hampshire-hockey

New Competition Management Modules For Junior Hockey in Hampshire

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:55:49 GMT

Hampshire Hockey launches powerful new Seasonal League and One-Day Competition modules, bringing automated fixtures, live results and simplified competition management for club and school hockey.

Running hockey competitions is about much more than creating fixtures. Behind every league table and tournament draw is a huge amount of administration, coordination and communication. From accepting entries and creating fixtures, to publishing results and dealing with last-minute changes, competition organisers spend countless hours ensuring that everything runs smoothly.

Over the past two years, Hampshire Hockey has been developing a bespoke County Management System (CMS) designed specifically around the way hockey competitions are organised in Hampshire. Following the successful introduction of the Adult Cup Competition module last season, we are delighted to announce that two major new competition modules are now live and ready for use.

These modules represent another significant step towards Hampshire Hockey's vision of providing modern, efficient and easy-to-use technology that benefits clubs, schools, organisers, players and supporters alike.

Seasonal League Module

The first of the new modules has been designed primarily to manage junior league competitions , although it can be used for any competition that takes place over a period of time.

Competition organisers begin by creating the competition and selecting a range of options that define how the league will operate. These include:

Single round-robin or home-and-away formats
Points awarded for wins, draws and losses
Competition dates and playing rounds
Various league settings to suit different competition formats

Once entries have closed, the system automatically generates the rounds and fixtures based on the organiser's chosen settings.

When fixture dates have been confirmed, the fixtures are published and the home clubs are invited to log into the CMS to enter the venue and start time for each match.

After matches have been played, both clubs submit the result. Once both teams have entered matching scores, the league table is automatically updated and published on the Hampshire Hockey website for everyone to follow.

Should clubs experience any difficulties entering results, organisers retain the ability to update fixtures and scores on their behalf.

Supporting Triangular and Festival Formats

One feature that makes Hampshire's system particularly flexible is its ability to support competitions where several teams meet at the same venue on the same day.

By intervening at the point where fixture dates are assigned, organisers can group fixtures together to create triangular tournaments or small festival-style events that still contribute towards an overall league competition.

This makes the system particularly suitable for younger age groups where multiple teams often gather at a single venue to play several shorter matches.

While creating these events does require additional work from the organiser, it provides a level of flexibility that simply isn't available within England Hockey's current GMS platform.

One-Day Competition Module

The second new module has been developed primarily for school competitions , In2Hockey and other one-day tournaments.

This has probably been the most technically challenging module developed so far, but it promises to transform the way Hampshire organises its one-day events.

Once entries have closed, the organiser can decide exactly how the competition should operate.

The system allows organisers to:

Divide teams into two, three or four pools.
Seed teams where appropriate.
Select the number of pitches or playing areas available.
Set match durations.
Schedule breaks between rounds.
Define the competition start time.

Once those settings have been entered, the CMS automatically generates the complete competition schedule, including fixture times, pitch allocations and progression through the competition.

If pools contain different numbers of teams, the system can automatically increase match lengths for the smaller pools to ensure that all teams receive approximately the same amount of playing time. Alternatively, organisers can disable this feature if they prefer.

Automatic Play-Offs

One of the biggest advantages of the new module is its ability to automatically generate appropriate play-off competitions.

Depending on the number of pools, the system creates quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals, or additional qualifying rounds where appropriate.

Organisers also have complete control over which placement matches are played.

For example, while a school competition may wish to determine every finishing position, an In2Hockey event may only need to identify the top three or four teams. The remaining placement games can simply be omitted, allowing the competition to finish within the available time.

Solving One of the Biggest Organising Headaches

Anyone who has organised junior hockey competitions will know the sinking feeling when a team withdraws on the morning of the event.

Historically, this often meant redrawing the entire competition by hand while dozens of children, teachers and parents waited.

The new CMS changes that completely.

If a team withdraws at short notice, the organiser can simply remove that team, rebalance the pools if necessary and regenerate the entire competition within seconds.

What previously took a considerable amount of time can now be achieved almost instantly.

Live Fixtures, Results and Standings

Both competition modules integrate with the Hampshire Hockey website.

Fixtures, results and league tables are published automatically, allowing players, parents, clubs and schools to follow competitions as they happen.

This creates a much more engaging experience for everyone involved and reduces the amount of manual administration required by organisers.

Continuing to Develop

Although these new modules are now live, development certainly doesn't stop here.

Calum has already opened this season's junior competitions using the new system and we will continue to support him as the competitions get underway, making improvements wherever opportunities arise.

Our immediate focus is now on enhancing the public-facing competition pages on hampshire.hockey . While the current system works well, we recognise that there is room for improvement, particularly for users viewing competitions on mobile devices.

As always, Hampshire Hockey remains committed to investing in technology that makes organising hockey easier, improves the experience for clubs and schools, and ultimately allows more time to be spent doing what matters most — playing and enjoying hockey.

Entries Now Open for the 2025/26 Hampshire Hockey Adult Cup Competitions

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 09:29:23 GMT

Entries now open for the 2025/26 Hampshire Adult Cup competitions – register your teams via the new County Management System.

