IHA release plan to increase participation

Men's hockeyAs Ulster triumphed again in the interprovincial series last weekend, the Irish Hockey Association released their three-year National Development Plan.

The plan maps out how the association aim to increase participation rates in hockey across the 32 counties over the next three years through the implementation of seven key goals - volunteers and people; enhanced communication systems; participation among young people; coaching and coach education; school/club links; umpire development and code of ethics and good practice for children's sport.

To implement these goals, the IHA is taking a "bottom up" approach with locally-crafted development plans that match the goals set in the plan.

"This plan is the product of months of research and consultation that Irish Hockey has carried out with the sport to establish key areas of focus to increase the basic participant population of hockey in Ireland," said IHA chief executive Paul Varian. "The IHA is committing a minimum of €250,000 among other resources over the next three years to support the plan's implementation."

"All IHA branches and direct affiliates were asked to submit development plans to the association by the end of September 2006, which outline how they plan to increase participation rates in their jurisdictions in 2007 and beyond," explained the former international and current IHA national development officer Robin Madeley.

"These plans will be delivered and implemented through the club affiliates. The extent of the support will depend on how well they match the goals outlined in the National Development Plan and, of course, the overall resources that the association can commit year-on-year."

The new system will try to ensure the development of the sport is carried out where the expertise lies and that's at grassroots level in clubs, schools and in the sport's considerable volunteer base. The association will play an important role in supporting this development financially and otherwise.

On the playing front, it is a pretty thin weekend with two early-season finals taking place for the Wright Carey and Stephen Doyle trophies.

Just one Leinster Senior League match is scheduled with Three Rock Rovers fully expecting to make the short trip to Bray worth while to keep their championship hopes going.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Tomorrow: Wright Carey Cup final: Pembroke Wanderers v Three Rock Rovers, Serpentine Avenue, 11.0. Stephen Doyle Cup final: Glenanne v Pembroke Wanderers, Serpentine Avenue, 1.0. Leinster Senior League: Division one: Three Rock Rovers v Bray, Grange Road, 1.0.