While SBHC policy is for Junior Players to play in their age group, some of our older Junior players will benefit from and enjoy the challenge of playing with our various Men's and Ladies' teams. England Hockey, and therefore SBHC, require a Junior player to be at least 13 years old to play in adult matches (15 for England Hockey Leagues). Please speak to your child's coach about these opportunities to make sure it is the right thing for his or her development.

If all parties agree that it is in the best interests of the player to progress to the senior teams then the child's coach will make the initial introduction with the relevant senior team captain. They will then discuss directly with the parents and player on the next steps and any future development along the player pathway.

It is important for parents to be aware of and accept that Junior players will potentially be exposed to different aspects of the sport when participating in Adult training sessions and matches.

We therefore require parents of all Junior players who would like to participate in Adult training sessions and matches to confirm their consent by ticking the safeguarding box on the la==player profile. This must be completed before the player can take part.

The England Hockey website is a good source of information about Safeguarding and Protecting Young People.

Please consult their pages on the link below if you wish to know more:
England Hockey - SafeD Protecting the Hockey Family

A few relevant points to think about and accept are summarised from the England Hockey guidance and policies here below:

Communication between the Club and Young People
When communicating with young people it is recommended that Adults and Officers of the Club:

Contact players only when necessary for Club business
Parents should be the main contact point, at a minimum copied into written communication (i.e. letters or emails)
Speak with a player and their parents if there is a need to communicate information in relation to playing, training or competition
Contacting young people by phone, text, email or social networking site should never be undertaken without parental consent.

Changing Rooms Guidance

Players aged 10 and under must be supervised at all times in changing rooms by two members of staff of the same gender as the players.
Adults working with young teams, including volunteers, coaches, umpires and staff, should not change or shower at the same time when using the same facility as young players.
Mixed gender teams must have access to separate male and female changing rooms.
If young people are uncomfortable changing or showering in public, no pressure should be placed on them to do so. Encourage them to do this at home.
If adults and young people need to share a changing facility, the club must have consent from the parents that their child/children can share a changing room with adults in the club.
If young people need to share changing facilities with adults, their parents should be allowed to supervise them whilst they are changing.

Transportation Guidance

It is the responsibility of parents to transport their child/children to and from the club or activity.
It is not the coach's or a volunteer's responsibility to transport the young people to and from the club or activity.
Sometimes it is necessary to ask for help with a lift to training or matches. Children should not make their own arrangements to travel with Adult players; parents are responsible for making the decision and must be aware of the arrangements.
Other aspects to think about when accepting that your Junior plays with Adults include:
Language and behaviour on pitch - things can get tense in a match and while we like to think our members wouldn't engage in any bad language or behaviour, sometimes things slip out (must be the opposition we are talking about here, no?). Anyway, we do not want Juniors developing bad habits so please help manage the message if your Player is exposed to this and let a Club Officer know if anything makes you or your Player uncomfortable.
Post-match tea - a long standing tradition in Adult hockey is the post-match tea which will normally include alcoholic beverages. The teas can be good fun and valuable relationships are nurtured during these social events. While Juniors are encouraged to join in and be sociable, we must abide by UK law in terms of alcohol consumption and do not in any way encourage youthful developing bodies and minds to partake in this part of the experience.
Coaching - depending upon which Adult team your Junior Player aspires to, the coaching may be 'tougher' and more direct than what he or she is used to in the Juniors.

If for any reason, your Player feels uncomfortable about any situation (Junior or Adult), please speak to his or her Squad Manager, Coach, or any Officer of the Club with whom you are comfortable speaking. We are here to help make your Player's experience the best it can be.

Contact details for Club Officers are here
Our Club Welfare Officer will also be able to answer questions or help if you have a concern:
Email: welfare@southberkshirehockeyclub.org.uk
Thank you for your attention and we look forward to a great season of Junior and Adult hockey!