Hockey Nation ‘Give it a Go’ Website Launched

Great Britain Hockey has today announced that its
‘Hockey Nation Give it a Go’ programme will offer 20,000
opportunities to play hockey over the Olympic Games period. 
More than 500 sites across the UK will run sessions for young
people and adults over a five week period as the sport looks to
proactively build its legacy from the London 2012 Olympic
Games.

If your club is planning an activity please let Louise
McIntyre at Scottish Hockey know and details will be added to a
new website – www.hockeynation.info – which went live today,
providing an easy-to-use search engine of hockey activities. 
From 27 July, the programme will be supported by the Hockey
Hotline, a dedicated phone line offering advice to people looking
to give hockey a go.  The Hockey Hotline on 0845 340 4000 will
operate from 8am until 8pm daily.

Hockey Nation Give it a Go sessions will provide anyone,
regardless of age, ability, previous hockey experience or location,
the opportunity to pick up a stick and give hockey a go. Give it a
Go is the largest element of Great Britain’s Hockey Nation
programme, which is being delivered by the governing bodies for
hockey in England, Scotland and Wales.

Holly Woodford, Development Director at the England Hockey Board,
said: “Having seen hockey participation increase over the past six
months we are determined to retain this growth and use the
excitement of the 2012 Olympic Games to engage thousands more
people in hockey.  Our 500-plus clubs and partners have done a
fantastic job in preparing for the potential influx and we are
delighted to be offering thousands of local playing opportunities
this summer. With the recent introduction of new and different ways
to play hockey for both adults and young people we are confident
that everyone will be able to find an activity to suit them.

“It will be an incredibly exciting and inspirational time and I am
confident that with the enthusiasm of the amazing people involved
in hockey, we are ready to welcome sports fans to hockey!”

Jennie Price, Chief Executive of Sport England, said: “The Olympic
Games that begin in just a few days offer a remarkable opportunity
to put hockey in the shop window and encourage more people to get
out there and play sport. Hockey has seized this moment with both
hands and I am delighted to support the Hockey Nation Give it a Go
campaign, which will help people all over the country to put stick
to ball this summer.”

Robert Heatly, Chief Executive of Scottish Hockey, said: “The
Olympic Games gives us the catalyst we need to raise the profile of
hockey in Britain, and the hockeynation.info website will be
vitally important in being able to direct a large number of people
to hockey playing opportunities.”

Helen Bushell, Chief Executive of Hockey Wales, said: “”Whilst the
games are taking place in London, we want to ensure that people all
over Britain have the opportunity to get involved. The Give it a Go
programme will cater for all ages and abilities, and give people a
great environment in which to play hockey.”

Hockeynation.info is simple to use. Visitors to the site input
their gender, age, location and whether they would like to play or
watch hockey. Based on the parameters, users will be given a list
of Hockey Nation Give it a Go sessions along with the details,
location and contact information for the operator.

The Hockey Nation programme has been running since January
2012.  The ambitious engagement and profile-building exercise
has included athlete ambassador school visits, the npower Big
Dribble, an observation day for grassroots coaches with the Great
Britain teams, the Investec London Cup, 2012 Gala Dinner and Hockey
Houses.

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