Youth & Junior Hockey

Southern Districts Hockey provides opportunities for all school aged children from Year 1 to Year 13 of all abilities to play in a supportive club environment. Starting from school Year 3 teams play in the Auckland Hockey Association (AHA) junior and youth winter competitions. These competitions start each year at the beginning of school Term 2 (after the Easter holidays) and run through until August of each year. Teams will have one midweek training and one weekend game each week. Registrations for the new winter season will normally open in March of each year. Children in school Year 1 and 2 do not participate in the Auckland Hockey competition but instead participate in our own specialised Fun Sticks programme which is designed to introduce young children to hockey.

All junior and youth hockey in Auckland is arranged based on school year. All children at primary and intermediate school (from school Year 1 to Year 8) play in mixed gender teams including both boys and girls in the following junior grades:

• Year 1 & 2 - Fun Sticks - introductory programme

• Year 3 & 4 - Mini Sticks - quarter field six-a-side

• Year 5 & 6 - Kiwi Sticks - half field six-a-side

• Year 7 & 8 - Kwik Sticks - mixture of half field six-a-side and full field eleven-a-side

Youth Hockey Changes for 2025

Auckland Hockey have decided to change the structure of Youth Hockey in Auckland for the 2025 season. The key points are:

• All youth players must be 16 or under as at 1 January 2025 - so born in the year 2008 or later

• All youth hockey will be played on Sunday mornings. There will be an initial grading round and then the competition will split into multiple divisions for the competition rounds.

• