New Hockey Academy for children this month

The camp will run on Tuesday, August 29, from 10am – 3pm, and is open to children aged 9 – 11.

It forms part of the Academy’s objective to get 10,000 children more active by playing hockey over the next three years.

Everyone Active’s coaches will use Quicksticks to introduce children to the game and build their confidence using a larger, lighter and safer ball. The fun and friendly sessions are designed to suit all abilities, but also provide opportunities for those with a flair for the sport to develop and progress.

Alex Danson was part of Team GB’s Olympic gold medal-winning hockey team at Rio 2016. She is one of England and Great Britain’s greatest ever hockey players, having achieved almost 300 caps since making her international debut at just 16 years’ old. Alex teamed up with Everyone Active after both parties recognised the lack of high-standard hockey provision available to children of primary school age.

Alex is personally involved in upskilling the coaches to ensure they deliver top-quality sessions that inspire Britain’s next generation of sports players.

She said: “I am delighted to have teamed up with Everyone Active to give more young people the opportunity to play hockey. Its brilliant facilities offer scope to get children all over the country benefitting from the programme.

“Research shows the importance of engaging young people in physical activity before the age of 11 to increase their chances of staying active into later life. The Academy’s summer camps are designed to do this, and offer young people a fun and exciting way of staying active during the school holidays.”

Bourne Leisure Centre has been specially selected by Everyone Active to host one of the first Alex Danson Hockey Academy camps due to the community’s penchant for sports and activity.

Jason Davis, Everyone Active’s general manager, said: “It is fantastic to be hosting an Alex Danson Hockey Academy summer camp at the centre. We firmly believe in the benefits of playing sport at a young age and want to offer as many opportunities as possible for people to get active.

“The partnership forms part of our major drive towards increasing sports participation levels. With hockey being enjoyed by both boys and girls, it also helps to bridge the gap between the amount of men and women playing sport, and tackle the declining rate of participation in girls as they enter their teens.

“I would encourage anyone looking for fun and enjoyable ways of keeping their children active over summer to get in touch.”

For more information about the camps, or to book a place, call the centre on 03330 050397 or email [email protected].

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.chichester.co.uk/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ChichesterObserver

3) Follow us on Twitter @Chiobserver

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Chichester Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.