Smiling emoji with hockey stick and ball,

Hampshire Game Changers

“Hampshire Game Changers” is a Hampshire Player Pathway initiative aimed at early talent identification and development for field players in the U9, U10 and U11 age groups.


Building on the success of last year’s pilot, the programme brings together players from clubs across the county and places them in a positive, challenging environment led by experienced Hampshire Player Pathway coaches. The focus remains on improving individual hockey skills, game understanding, and technical ability — all ahead of potential entry into the county system at U13.


The 2026 cycle will include 4 x 90-minute sessions, with revised timings to allow smoother transitions between groups. Players will fine-tune core skills, explore advanced techniques, and apply their learning through small-sided games and tactical scenarios.


Clear age brackets are now in place, and Game Changers also plays an important role in preparing U11 players for progression to the Development Centre (DC). Any talented U11s identified by coaches may be nominated a year early for the 2026–2027 U13 DC cycle. Please note: Hampshire will not accept underage DC nominations unless players have attended Game Changers.


This programme remains for field players only, but we hope to offer a similar opportunity for goalkeepers in the future.

How it works

3 age groups per gender:

  • U9 boys & girls
  • U10 boys & girls
  • U11 boys & girls

Sessions are 1.5 hours long:

  1. 10:00-11:30 - U9s
  2. 12:00-13:30 - U10s
  3. 14:00-15:30 - U11s

4 Dates:

  1. 18 April 2026
  2. 25 April 2026
  3. 2 May 2026
  4. 9 May 2026

Coaching

  1. Hampshire PP coaches per session
  2. Club appointed coaches per session
  • We're inviting clubs to enter up to 3 players per age group per gender, so 3xU9 boys, 3xU9 girls, 3xU10 boys and so on.
  • Age groups are based on school years as for the CURRENT season, so promising U11 players can be nominated a year early for U13 DC of the 2026-27 cycle. As such, the year groups for this year's Gamechangers are:
  • U9 - Born between 01/09/2016 - 31/08/2017
  • U10 - Born between 01/09/2015 - 31/08/2016
  • U11 - Born between 01/09/2014 - 31/08/2015
  • We encourage each club to bring a coach along to participate in the session. This will ensure the kids have a familiar face on the pitch and that the development can continue at club after the programme is finished.
  • Because of the age of the children, a parent or appointed responsible person must stay pitchside during the session, otherwise the ultimate responsibility for the players will be with the club coach.

Cost and administration

  • The cost will be £40 per player for the 4 sessions - this will include a t-shirt
  • Hampshire will not be asking parents or players to register:
  • We will invoice the club for the number of players entered at the point of registration.
  • Clubs can add or remove players from their entries until 2 weeks before the first session. After that day, no more players can be added and no refunds will be given for any players dropping out.

Coaching

Hampshire PP will provide experienced player pathway coaches for all sessions. The programme is designed and will be led by our Performance Director, Dave Miles and the other coaches will be be experienced DC and AC coaches.


Clubs are encouraged to have a coach present for each session. This can be the same coach for all sessions, or a different coach for each session, Clubs are also welcome to send more than one coach per session. Please indicate the names and contact details of all coaches attending.

If the club is unable to have a coach at all sessions, parents must be made aware they can't leave their children while the session is on.

While it is not a prerequisite that clubs send a coach, please bear in mind that if none of the clubs do so, the sessions simply can't go ahead!

Player numbers

It is important to note that, although the sessions will be fun and friendly, the programme is designed to develop promising players and is not intended to be a child minding session or a money spinner for Hampshire.

As such, numbers will be carefully monitored and clubs will be limited to 3 players per age group, per gender until we have had all expressions of interest. If, at that point, the numbers allow for it, we may be able to accept more players from clubs if required.