The Player Pathway is the development pathway for players, coaches and officials of all ages and abilities to provide them with the opportunity  to reach their full potential.  It is based on Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) principles that put the participant at the centre of all decisions, with extensive scientific research that has been widely accepted by the majority of other major sports within England.

What is the Player Pathway made up of?
The player pathway encompasses the whole of the hockey landscape which includes club and school activity as well as the  Performance Centres (PC), Academy Centres (AC) and Development Centres (DC). When people talk about the Player Pathway it is often mistaken as just the development centres, e.g. DCs, ACs, PCs etc, but it is important to look at the hockey a player gets in all environments.

Why does hockey have a Player Pathway?
The purpose of the Player Pathway is to make opportunities for participants fair, equitable and consistent.  It is to ensure that a suitable level of coaching and competition is offered for people at the appropriate stage of their development and to maximise the chance they have of fulfilling their potential whether that potential is as a club or International player, coach or official.

How can I access the Player Pathway?
The Player Pathway can be accessed by playing at a school, a local club or attending one of the local Player Pathway centres. Many players progress through Development to Centres to Academy Centres (county level) with some moving onto Performance Centres ( Midlands level) and then the National Age Group Programme (NAGS)