Talent Academy - How to get involved
Information about the annual nomination, assessment and selection process for the University of Bristol Hockey Talent Academy.
The Talent Academy is for high-potential players aged between 15 to 18 years old (school years 10, 11, 12 and 13).
Each year, a squad of 25 young females and 25 young males are selected to be part of the Talent Academy through a nomination, assessment and selection process.
In addition to the squad of full-time players, the programme may have additional players who, due to individual circumstances, can attend on a less than weekly basis. Our Talent Academy Lead Coach will work with the player on this basis, to understand what is right for those individual's circumstances.
The Talent Academy player identification and selection process will serve two purposes.
- To identify players for the following annual cycle (October to July), through a range of activities.
- To identify players for the current annual cycle, where space allows.
Identification Stage (November - May)
Talent Academies will select players from a defined catchment area through a flexible process with primary routes through local clubs, schools and County Hockey. There are multiple ways for a player to be initially identified.
Identification Stage - Talent Academy Festivals
The Talent Academy may run festivals for school and club players in its catchment area to provide opportunities for players to be identified. Festivals present a great opportunity to frame events as ‘developmental opportunities’ rather than be labelled as an ‘assessment’.
If a player is identified via a festival, and of the right age for either the current or next annual cycle, the Talent Academy will encourage the player’s coach/teacher to complete the nomination process in order that they can attend a future open assessment day.
Identification Stage - Open Assessment Events
Players may be nominated to attend an open assessment event at any point. These events will be communicated by Talent Academies to local clubs, schools and County Hockey coaches and administrators, via the England Hockey website. Coaches and administrators will use a standardised nomination form to recommend players.
The annual deadline for coaches to nominate players for an open assessment event day is 1st May. Talent Academies must deliver all planned open assessment events by the end of the summer half term window, or no later than the 10th June.
Observation Stage (January – May)
After a player has been identified via an open assessment, they are invited to attend a series of observation sessions at their Talent Academy, between January - May.
Selection Stage (September)
Players successfully identified during the identification stage and, where possible, the observation stage, will form a longlist along with existing eligible players within the Talent Academy. From the longlist, the Talent Academy coaches will undertake further assessments each September, with the final squads selected by the end of September each year.
The Talent Academy programme runs on an annual basis and players are typically selected for the whole cycle. If spaces become available during the cycle, for example due to withdrawals or injury, then new players may be added via the above process.
Assessment dates and times
|
Date |
Girls' Training Time |
Boys' Training Time |
|---|---|---|
| 13 February 2025 | 18:30 - 20:00 | 20:00 - 21:30 |
| 27 April 2025 | 13:00-14:30 and 16:00-17:30 | 11:30 -13:00 and 14:30-16:00 |
| 8 June 2025 | 11:30-13:00 and 14:30-16:00 |
10:00-11:30 and 13:00-14:30 |
Nomination process
Current players accessing Talent Academy provision
Current TA players, who remain age eligible for the 2024-25 cycle, and are already accessing provision at a neighbouring TA will be made aware of our Bristol TA and the option to transfer. However, if these players are happy and wish to continue provision where they currently are, they may continue to do so. It is paramount our young players are happy and are accessing the right environment for them, per the Right Athlete Right Environment (RARE) Principal. All Talent Academies within the region have agreed to support this necessity.
Players accessing Open Assessment events at a neighbouring Talent Academy
Players who have recently been nominated and have, or are about to, access an open assessment event at a neighbouring Academy, will be made aware that the Bristol Talent Academy is an option. Those players who wish to transfer to an open assessment with us, will be able to do so in September.
Players who have not yet been nominated
The University of Bristol Talent Academy will run a series of open assessment events in September, to select a squad of circa 25 boys and 25 girls by the end of that month. Club, school and junior County Hockey coaches across the region will be able to nominate players via the England Hockey website who have not been nominated previously.
Further information on our open assessment events will be made available by the end of July on the England Hockey Talent Academy nominations webpage.
Got a question?
If you would like more information, please e-mail us.