Bedford Hockey Club is delighted to announce that it has secured funding of £6,258 from Sport England's Small Grants Scheme, to run its new Under 18s girls hockey academy. The academy aims to provide talented hockey players with bespoke training sessions and expert coaching that will support their transition from junior and senior hockey at the club whilst facilitating the development of their core skills to a higher level. In time it is hoped these players can nurtured into prospective first team players and also potentially also involved in Regional and National hockey squads. BHC also hope that the academy will attract talented players from across the county and further afield and therefore increase the numbers of players participating in club hockey at Chester Road, securing the future success of the club in the coming years.

The Sport England bid also goes way beyond benefiting the academy players themselves, as it will also provide funding for 2 new level 2 coaches and 2 level 1 coaches to be trained to give the academy a legacy and longevity. These coaches, once qualified, will also be able to deliver a higher quality of coaching for a club and community as a whole. In addition, the academy squad, will also be able to take the England Hockey Board Young Leadership award which will give them the confidence to support hockey sessions with their peers at school and also a grounding in umpiring, officiating as well as building their confidence and knowledge of the game.

Speaking about the impact of the award from Sport England, Bedford Hockey Club chairman Rob Moulam commented " We are delighted to be successful in our funding application and are excited about the new Under 18's academy that it enables us to create. In such an important year for our sport and the club, it is vital that we proactively support the next generation of players at Bedford. The academy will be a great way for talented young players to develop and thrive in the coming years at BHC.”

Laura Swanson, EHB Relationship Manager added “The academy will provide an invaluable resource for nurturing and supporting talented young players from Bedford, the County and beyond. It’s an holistic programme which not only supports player progression, but also the development of our future coaches and leaders”. Any girls under 18 who are interested in joining the academy should contact Kate Costin in the first instance at ladies1sts@bedfordhockeyclub.com or visit the club website www.bedfordhockeyclub.com