Harpenden’s Junior Development Programme is one of the club's key priorities. All 8 adult teams are founded on players who learnt their skills as a junior at the club, and it's within our current junior programme that the stars of tomorrow lie!

Run by a host of qualified coaches, the programme ticks all the right boxes - for the kids, it's great fun and will improve their hockey, while parents can rest assured that their children are being sensibly looked after.

We hope that, for many of our juniors, the programme will give them the building blocks to develop as hockey players and that they will represent the club's adult teams as they mature into adulthood.

Heading up Harpenden's junior section is husband and wife power-combo Niall and Sarah McAlister. If you - or your children - would like to get involved, email them here.


TRAINING
This is held on Sunday mornings between 10am and 12.,30pm, at OA’s Woollam Playing Field (here), Harpenden Road, St Albans, beginning 9 September 2007. Timings are as follows:

• Under 9s and Under 11s (year 6 and below): 10.00 - 11.00 am
• Under 13s Boys and Girls and Under 15s Boys: 11.00 - 12.30 pm
• Under 15s Girls and Colts Girls: 12:30 - 1:30

Training will run between Sept 9th 2007 and March 16th 2008. There will be no training on the first Sunday of each half term holiday (October 21st and February 10th) and a break over Christmas period (the last session in 2007 will be December 16th and the first session in 2008 will be on January 6th).

If you have any friends that may be interested, please let them know too.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORMS
You can download a copy here. Please bring them with the subscription (Cheques to be made payable to "Harpenden Hockey Club") on your first or subsequent coaching session or post them to Niall McAlister, HHC Colts Coordinator, 9 Fallows Green, Harpenden, Herts AL5 4HD

JUNIOR SUBSCRIPTIONS
There's no such thing as a free lunch, but the HHC junior development section is about as close as you get! Membership for the season are £50 for all ages, regardless of whether a parent is a member of Harpenden Hockey Club. However, if you pay before 1 October 2007, the rate will be discounted to £35. If the child is already a member of the Men's or Ladies' Senior club for 2007- 08, there is no need to pay for any further junior annual membership. Once this is paid, your child will be covered under the club's public liability insurance but this will not cover personal accident.

FEES
...are £2.00 per session, payable on the day.

UNDER 11s
Children will be carefully looked after, however it is a condition of admission to the coaching sessions that parents/guardians of Under 11's must be "on site" in the unlikely event of an emergency. Under no circumstances will coaches leave children unattended to care for a child who is injured, sick or distressed for any reason. If the parent/guardian cannot attend the session they should appoint a substitute adult who is identified to the head coach prior to commencement of the session.

SAFETY/INSURANCE
Please do not forget that it is a wise precaution to take out Sports Insurance.
If you are at a school in Hertfordshire, the County Council operates Personal Accident Insurance Scheme for pupils (Details can be obtained from Herts County Council on 01992 588549). It is also recommended that you invest in a gumshield, as many players wear them now (your dentist can fit them), a padded hand guard (left hand) and shin pads.

KIT AND EQUIPMENT
A range of Harpenden Hockey Club merchandise can be purchased from the club Kit Shop. Not only is this kit stylish and high quality, the club receives a small amount of commission per item, so any purchase help support club initiatives such as junior development. Should you need any equipment for the coming season you can contact The Hockey Centre at 200 Beech Road, St Albans - Phone 01727 865264.

VOLUNTEERS
If any parents would like to lend a hand in a training or administrative role, please let our Junior Development Co-ordinators Niall and Sarah McAlister know by emailing them or calling 01582 462234.

PARENTS' E- MAIL ADDRESSES
Where email addresses have been provided, we will circulate information (Coaching days etc) to addressees, plus other information pertaining to the club. Please advise if you change your address.

BAD WEATHER
In the event of extreme weather (ie. heavy rain, snow etc) during a training session or match, we would ask parents to collect their child from the sports grounds. There is also a risk that heavy frost (especially in January/February) can cause cancellations. If possible, we will try to give advance email notice should this occur.

CRIMINAL RECORDS BUREAU
For the record, Paul Wise is the club's welfare officer and in accordance with the Hockey Association he has the required CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) Clearance. All of our coaches either have or are currently going through the CRB clearance system. If you have any queries in this regard please speak to one of us.

Finally, any ideas you may have in how we can improve the juniors system, on or off the pitch, please let our Junior Development Co-ordinators Niall and Sarah McAlister know by emailing them.