Ireland: Hockey Ireland Announces National Performance Pathway Training Panels

Dublin, Sept 26: Hockey Ireland is pleased to announce the initial training panels for its National Performance Pathway for the upcoming season for the following teams: U21 Men (Breakthrough), U21 Women (Breakthrough), U18 Women (Accelerate) and U16 Women (Rise). Training panels for U18 Men (Accelerate) and U16 Men (Rise) will be announced Tuesday October 3 (Evening).

The panel selections follow Hockey Ireland’s reclassifying of its pathway teams with the underlying ethos being to place players in the best environments to suit their personal development. These national panels will be supported by regional training panels and these groups will train regularly and include players both from the national panel and regionally identified players.

There will be three national panels:

• U16 (Rise)
• U18 (Accelerate)
• U21 (Breakthrough)

Players in each group may be out of the age range but Hockey Ireland has identified them as having the potential to progress to the next level and feel that their development would be best suited in this panel.

There are multiple strands to selection, and these are detailed below.

1. Pathway recommendation: Players may be selected due to their performances in the previous Hockey Ireland cycle. This means that due to prior performance with Hockey Ireland that they have been identified as having significant potential and will be kept in the pathway for continued development, without the necessity to be identified during the Interpro tournament.
2. Interpro Performance: National staff will liaise with provincial coaches concerning the selection of a national and regional training groups. National staff will observe interprovincial matches.
3. Observation in school and club hockey: We are establishing a network of scouts that will keep an eye on players who are demonstrating the required attributes outside of our programme. Should a player be recommended through this manner they will be observed and may be invited into a training panel.

After an initial assessment the following panels have been selected

• U16 (Rise) Women
• U18 (Accelerate) Women
• U21 (Breakthrough) Women
• U21 (Breakthrough) Men

U16 (Rise) Women

The following have been selected for a training camp from 29 October (evening) – 1 November. Further details of the camp will be distributed shortly.

Additional invites to the camp may be issued after the next round of InterPro games. National and regional panels will be published after the camp along with associated training programmes.

If you have any queries on any of the above information, please contact mick.mckinnon@hockey.ie

U18 (Accelerate) Women

The following have been selected for a training camp from 29 October (evening) – 1 November. Further details of the camp will be distributed shortly.

Additional invites to the camp may be issued after the next round of InterPro games. National and regional panels will be published after the camp along with associated training programmes.

If you have any queries on any of the above information, please contact mick.mckinnon@hockey.ie

U21 (Breakthrough) Women

The above players will be invited to a national training day in Abbottstown on Sunday 1^st Oct.

Details will be sent to each player.

The following will be invited to attend U21 Regional training in their province.

Details of regional training will be forwarded in due course.

Still to be assessed:

Players will be continually assessed in their club environments through the year and may be added to the squad at any point.

Under 21 (Breakthrough) Men

After two weekends of assessment, the following players are invited to U21 (Breakthrough) training on the following dates.

Regional Training 8 October

Ulster (TBC)

Sport Ireland Campus, Dublin 1600-1800

National Training 15 October

Dublin (TBC)

National Training 22 Octobe

Dublin (TBC)

For UK based players regional sessions are not mandatory. They are required to attend National sessions when asked