In the month of July 2023, FIH hosted the third iteration of the World Hockey Camps, engaging hundreds of athletes and coaches worldwide.

The FIH World Hockey Camps are summer programmes that works with existing hockey camp providers, with the aim of delivering three key objectives:

- Promoting the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect

- Encouraging engagement with smaller hockey nations

- Providing a base for the delivery of FIH Education programmes

This year, the camps were held in Netherlands (Amsterdam HBC), England (Oundle School), Wales (Cardiff Sofia Gardens) and twice in the United States (Harvard University and Bucknell University) which were attended by over 600 players between the age of 8 and 21, hailing from various parts of the world. These camps were delivered by Sportways, World Camp USA and Futures Sports.

The courses used cutting-edge training methodology towards improving the technical, tactical, physical and mental sharpness of all the athletes. While the athletes went through these courses, the coaches were also provided with custom training programmes and educational session on the Olympic Values.

There was also a course conducted on Hockey for those with Intellectual Disabilites, commonly referred to as Hockey ID, which was delivered by FIH Hockey ID lead, Norman Hughes and FIH Educator, Grahame Mansell-Grace. 16 candidates participated in the day-long course, which was supported by the players from the Great Britain HockeyID team that were the winners of the Special Olympics Berlin 2023!

In the Goalkeeper Coaching Workshop the participants were joined by Maddie Hinch OLY, Laura Myers and Alex Rooney from MH1 Goalkeeping as part of an FIH Academy endorsed education pilot project.

9 candidates received their FIH Level 3 Coach Award by attending the face to face final part of the course led by Tsoanelo Pholo OLY (RSA FIH Educator) and Moses Kagochi (KEN FIH Educator) and supported by other local educators.

Testing of the FIH Academy Start Hockey Challenges took place. The Challenge will be launched in November 2023 and will invite young people of all ages to have a go at being the best for their age group globally! Further information about the challenge will be communicated once finalised.

Ambrose op het Veld, General Manager of Sportways said, “This is our 3rd year of involvement with FIH for these Camps and each year we have made them bigger and better. We have tried to embrace the Olympic values throughout the camp as well as support coaches and players from less privileged areas to be a part of it.”

Tjerk van Herwaarden, Founder of World Camp USA said, “ We love the association with FIH World Hockey Camps and the opportunity to add different and interesting elements to the Camps”

The opportunity to become an associate camp provider or even for National Associations to deliver their own FIH World Hockey Camps is always open and our team would love to hear from you. For further information please contact academy@fih.hockey