2021 AKH Representative Opportunities

Dear AKH Rep Stakeholders

I trust you are all looking forward to a great NZ summer after a tumultuous year. I feel proud of the way we worked together with our AKH Clubs and navigated our way through the year and I am optimistic about an uninterrupted 2021 Hockey season that will include Representative Hockey again. With this in mind we have been busy in recent months planning for a 2021 that will look different to 2019 in terms of our offerings and those available at National level. For clarity there needed to be a lot of change to accommodate the HNZ competition restructure which results in significantly less national competition. For example, national tournaments have been removed at U21, U15 and U13 levels.

To help us in a recent climate of HNZ changes we have spent much time consulting with various rep hockey experts from our community, including and not limited to Shane McLeod (Current World Number 1 FIH Coach), Ryan Archibald (AKH Think Tank Chair) and Kevin Towns (NZ’s most capped Olympic Coach and AKH Life Member). In addition, we have considered the learnings and practices of similar bodies to us in Holland, Germany and Australia as well as the views of respected educators and local associations.

The learnings and practices have been applied to our Auckland context all with an aim of doing what we believe is in the best interests of our stakeholders and providing the best experiences possible, which in turn will allow our young people to develop at an age and stage appropriate level with life learnings all along the way. Being 117 years old has provided us with a wealth of background knowledge and expertise also. Like any school worth its weight Auckland Hockey will have both inclusive and excellence opportunities within NZ and overseas. Not doing so would be an injustice to both our historical success as an association and our stakeholders.

Covid19 and it’s travel implications have also been considered for the 2021-2022 period.

Parents and Players, please direct any questions via email about the below opportunities to Joe Hanks and Manoj Daji in the first instance. Do let us know what you think about our planning and approach by commenting on our Facebook page.

Manoj Daji

CEO AK Hockey

A Heads Up on 2021 Rep Opportunities with more information to follow once details are confirmed by HNZ, local associations and external organisations:

• Olympic Games – July – Players selected by HNZ.

• HNZ HPL – 2021 – Dates TBC – Players selected by HNZ.

• HNZ U21 HPL Type Event  – Dates TBC – Players selected by HNZ.

• National Hockey Championship – Tauranga – Sept 12-18 – AKH will send a Mens and Womens team.

• AKH U23 Event – Sat Feb 27 – on the SKY NEXT platform – squads and final teams from AKH Premier Club and Premier Reserve players.

• HNZ U18 National Tournaments – Wellington (Women) and Hamilton (Men) – AKH will send two teams to each tournament. All trialists will be provided with an opportunity to play in a local assn event at Queens Birthday weekend.

• AKH RPC U16 Exchange – December TBC  or 2022 – Japan (dependent on no travel restrictions).

• AKH Inaugural 9s Event – in association with ATEED and Auckland Council at LEP – Week 1 April Holidays  – for Yr 7-10 Club, school, pick-up or assn teams (9 aside) – check the video up on our website soon.

• AKH U15 ( U14 TBC – Yr 8/9)  – Local Assn Event and Annual Exchange (Both 11 aside and 7 aside) 2022 – Aus Exchange dependent on no travel restrictions.

• AKH U13 ( U12 TBC – Yr 6/7) –  Annual Exchange  (Both 11 aside and 7 aside) plus STORM, CAVALIERS and WANDERERS tri -series. 2022 – Aus Exchange dependent on no travel restrictions.

• AKH U11 (Yr 5-6) School of Hockey (November- December and February-March) plus STORM, CAVALIERS and WANDERERS tri -series.