Light weight sticks

HOCKEY MATERIALS EASY TO BUY?

• Start with one shop close to hockey stadium/club to supply hockey materials;

• As federation make a deal with 2-3 hockey brands famous for quality;

• Bring these brands to the shop, later expand the shops;

• Companies with full range like sticks, mouth protection, goal keeper equipment, bags etc;

• Focus on kids sticks with nice designs to promote the sport.

EXAMPLE OF A BIG SHOP IN THE NETHERLANDS

HOCKEYCLUBS ONLY WAY TO MOVE

• Hockey clubs only way to make steps forwards;

• Focus on Benjamin hockey first & to intergrate U7-U12 leagues;

• Hockey academies if hockey clubs are to comprehensive to start;

• Always have a paid membership – don’t start hockey on voluntary basis;

• More clubs then start a hockey league.

HOCKEY CLUBS

• Needs to have a good youth developing plan;

• Work with good quality and educated trainers;

• And have a week to week program different per age group;

• Interact with hockey academies, schools and universities.

FEDERATION ALWAYS MAKE YOUR BUSINESS

• Federations make costs and should not rely on sponsors only;

• Dutch Federation asks membership per club, per player and per team;

• The more clubs the more income;

• Sponsors are important but not life depending.

ARTIFICIAL PITCHES ALTERNATIVES

Sandy pitches• Water pitches should the last step not

the first;

• Netherlands started with sandy filled artificial pitches;

• 70 – 80% sandy pitches in NL;

• Saves 200,000 to 300,000 euro per pitch.

Club example

INDOOR HOCKEY

• Most universities – Colleges have indoor facilities;

• Investment only side bars;

• Easy to start university league;

• But make sure indoor sticks are available.

GOOD BASIS TO START

Snap floors NL

• To start indoor hockey inside or outside;

• For the investment of 5% of a water pitch;

• Other alternatives/brands available.

Indoor hockey outside

TWO HOCKEY CLUBS WITH TEMPORARY INDOOR FACILITY

AHBC Amsterdam HC Leonidas - Rotterdam

EXTRA DEVELOPMENT IDEAS

• CISM – Military Sport Federation organizes many events;

• But no hockey, beach & indoor hockey are simple to create;

• Enough partnerships between local CISM federations, hockey federations and FIH/BHF possible;

• World cup indoor/beach hockey CISM?

• FISU – University Sport Federation same cocept;

• Field hockey was not a success;

• Most countries don’t have access to artificial pitches at universities;

• But for indoor and beach hockey no big challenges;

• FISU indoor/beach hockey world cup?

INTERACT WITH YOUR DIASPORA ABROAD?

• Look for representatives in active hockey countries where your country has a large diaspora;

• To start a hockey academy oversees;

• Make programs together;

• Rebuild your network.

LET NEW TECHNOLOGIES WORK FOR YOU

• Use an online training tool, like the hockey factory or other Dutch and Australian companies;

• With a training tool your trainer has 24/7 access to all good and reliable programs from Benjamin till adult, costs from 37 euro/year;

• Most important is to give structure in training exercises and never allow a trainer just to do his own things;

• Invest in video analysis software like NAC Software or other VA companies, from 150 euro you can start;

• Always integrate shuttle runs into training practice to monitor fitness and invest in a heart rate monitor device, Polar goes from 65 euro for one player;

SPORT EYE TV – DUTCH NEW TECHNOLOGY

• Sport Eye TV was an investment in the Netherlands which can provide video on Youtube at no cost;

• Live TV of matches or training sessions;

• Allows foreign coaches to look with new hockey development projects/countries and to advise on distance;

• Makes summaries automatically ideal to use for video analysis.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Jaap Suyk

The Netherlands