AFC Fylde are delighted to announce a prestigious partnership between Fylde Hockey Club and England Hockey Performance Centres.

England Performance Centres are part of the ‘Player Pathway’, which provides an environment for junior players, both boys and girls, to realise their potential.

England have regional Performance Centres based around the country and Mill Farm Sports Village is the latest addition to the elite set-up.

Mill Farm offers fantastic facilities for the national development set-up, including a full sized hockey pitch and a brand new Community and Education Centre under development.

Budding hockey stars aged 13-17 start out at their local Development Centres then, if selected, progress to county-based Academy Centres. The best players are then selected to attend one of the Performance Centres around the country, where they take part in regular training sessions and competitions against other Centres.

Thereafter they can be selected to progress to one of the four ‘Futures Cup’ teams and the best go on to the National Age Group Squads where they play their first International Matches.

Chris Hills, Fylde Hockey Club Chairman, was delighted that Mill Farm had been selected as a base for the Performance Centres.

“Fylde Hockey Club are delighted that England Hockey have selected our new Mill Farm pitch as one of the Performance Centres in the North of England.

“We always want to be associated with the development of junior players and this gives us a chance to be involved further still.

“Two of our own players, Mollie Mason and Rachel Greenwood, have already progressed through the England Hockey Single System to the National Age Group Squads at U16 and U18 respectively and are due to play their first international games in the Netherlands next week.

“The first training session was held at Mill Farm last week and proved a huge success and we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship together.”

Photo, left to right: Peter Nicholson (England Hockey Performance Centre Coach), Phil Hope (Fylde Hockey Club), Nick Davey (England Hockey Performance Centre Lead Coach), Rob Taylor (England Hockey Performance Centre Head Coach), Fran Loffler-Thompson (Fylde Hockey Club Ladies Club Captain), Neil Joy (AFC Fylde Chief Executive), Carel Van Bentum (England Hockey Performance Centre Manager), Chris Hills (Fylde Hockey Club Chairman), Kay Hanham (GK Coach for England Hockey Performance Centre & Fylde Hockey Club).