2025-2026 Junior Lead Coaches Announcement

We are pleased to announce our lead coaches for the 2025-26 season, and delighted that it is such a strong team. They will be supported by many other coaches and managers who will be confirmed nearer the time and communicated to the relevant age group. We would like to thank these coaches for their commitment to driving the junior section forward over the next year.

U12 Girls - Rob Craddock - a highly experienced and talented player who has been a long time Winchester member; Rob plays for the Men’s 1st XI and has been coaching junior hockey for several years. He will provide continuity having been a key member of this season’s U12 girls coaching team.
U12 Boys - Ally Birch - another highly experienced and talented player (goalkeeper) who has been a long time Winchester member; Ally plays for the Men’s 2nd XI, is head of PE at Kings School and is a hockey coach educator; he has been the key driver behind the minis section recent success, a regular deliverer of internal club coach education and has guided various Kings School teams to national successes, including the recent U16 boys team’s qualification to the national indoor finals.
U14 Girls - Nick Tout - the key driver behind the multiple successes of our U12 girls in recent years and a talented player (back in the day!); Touty is investing in his coaching career, currently undertaking his EH Sessional Coach award, coaching outside the club with Peter Symonds and about to embark on his EH Player Pathway career by coaching at this summer’s Hampshire Development Centre. He is an increasingly influential part of our coaching team, in line to coach at our holiday camps and summer TDG programme.
U14 Boys - Rob Duffy - a stalwart of the junior section having coached multiple age groups and with TDG performance group for the last several years; Duffy still plays in the Men’s Academy team having previously played at a high level; he will provide continuity having been lead coach of this season’s U14 boys. He has an EH Sessional Coach award and a drive to continually improve his coaching credentials.
U16 Girls - Tim Lander - the only non-player in our line up, having played various other sports back in his playing days; he has invested heavily in the success of the junior section and in his own coaching knowledge; he has previously coached most age groups in the club, TDG performance groups and is the current Hampshire boys U14 lead coach. He has an EH Sessional Coach award and is about to embark on the 2 year GB Hockey Advanced Coaches Programme (ACP).
U16 Boys - Adam Major (Minor) - a highly experienced and talented player who has been a long time Winchester member; Minor plays for the Men’s 1st XI and has been lead coach for our U16 boys this season as well as a key member of our performance TDG coaching team.
U18 Girls - James Wakely & Maz Eaton - both highly experienced players and coaches, having played and coached with Winchester teams for many years. James & Maz have coached the U18 girls this season as well as other groups within the senior and junior sections; James is our girls section Head of Transition, managing our juniors playing within the senior section.
U18 Boys - Stuart Swift - on track to be one of the longest standing Winchester members of all time, currently playing for the Men’s 2nd XI. Swifty is a long time supporter of the junior section and will remain in his role having coached the U18 boys this season.

U18 Boys

EH Plate Semi-Final vs Bedford - 3-1

The U18 boys travelled to Bedford for the U18 EH National Plate semi-final supported by two talented U14 players (Nat and Bertie). Despite great performances, the boys lost 3-1.

U16 Boys

EH supra league tier 1 vase vs Tunbridge Wells - 3-3, Shoot-out 3-1

Winchester hosted Tunbridge Wells in the quarter final of the England Hockey Supra League Tier 1 Vase.

Circumstances had dictated that this was the first game for a while for the U16 boys, and with injuries depriving them of key players, Matt & Shayan, a reshuffle of the team was required. Rory slotted in at the back, and Will D was called up from the U14s to complete the back line.

As has been the case for most of the season, especially with Rory deployed in defence, Winchester looked solid at the back and the middle but struggled to create chances. It needed a spark, and the perfect man for that job is Tom. With the TW defence back pedalling he carried the ball passed several defenders and slotted cooly into the net. At this stage it felt that Winchester should win at a canter, but some sloppy passing and tendency to carry the ball into contact gave TW a route back into the game, and they forced an equaliser from a well taken short corner. Another goal from Tom was cancelled out by a second TW equaliser.

At 2-2, and half time, this still felt like a game that Winchester should win comfortably, and a well taken goal from Lamby early in the second half settled the nerves. However, TW came roaring back, playing the best hockey of the game to equalise. In the dying seconds it was only a fabulous save from Ollie that prevented TW nicking the game.

The final whistle went and it was into a shoot out. I can’t tell you the detail having been given the job of timing the shuffles and so not being allowed to watch!! But Tom, Rory and Vinny scored to take the shootout 3-1.

With a home semi final against Doncaster to come, the boys are dreaming of a trip to Nottingham for a national final. But .. let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves yet …

U12 Girls

Blacks Hampshire In2 Hockey 2025 - Silver Medallists

Scorers: Caroline 5, Beatrix 4, Darcey 3, Jemima 3, Imogen 2, Scout 2, Rosie 1

Unbeaten league division 1 winners, the U12 girls matched their league form in the group games of this tournament, winning all six in the first stages of the 7-a-side 2025 In2 hockey Hampshire finals. 18 goals scored and one conceded showed their class against Romsey, Havant, Isle of Wight, Andover, Basingstoke and Fleet.

