Photograph:
EHF / Frank Uijlenbroek (c)

Hi there, and welcome!

We'd like to introduce ourselves: The European Hockey Federation Youth Panel.

We a group of young people from countries all over Europe who came together at the last World Hockey Youth Promoters Festival in 2010, and in discussion with the FIH Youth Panel decided that we would form a Youth Panel for Europe.

All members of the panel have great experience of youth hockey from a local to global perspective, and each of us specialise in different areas; we have junior international umpires, a national team coach, and an international technical official, as well as the secretary for the FIH Youth Panel. We meet at least twice a year as a complete panel, and have four main aims:

1. To provide talented young people to youth competitions within Europe to coach, umpire, officiate and organise.
2. To organise and run youth tournaments/coaching sessions alongside major European tournaments.
3. To reward the hard work of other young hockey players/coaches/umpires/volunteers all over Europe.
4. To have a member of the Youth Panel sit on the EHF Development Committee.

We have had great support from the FIH, EHF and our own home nations in achieving these aims and have had great success in doing so already, and will continue to do so.

Mataeuz Grochal (23), Poland

Studying: International Business Relations in University of Economics in Poznan

Coach/Player/ Leader

I see myself as high as possible in the EHF and FIH ranking coaching or managing the Polish National Team!

Best experience: India - Poland Olympic Qualifier 2011 in front of 15 000 spectators – phenomenal!

Jamie Hooper (20) Wales

Studying: Psychology student at Loughborough University

I am a level 2 umpire and coach in both England and Wales and spend most of my time on and around hockey pitches. I am a senior member of the Welsh Hockey Youth Panel. I also have a lot of experience as being and as working with technical officials at many high profile hockey events. I have vast volunteer experience and have great knowledge of all areas of hockey; if there is a volunteer role available, I have probably done it!

In the next 3 years I want to have graduated from university and got a job that involves hockey every day. I want to be a vital part of the EHF Youth Panel, and I want the United Kingdom to have established a Youth Panel that brings all of the home nations together. I want to have gained level 3 in both coaching and umpiring, and hopefully have umpired my first senior international tournament!

My best experiences in hockey so far have to be either being a finalist at the 2010 World Hockey Youth Hockey Promoters Festival (where the EHF Youth Panel members all met for the first time), or being a Team Liaison Officer for New Zealand at the 2010 Women’s Champions Trophy in Nottingham.

Studying: Law in pre-university course

I am an umpire, but currently injured, so I have taken up other roles such as a floor manager during The Champions trophy and EuroHockey Nations under 18.

In the next three years I hope that the youth has a bit more influence on hockey and I hope the youth will be able Judge and TO during EuroHockey Tournaments!

My best experience has been taking part in the WHYPF 2010 which has allowed the opportunity to develop my rules board game.

Michael Steinmann (25), Germany

Studying : Teacher training; specialising in history, physical education and Dutch.

I was the former youth spokesperson of the German hockey association, for four years. Now I´m still a member of the youth board of German hockey; as the responsible person for the fight against doping. I also have knowledge within the roles of event managing, umpiring and journalism connecting with hockey.

I hope that the networks between the youth within the national association as well as internationally will grow because of the potential I have seen in the youth. I just can support this way of involvement from my own experience with international camps and festivals: the friendship around different countries is something unbeatable.

Rachel Williams (21), England

Qualification: English with Drama BA (Hons)

I currently umpire nationally both indoor and outdoor hockey. When I’m not umpiring, I stay involved as a tournament director or technical official. I have recently become the youngest female on the international technical officials list in Europe, which is great.

I am also the vice chair of the England Hockey Board’s National Youth Panel and have a lot of experience organising, running and developing national youth events.

Within the next three years, personally I would have like to have developed to a level umpire three both indoor and outdoor. For the EHFYP, in three years I’d like to think we would have developed a strategic plan that allows us to run events independently, but alongside international senior tournaments within countries who are less developed in terms of youth leadership and hockey participation.

To date, my best experience in hockey so far is torn between the experience in Monchengladbach at the World Hockey Youth Promoters Festival, the Indoor World Cup in Poznan – the youth tournament Mateusz ran was outstanding, and the Olympic Test Event as umpire and official liaison. Hockey events always throw out opportunities and never fail to impress me.

Rebecca Daniels (to follow)