Over 2,000 schoolchildren watched the recent Pro League matches in London.
A total of 1,800 free tickets were distributed to schools from boroughs including Newham, Redbridge, Bexley, Waltham Forest, Hackney, and Lewisham.
Around 80 pupils from seven East London primary schools returned to Lee Valley for the Skill Station Festival, part of the national School Games programme, which included eight activity stations such as small side games designed to develop key hockey skills.
England’s Henry Croft added a touch of inspiration to the day, spending time with the children, answering questions in a Q&A session.
John Armitage, assistant head at Langdon Primary School, said: “It’s really great being here, we were lucky enough to come on Tuesday to watch the England game. It was the children’s first experience of watching live international hockey here at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Being invited back, allowing the children to have the opportunity to practice some of their skills and to meet the players, it was a really good experience for them.”
“It’s the first time a lot of them have had the chance to play on a pitch of this standard and meeting the England team has been a really great experience for them.”
Young people with special educational needs and disabilities were also invited to try our hockey at the Flyerz Festival.
A new partnership with Street Games designed to help introduce hockey to young people from low-income, underserved communities saw 250 young people from Street Games filling the stands to cheer on the world’s best and six lucky volunteers undertaking important ‘Ball Patrol’ duties.
