Ahead of the next rounds of the English Junior Championships, the Isle of Man hockey squads continued their preparationsat the National Sports Centre recently.

Both the Oak-sponsored under-16 and under-18 boys will be in action this Saturday, January 20. Prior to that, Isle of Man player Alex Bell, who is based in Yorkshire and currently coaches at the University of Sheffield, ran clinics at the NSC.

Bell, who is also acting head coach of South Yorkshire and performance coach at Sheffield Hockey Club, was joined by MHA head of performance Lesley Shimmin along with recent coaching and sports science graduates Connor Parfitt and Leah Goddard.

The coaches worked off the principle of PIMS - purpose, immediate reaction, movement and support - in each exercise.

Feedback from the players was hugely positive on both the exercises and the interaction with different coaches.

A few days later, Manx Hockey Association’s annual challenge matches took place at the NSC involving the current boys and girls under-18 sides taking on under-21 select teams. Both matches were fiercely-contested affairs, with the younger sides having to step up and work hard against some very organised play from both u21 teams.

The fixtures, which are well established on the Manx hockey calendar, are great opportunities to welcome back former squad members and it was particularly pleasing to see the return of no fewer than four previous captains: Sophie Howland, Ella Page, Oscar Lace and Will Hassall.

The girls match saw the u21 side claim victory, while in the boys fixture it was the u18s that ran out winners thanks largely to an impressive seven-goal haul from Alex Andrew.

The squads are now back in regular training sessions at the NSC as they prepare for this weekend’s fixtures.