Select a region
As part of England Hockey’s ‘Your World Cup’ campaign, Jersey Hockey Club is hosting a Corporate Hockey League to give employees the chance to pick up a stick and give the sport a try ahead of the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup in London this summer.
A record 16 local companies will battle it out to be crowned the best in the business in a 7-aside tournament played on half pitches over 12 sessions. The event has been designed to instil the joy of hockey into those who have never played before, while rekindling the love for the sport in those who may have played previously.
The opening round of group matches kicked off last week with a selection of highly competitive matches between the 16 sides. The performances of the novice players were impressive, with a few scoring crucial goals to see their teams through to victory in the opening round of group games. The action continues this coming week with the continuation of the group stage games.
Following on from the recent successes of women’s hockey, with Great Britain Hockey winning gold at the Olympic Games in 2016 and England Hockey securing bronze at the recent Commonwealth Games, the sport has been propelled into the nation’s psyche, increasing in popularity. To capitalise on this momentum ahead of the biggest women’s hockey event in the world, ‘Your World Cup’ is bringing a variety of interactive events to the public with the aim of encouraging more people to pick up a stick and give hockey a go.
Hosting a World Cup in London presents England Hockey with a huge opportunity to increase the visibility of the sport both locally and nationally. Hockey clubs across the country are hosting a range of events featuring stars from England’s recent hockey triumphs who will be sharing their skills with new wave of hockey enthusiasts.
Barbara Reynolds, England Hockey Relationship Manager for the West of England, comments: “Since London hosted the 2012 Olympic Games, a pattern of growth in the number of people watching and playing hockey has emerged. With the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup being held on home soil in 2018, England Hockey fully anticipates that this tournament will have the same impact. Thousands of children and their families are expected to watch the event and engaging this audience ahead of the event is a key objective for us.”
