We tried with Secondary schools, didn't really stick as nobody had the time (working etc). We're lucky in that we have a few teachers playing and that we're very much a family club (lots of father and sons, sisters, brothers etc). The juniors section of the club has just been revived in the last few years, for a long time it was rather ignored for some reason. So we've got a alot of youngsters coming through and some have started playing Saturdays, but they're obviously in the lowest teams atm, and the others are too young as they put age restrictions on when they can play, Boys have to be 14 and Girls 13.
Long time before it'll benefit the top 2 teams, if we don't lose them to the bigger clubs like we have with some others.
Although it has massively benefited the ladies 3s.
Yeah..same problems then...tbf to IHA that's why they hold various summer tournaments like the sixes...outside of other sports timetable at that age.
It pissed me off tbh. I knew the principals of our two PS. Organised the old "cross community" thing so the PE teachers got paid after hours. We had including me 5 players with junior coaching and child protection...and first aid. I kept insisting that Primary was the target because by the time they got to Secondary you'd lost them to Football etc. I understood it would seem fruitless for 4 years but then if you got one or two a year afterwards then you're set...also like the grammars that were then known for hockey, it would then be seen as "hockey schools" . You could link up with a hockey playing secondary etc etc..
Ah well, we paid for it in the end..as you say..our club relied on father to son...then got a dry patch that way and pfffft gone.


