PUBLISHED 15 December 2022
AKS have enjoyed team success this term with the U15 team progressing into the last 16 of the National Independent Schools Cup and the U14 team winning the Lancashire National Schools U14 tournament and now training to represent Lancashire in the NW Finals but they are also celebrating individual success as 6 players have been selected to train as part of the prestigious England Hockey North West Talent Academy based at Mill Farm, Kirkham. The Talent Academy plays a key role in the new England Hockey Talent Strategy which aims to identify and develop young players with the potential to play hockey for England.
With the Talent Academy being reduced to one group of 25 players from Yr 10 – Yr 13, ( as opposed to an U15 and an U17 group ) inclusion was always going to be tough and the 6 girls went through a rigorous selection process. Following this, Yr 12 pupils Olivia M and Beth R, Yr 11 Charlotte T and Year 10 pupils Lisa P, Kirtika S and Lucy W were invited to join the Talent Academy.
The girls have taken part in Sunday and weekly training sessions working with the Talent Academy coaches and now go into a Xmas break before resuming training and matches against the other North of England Talents Academies in January.
At the end of the extensive programme of over 100 hours of training and matches the girls will hope to gain selection in the 18 player squad that will play in the Talent Academy Cup against the other Talent Academies in the country in July involving the best young players in the country.
Congratulations go to our six talented players and we look forward to watching their development over the months ahead and they achieve their ambitions to emulate ex –pupils Mollie Mason and Anya Jackson in gaining selection to play for their country.