We’re pleased to announce that entries are now open for the 2025/26 Hampshire Hockey Adult Cup Competitions. The following competitions are available for entry:

Men's / Open Cup
Men's / Open Plate
Men's / Open Trophy
Men's / Open Vase
Women's Cup
Women's Trophy
Women's Vase

Team eligibility for each competition is based on league participation as follows:

Mens Cup National League and Area Premier Divisions
Mens Plate Area Regional Divisions 1-3
Mens Trophy Area Regional Divisions 4-5
Mens Vase Sub-Area Divisions (Forest and Solent in South Central)
Ladies Cup National League and Area Premier Divisions
Ladies Trophy Area Regional Divisions
Ladies Vase Sub-Area Divisions (Forest and Solent in South Central)

Dates for each round are as follows:

Play by Recommended

Round 1 Sunday 23 November Saturday 25 October

Round 2 Sunday 25 January Saturdays 3 or 10 January

Quarter Finals Sunday 29 March Saturday 14 February

Semi Finals Sunday 19 April

Finals will take place at Hampshire Day on Monday 4 May.

As part of our transition to the new County Management System (CMS) , all participating clubs are required to have (at least) the following roles registered on the system:

Chairperson
Treasurer
Senior Cup Contact

The Senior Cup Contact will be responsible for:

Creating teams on the CMS
Entering teams into the relevant cup competitions
Scheduling fixtures (home teams set the date/time)
Entering results once matches have been played

�� The final date to enter teams is 7 September 2025.

To support club officials, we’ve created short video tutorials on our website, showing:

How to create a team
How to enter a team into a competition

Visit our How To page for these videos

If you haven’t yet registered the necessary officials for your club, please visit the County Management System page for instructions anda link to the registration form.

Once the entry deadline has passed, our Senior Cup Organiser, Mike Harvey, will create and publish the draws via the CMS. Fixtures will then be visible on the Hampshire Hockey website.

Submitting Fixtures and Results

The home club is responsible for proposing the match date and time (before the round’s play-by date) and entering it into the CMS.
The visiting team will receive fixture details by email.
After the match, both clubs must enter the result. If the scores match, the draw will automatically update.

Please Bear With Us

As this is our first year using the new CMS for the Cup competitions, we expect there may be some bumps along the way. We appreciate your patience and understanding while we fine-tune the system and resolve any unforeseen issues.

�� If you need technical help with the CMS, please contact the webmaster using this form .

�� For questions specifically about the competitions, you can contact Mike Harvey here .

We’re committed to making the new Hampshire CMS a reliable and efficient tool to support all of Hampshire Hockey—and to make life easier for everyone running our competitions.

New Junior Leagues, New Website, Same Hockey Fun – Get Ready for 2025/26!

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 09:13:01 GMT

TL;DR – Key Points:

Team entries for U8–U12 leagues are now open via the new Hampshire.hockey site.
New league formats include Girls, Boys, and Mixed options at U10 level.
U12 leagues follow last year’s successful dual-division model.
Clubs can enter multiple teams, but must use correct naming.
Entry deadline is 18 July; leagues start in October.

U8–U12 Hampshire hockey leagues are back with new formats and a new platform.

Team entry is now open for the upcoming season, and we’re excited for another fantastic year of junior hockey across Hampshire.

All club contacts from the current season have been emailed. If your club is no longer involved in 7-a-side hockey, feel free to disregard the message. Team entries must be submitted by your Club Prime contact via the new Hampshire.hockey website.

Important Note on Emails
Future emails will be sent through the new website, from a no-reply address. If you have any problems or questions, please respond to this current email account, not the automated messages.

How to Enter Your Teams

All team entries must be made through the new Hampshire.hockey platform.

Create Your Team(s): If you haven’t already, set up your team profiles on the website.
Register for the League: Once your teams are created, you can register them for the relevant leagues.

You can enter multiple teams into each league. Please make sure you use the correct and consistent team names when registering.

League Structure

U12 Leagues

Division 1 & Division 1B:
These divisions follow a similar format to last season’s Girls Division 1. Both A and B teams will play at the same venue. This setup helps clubs enter higher divisions while still running a B team on the same day, making staffing and squad numbers more manageable.
Regional Leagues (EAST, WEST, NORTH):
These leagues operate at Tier 2 level.

U10 Leagues

This year we’re introducing separate Boys , Girls , and Mixed leagues — a change from previous seasons. If there aren't enough teams in a particular category, we’ll be in touch with all registered teams to explore alternative solutions. The final structure will be based on the number of entries received.

Key Dates & Information

Entry Deadline: All team entries must be submitted by 18 July .
Team Confirmation: After the deadline, a full list of entered teams will be circulated for you to double-check and confirm.
League Start: Matches are scheduled to begin in October , following the England Hockey calendar. We’ve taken on board lessons from last season to help minimise calendar clashes.
Need a Reference? You can view last year’s league entries here .

Hampshire Hockey Association Launches New Website and County Management System

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:11:52 GMT

Hampshire Hockey Association (HHA) is pleased to announce the launch of its brand-new website.