Local rivals Trojans were next in the semi-final, with both teams well known to each other and both at full strength. This was an epic match that Winchester won 2-1. Trojans pulled a well-worked right wing created goal back with a few minutes left for a tense finish. However a couple of fabulous Winchester team goals finished by Darcey and Jemima had created a 2-0 lead so this win took the team into the national regional rounds after Easter on April 27th.

The final was fittingly against Haslemere, the only team to draw with Winchester in the league and stop them winning every fixture. Sadly Winchester conceded one to this powerful team and were unable to score for the first time in this event. Valiant defending and keeping kept the match tight but Haslemere deserved their win with Winchester only forcing a few saves.

Overall the day was a super effort from the squad; three goals conceded and 20 scored across eight matches, resulting in the silver medal.

Blues vs Havant 2s

The first quarter saw two goals from Violet and one from Sophia, followed by two short corners where we failed to score. Although it was a good shot from Aoife, it was lifted a bit high into opposition player so the quarter ended 3-0. The second quarter saw good a good performance from Grace who scored three and Emara who scored one, along with a good cross from Lucy which set up a great score for Eloise ending the quarter 5-0. However in the third quarter Havant hit back with two goals rebuffed by a great goal from Emara and one from Grace giving an end of quarter score of 2-2. The final quarter had a fantastic goal for Eloise and fantastic saves by Maisie so a good goal to finish by Aoife on the final whistle meant a quarter score of 2-0.

All in all a great game evened up in the third and fourth quarter by Havant having an extra player to make it a bit fairer. A great time was had by all with lots of smiles; best defender was Mazie and best attacker was Grace.

Blacks (2 March 2025)

Trojans 0-0, Haslemere 0-0, Havant 3-1, Romsey 3-0, Alton 0-0, Bournemouth 5-0

Six short ten-minute games in a league round robin format provided the ideal warm up for the mid-March In2 Hockey tournament. Facing the best two teams first, Winchester’s major learn was the need for greater intensity in the warm up to ensure sharp passing, robust stick skills and concentration to enable taking advantage quickly of circle entries faster. The team dominated Trojans but could not convert and a 0-0 v Haslemere was fair, Haslemere being the best other team in the league. Havant, Romsey and Bournemouth were brought some unselfish circle passing and a succession of goals. Alton was similar to the first two 0-0s with not enough time on the clock to score. Overall the blacks played with a smile, the warm-up bluetooth speaker popular and the fine weather a welcome change. Solid defensively, the team have two training sessions left to hone their finishing and try to win the In2s.

Purples (2 March 2025)

Let there be sun... and goals!

Sundays division 1B U12 round-robin proved a goal fest for Winchester Purples. Playing six other teams in ten minute games, the girls managed to score a total of 18 goals whilst conceding 0.

The first game against Trojans proved somewhat frustrating; despite numerous opportunities and the game spent 90% in the opponents half, Winchester were unable to convert in the D and the game finished 0-0. However as the day went on, Winchester found their stride. A 1–0 win against Haslemere followed, and then a 7-0 win against Havant.

It was truly a team performance throughout the day, making use of the new 1-4-1 formation. There was tenacious tackling, passes to sticks, and clinical finishing - it was a pleasure to see a season’s work in full flow.

The later results: vs. Romsey 3 – 0, Alton 3 – 0, Bournemouth 4-0.

Not a single short corner conceded, and when opposition did find their way to the goal Cajsa was solid between the posts. All played their part but notable performances from Sofia and Eve made life particularly difficult for the oppo on numerous occasions.

Hants North League (2 March 2025)

On a sunny Sunday morning in Basingstoke with a very mixed team of yellows and blue squad players, the U12s had two matches against Andover then Aldershot and Farnham. We continued with our single defender option which worked well and put a lot of pressure on the opposition. It was a great morning of hockey with a clean sheet from some great goalkeeping and defending.

vs Andover - 2-0

Despite pressure from four short corners against the team, there was some very good defending and two goals scored in the first half. The team sustained pressure in the second half and despite not scoring again, it was a good game with some brilliant defending and some brilliant goals.

vs Aldershot and Farnham - 5-0

With a brief rest between games Winchester came out strongly and scored the first goal within 30 seconds of starting, continuing to score through the middle with some good runs down the wing.

Yellows vs Salisbury (2 March 2025)

Yellows started really well with a 4-0 win against Salisbury with some really good play from all, with lots of good passing and strong tackling. The second match against a stronger, very well-organised Salisbury side was a 1-7 reverse but the players all stuck to the task and the consolation goal was a gem.

U12 Boys

Hampshire In2 Hockey 2025

The U12 boys finished 6th out the 15 teams having lost in the quarter-finals to Trojans (having beaten them last week). The boys played well as a team and showed off some good hockey, only losing by solitary goals.