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HOCKEY NZ-Associations News- March 24th

AN UPDATE FOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATIONS
  This weeks’ Association Newsletter includes resources and advice with the current on-going Covid-19 situation, as well as key updates about our Community Hockey Leaders Video, Catch Up, Hockey Leaders Meeting, Performance Network and the Balance is Better campaign.

And don’t forget to check out the videos we have created to keep people practising their hockey skills while social distancing.   Please note that due to the government raising the alert to level 4, Hockey New Zealand staff will be working remotely for the next month. If you need to get hold of any of the staff then please do so through email or phone.    We wish everyone well in a very uncertain time. Please look after your families and loved ones.   
  WHO ADVICE  
  MOH POSTER FOR CLUBROOMS  
Community Hockey Leaders Video Catch-Up
  We have scheduled the next Community Hockey Leaders meeting for all those working in the Community Hockey space (e.g. RDM’s, RDO’s, CHM’s) to be on 16th April at 11 am via the MS Teams platform. All those who have joined the platform should have received an email inviting them to the catch up.   We are going to be trialing the “live event” function to see how this works as opposed to the standard meeting function on teams. This might be better if we are asking others to present and share their screen – but as with everything, there will be a degree of trial and error as we navigate our way through this.   Please list any agenda items you might like to see on the Community Hockey Leaders Team under the Meetings channel and send Rachel a ‘chat’ if you would like to share anything with the group or present on a topic   An agenda will be posted on Teams a bit closer to the date.    Please feel free to contact Rachel ([email protected]) with questions you might have. Please could you also make sure your Community Hockey Leaders who perhaps haven’t managed to take a look at Teams yet, or are aware of this initiative, get in touch with. 
Rachel to ensure they don’t miss out.  
Hockey Leaders Meeting 31 March and 1 April
  A reminder that the upcoming Hockey Leaders meeting has been cancelled in the wake of the COVID-19 situation. We acknowledge that this will create inconvenience for those that have already made travel and accommodation bookings however with the postponement of all hockey-related activities announced on the 18th March and the Governments latest guidelines on banning indoor mass gatherings coupled with the rapidly changing situation, it was felt that this was necessary.   By way of replacement, we will schedule 2 x 2hour video conference sessions on the mornings of the meetings in order to present and discuss several key agenda items that we are looking to seek your input on.   The agenda is currently being reworked, again to reflect the current environment and we will have this out to you as soon as possible prior to the meeting.   We will schedule these online video conferences in the coming days as well as providing information on how to get on-line.   If you have any questions regarding the meeting, please contact Ken Maplesden or Rachel Minton-Smith  
Balance is Better Regional Forums Update
  In line with the sector-wide response to COVID-19, Sport NZ along with the partner
group have decided to postpone all remaining Balance is Better Regional Forums until
further notice.
At this time, we cannot give you any further information in terms of timeframes or
potential future dates. When the time is right communication will be sent out to
reschedule appropriately.
Sport NZ are currently working with each RST to ensure that registered participants are
communicated with directly and there are the appropriate messages also placed online
/ social media too.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Tama –
[email protected].
Thank you all for your understanding, stay healthy everyone!  
Performance Network Update
  Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and in light of Hockey NZ’s suspension of all hockey until Saturday 2nd May we have had to postpone the April selection camp until further notice.
What we will do…
Invited players to the selection event will still receive an invitation from us on Tuesday 24th March.
The network coaching staff, Colin Stewart (upper North Island), Mark Borgers (lower North Island) and Aaron Ford (the South Island) will make contact with each player in their designated area to explore their current situation.
This will include non-hockey support and hockey support depending on the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic beyond Saturday 2nd of May.

Player Selection
Over the past two months, we have gone through a process to identify players to attend a selection camp. This began with a long list stretching back over the last Olympic cycle and progressed to a shortlist of 40 men and 40 women.

We have canvased the national coaches and selectors, NZ age group coaches, Performance Network staff, goalkeeper experts and Association points of contact.

With the April selection camp postponed we will make contact with those we have invited. Once a revised calendar is in place we will update players and Associations with the next stages of selection.

Programme Update

The Performance Network – ‘A holistic development programme focusing on what the player needs. It can include players, coaches and umpires. We have capacity for up to 50 players per gender, players will be 18 or over as at the 1st January, will be outside of the Vantage Black Sticks national squad and will be showing the right characteristics and skills to potentially enter, or re-enter international hockey.’ Please note this includes current development squad players. The programme is significantly subsidised by Hockey NZ, however, there will be a user pays contribution later in the year when a selection event is confirmed. There is no cost to the player at this point.

Junior World Cup – We know that the JWC for both the men and women will be played in late 2021. The men will be in India and the Women in South Africa. We also have confirmation that we are required to compete in a World Cup qualification event in December 2020. There are two qualification spots available for Oceania and Hockey NZ intends to host this event.

The message for those players under the age of 21 not included in the Performance Network invited list is as follows; They are still eligible for NZ U21 selection; The selection events in 2020 include but are not limited to; Club hockey; National U18’s; U21 Event; National Hockey Championship. The intention is to select a national squad in July and this can be added to following the National Hockey Championship; Teams will then be prepared for WC qualification and any other international competition.
July U21 Event – Our performance coaches will work with your Association point of contact (the person responsible for the development of your players) to prepare a long list for selection. We will provide further information in due course.

NZ U18 Programme – To run as per 2019/20 with a wider squad selected following the U18 Association Tournament in July, a camp in October and a further Camp in February 2021.

NZA Programme – An envisaged programme to run alongside the Performance Network that allows opportunity for players over the age of 21 to be tested at a higher level. Selections are ongoing and will occur through club, Association representative and national programmes.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Bryce Collins (Athlete Pathway Manager) [email protected]  
Training in Isolation
  In this uncertain time, some of the Hockey New Zealand staff have been putting together social media content of different skills and exercises that you can do around the house. Could we please encourage you to get your staff and community is behind this and find different drills that they can do to keep active and playing hockey. Please see below an example of the videos we have pushed out so far.    When uploading to Facebook or Instagram please make sure you tag Hockey New Zealand so that we can share across our channels as well.    Please use  #BacchusChallenge  
  ISOLATION HOCKEY VIDEOS  
Upcoming Key Dates
  Community Events 31st March and 1st April – Hockey Leaders Meeting 16th April – Community Leaders Video Catch Up   POSTPONED EVENTS 2020 Awards Dinner – Date TBC Balance is Better Regional Forums  
Current Situations Vacant
  VACANCIES  

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