The development of the website is closely linked to the creation of our new County Management System, a bespoke software solution designed specifically for HHA. This innovative system will provide a streamlined way to manage clubs, schools, competitions, and all related county hockey operations, ensuring a more efficient and effective service for our members.

A New Chapter for Hampshire Hockey

The need for this new system arose following the sad passing of Tex Lane, a long-standing and much-respected member of the Hampshire hockey community. Tex was not only a stalwart of Hampshire Hockey but also the developer and support behind the systems we have relied upon for many years. In the wake of his passing, we found a temporary solution to host the existing system, but it soon became apparent that the aging technology and increasing complexity made it difficult to maintain and update effectively.

Additionally, evolving privacy, security, and compliance requirements, coupled with the reorganisation of governance by England Hockey, meant that a more modern, purpose-built County Management System was essential and that is what we are now in the process of building.

What the New System Will Offer

Once completed, the County Management System will provide a comprehensive solution for managing club and school hockey administration in Hampshire. It will allow us to securely store and manage key details of club and school officials, including:

For Clubs:

Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
Cup Prime Contact
Junior Prime Contact

For Schools:

Junior Prime Contact
Finance Contact

Club and school representatives will be able to access and update their information, organise competition entries, manage fixtures, and submit results with ease. The system will empower county administrators and organisers to efficiently manage leagues and competitions, ensuring smoother communication and coordination.

As of now, the main database and contact modules are ready, and we are inviting clubs and schools to begin entering details for their key officials. Each individual holding one of these roles will need to create their own personal profile on the system, specifying their club, school, and designated roles during registration. Multiple roles can be selected if applicable.

For further details and instructions, please visit our CMS Information Page .

Looking Ahead

As this system develops, we anticipate it will become an indispensable tool for managing club and school hockey in Hampshire. Like all custom-built software solutions, there will be a period of adjustment, testing, and refinement. We ask for your patience and cooperation as we work through this process, ensuring that the system meets the needs of our hockey community.

The Hampshire Hockey Association remains committed to supporting our affiliated clubs and schools, continuously working to enhance the administration and promotion of our favourite sport. We look forward to this exciting new chapter and appreciate the ongoing support from our hockey family in Hampshire.

Why Hockey is the Perfect Sport for Young Players in Hampshire

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 12:35:07 GMT

Are you looking for a fun, fast-paced, and inclusive sport for your child? Hockey is one of the best sports for young players, offering excitement, teamwork, and lifelong skills.

Whether your child is a complete beginner or a natural athlete, hockey provides a fantastic environment to develop confidence, coordination, and a love for the game.

Hampshire is home to a thriving hockey community, with clubs across the county welcoming new players. If you're wondering why hockey is a great choice for your child, read on!

The Benefits of Playing Hockey

1. Fun and Fast-Paced Action

Hockey is a dynamic sport that keeps young players engaged from start to finish. With quick passing, dribbling, and teamwork, there’s never a dull moment on the pitch. It’s a great way to stay active while having fun with friends.

2. Builds Fitness and Coordination

Unlike some sports that focus on just one aspect of fitness, hockey improves a variety of skills, including:
✅ Speed and agility – Players learn to move quickly and change direction with ease.
✅ Hand-eye coordination – Dribbling and passing develop fine motor skills.
✅ Endurance and strength – Running, stopping, and striking the ball keep players fit and healthy.

3. Encourages Teamwork and Social Skills

Hockey is all about working together, supporting teammates, and communicating effectively. Young players learn valuable social skills, including leadership, respect, and sportsmanship—qualities that benefit them on and off the pitch.

4. Inclusive and Accessible

One of the best things about hockey is that it’s for everyone . Boys and girls play together in younger age groups, and clubs cater to all skill levels. Whether your child wants to play for fun or has ambitions to compete at a higher level, there’s a place for them in Hampshire Hockey.

5. A Clear Pathway for Progression

If your child falls in love with the sport, there are many opportunities to grow. Hampshire Hockey is part of the England Hockey Player Pathway , which means talented players can develop their skills through county and regional programs, leading to potential national and international opportunities.

How to Get Involved in Hockey in Hampshire

With many clubs across Hampshire, it’s easy to find a team near you. Local clubs offer:

�� Fun sessions for beginners – Perfect for kids new to the sport.
�� Training from qualified coaches – Helping young players develop their skills.
�� Exciting matches and tournaments – Giving children a chance to compete in a supportive environment.

Find Your Nearest Hockey Club

Whether you’re in Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester, or anywhere in between, there’s a club for you! Here are some ways to get started:

�� Visit the Hampshire Hockey website for a list of local clubs.
�� Search for hockey clubs near you on the England Hockey website.
�� Contact your nearest club to ask about beginner sessions for young players.

Join the Hampshire Hockey Community Today!

Field hockey is an incredible sport that builds fitness, confidence, and friendships. Whether your child is looking for a fun hobby or a pathway to elite competition, Hampshire Hockey has opportunities for all young players.

Now is the perfect time to pick up a stick and give hockey a try.

Find your local club and get involved today!