Below are a list of questions that we are often asked before players register for our camps. As and when queries come in to us, we will continue to update this page but if you have any suggestions of information that you would like to see here, please drop us a line at info@livinghockey.org and we will add these to our list:
Q. My stick broke during a game the day before I am due to attend a Living Hockey camp. Would I be able to borrow one?
A. Of course! Just let us know when you arrive to register and we will provide you with a stick of suitable length.
Q. I usually borrow my school/club goalkeeper kit but they ask for it to be handed back before the school holidays. Do you have a spare kit that I can use?
A. Absolutely! Give us a bit of advanced warning and we will arrange for a kit to be brought to the camp for you to borrow. Player safety is key to us, so our head goalkeeper coaches are asked to inspect goalkeeper kits before they are loaned out. And size does matter! Our goalkeeper coaches have protective equipment in a range of sizes so you should never have a helmet that slips in front of you eyes, pads that rotate around your legs as you walk or kickers that require you to wear 6 pairs of socks to make sure they stay on.
Q. What is the ratio of coaches to players?
A. Our coach:player ratio is one of the things that really sets us apart from other camp providers. On our standard camps you can expect to see no more than 10 to 15 players working with a head coach, who is supported by an assistant coach. At our Masterclass camps, where even more personal attention is guaranteed, the number drops to about 5 to 8 players per head coach.
Q. Living Hockey boasts an impressive list of current/former world class players but are they qualified coaches and do they undertake CRB checks?
A. Most definitely. Being a world class athlete does not automatically make you a world class coach. All coaches have been hand-picked because of their coaching credentials and experience. Their experiences as players are an enormous bonus and obviously a big draw for participants, but they are recruited as coaches, not players. As such, all coaches must have a coaching qualification through England Hockey (the vast majority being Level 2 or above) and have undertaken an Enhanced Disclosure CRB check through England Hockey.
Q. Do you have first aiders on site?
A. All of our coaches have to be first aid qualified to attend our camps and must update their qualification on a regular basis.
Q. I have to have medication with me. Is it ok to keep it in my stick bag?
A. As a precaution, all Living Hockey coaches are informed of relevant medical information about camp attendees. This information is treated in the strictest of confidence. However, a first aid trained welfare officer is also appointed at each centre. We would request that any medication is handed in to the Camp Welfare Officer when you register/at the start of each day and then collected before you go home.
Q. What happens if a player or parent has any concerns on the day that they do not feel comfortable sharing with the camp coaches?
A. Players and parents are encouraged to speak openly, freely and in confidence with the appointed Camp Welfare Officer. Where appropriate, they will discuss your concerns privately with Living Hockey’s directors and/or escalate any concerns to the appropriate person/body. England Hockey’s welfare officers are our first port of call if we need to take further advice. It is important to us that all members of the Living Hockey family enjoy their time with us. Any issue that may encroach upon a player’s enjoyment of our camps is taken seriously.
