There are a network of Regional Development Officers for the sport of hockey so if you have any questions or need some advice, please make sure that you get in touch! Details are as follows;

Connacht & Munster: Phil Oakley

Leinster & the South East: Lucas Piccioli

Simply click here to find out more information on how your RDOs can work with your club or school.

The IHA has also recently introduced Licensed Development Officers. The aim of the LDO role is to supplement and support the existing Regional Development Offices by providing IHA certified services to the hockey community.  Both of our LDOs are independent operators, trained and supported by the IHA, but running their own businesses. Details of the two Licensed Development Officers are:

Leinster: Cathy Brock

Munster: Dave Egner

For more detail on your LDO and the services they can provide, click here.

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS

So how can your Regional Development Officer help you? To help answer that question, this page looks at a few different areas so navigate to the option that best describes you!

Existing Clubs or Schools

You're already playing hockey and are familiar with the game. So what can your Development Officer do to help you in your day to day running of the sport? Your Development Officer:

• Provides advice on building club-school links. This is extremely important for both clubs and schools as it strengthens both sides of the sport. Your Development Officer can let you know of hockey that is being played in your area and can help you approach the local school or club to develop a club-school link. Supported by Women In Sport, the IHA has a schools development programme named Tricks 4 Sticks and your club could benefit from linking into children playing in your area.

• Can help you design and implement a Development Plan. All clubs and schools should have a development plan which sets out where you want to be in the future. Your Development Officer can not only help you draw up your plan but can also provide ongoing advice and support to you when achieving it.

• Pass on advice on implementing the Code of Ethics. This can range from advice on putting the correct procedures in place to finding out dates of Code of Ethics courses in your area.

• Pass on good practice with tried and tested ideas! Because of your Development Officer's awareness of hockey around the country, they have excellent knowledge in terms of passing on best practice. This may include projects run by other clubs or schools that were successful, for example, fundraising for a new pitch, installation of a new pitch, creating a social hockey side, setting up a vets side, implementing small sided games etc. Pick their brains!

• Has information on funding available. This may be directly from the IHA, your Local Sports Partnership or other funding sources that contact the IHA.

• Provides information on coaching courses taking place in your area. This also includes accessing coaching resources that are available to purchase from the IHA.

• Provides development updates from the IHA. Your Development Officer will be very much in tune with news or events from the IHA which can be passed on directly to you. Likewise, it could be information passed on from the network of Local Sports Partnerships.

Struggling Clubs or Schools

The IHA defines a struggling club or school as a structure that has seen a persistent drop off in playing numbers (either at senior or underage level) to the extent that the structure may collapse and cease playing hockey. If you are concerned that you fall into this category, help is at hand as follows:

• Your Development Officer can help you examine why hockey is struggling in your club or school with a view to addressing those issues.

• A 'rescue plan' can be drawn up with the Development Officer which will look at how you can get back up on your feet. This will include support from your Development Officer but will also look at the role the club or school needs to play.

• Often times, getting the underage structure right can help boost a club. Whilst this is very much a long term approach, this might be what your club needs. The IHA's schools development programme, Tricks 4 Sticks, could be extended to your area to support your junior numbers.

• Likewise, if you are a struggling secondary school, getting hockey into the local primary schools could really help boost the sport. Again, this is where Tricks 4 Sticks could be of help.

• Volunteer or coaching numbers can often be the reason that a club or school struggles. Your Development Officer can pass on tips and advice in terms of boosting those numbers, particularly tried and tested ideas from other clubs or schools. Likewise, the Development Officer can help with accessing coaching courses and/or resources.

• Whilst the IHA has limited funding at its disposal, there may be the option of accessing some finance to get your club or school back on track.

New Clubs or Schools

You're considering starting up hockey for the first time and you're looking for some help and advice. In order to support you in doing so, your Development Officer can:

• Put you in touch with local hockey structures so that you can seek advice or get involved with competition in your area.

• Put you in touch with your Local Sports Partnership or Local Authority who can oftentimes offer resources, funding or support to help you.

• Gain access to an IHA equipment grant which is available for structures that are getting up on their feet.

• Provide guidance for putting a constitution together, drawing up the structure for your club, sourcing coaches, help in attracting volunteers, approaching local schools, putting a club development plan together, sourcing pitch time and much more!

Ulster

For a list of contact details for Development Officers based in Ulster, go to www.ulsterhockey.com.

LICENSED DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS

So what kinds of services can your club or school expect from your LDO? Read on for details.

COACHING CLINICS (suitable for clubs and schools)

The aim of the IHA Coaching Clinics is to work closely with your coaches.  Through observation and discussion, your coaches have an opportunity to become fully updated on key technical and tactical points, to become familiar with current coaching concepts and to develop their own coaching abilities.   This is achieved through the delivery of a two and a half hour clinic which is delivered in your club or school. There are two clinic topics currently available; ‘Circle Entry & Goalscoring’ and ‘2v1s’.  Each clinic costs €90.  There is no minimum or maximum number of coaches required so we encourage clubs and schools to include all of their coaching staff to maximise the value of the clinic.

TY HOCKEY PROGRAMME (suitable for secondary schools and adaptable for clubs)

Supported by Women In Sport, the aim of the TY Hockey Programme is to provide your students with an overall leadership experience through the medium of sport. The TY Programme focuses on two main areas of hockey, coaching and umpiring, with leadership skills as the underlying theme. As well as benefitting from contact time with an IHA tutor, the students are also expected to gain real-life practical experience in order to complete the programme and to gain an IHA TY Hockey Programme Certificate. The TY Hockey Programme is run over a day and a half. The cost is €380 (up to a maximum of 16 students) with the school required to provide classroom time, pitch time and a supervisor.

YOUTH LEADER PROGRAMME WORKSHOPS (suitable for clubs)

Supported by Women In Sport, the Youth Leader programme introduces young people, aged between 15 and 21, to volunteering in their hockey club. The aim of the programme is to enjoy all aspects of the sport of hockey rather than concentrating on playing only. To do this, the programme focuses on 3 main areas which are umpiring, coaching and team management. The Youth Leader Programme kicks off with a 4 hour introductory workshop. If you have 8 or more Youth Leaders, your LDO can deliver this workshop at your club. The cost of the workshop is €10 per person with the club providing access to a classroom a pitch and a supervisor.

TASTER SESSIONS (suitable for clubs and schools)

Does your club have a local primary or secondary school that you would like to build a closer relationship with? Or would you like to introduce your school pupils to hockey? If yes, your LDO can deliver two coaching sessions in local schools. There is a cost of €60 to the club or school to avail of this service. In return the LDO will deliver 4 hours of coaching.  An assistant or supervisor must be provided who can accompany the LDO. This programme is again supported by Women In Sport.

For more information on LDO services, simply contact the LDO or RDO for your region.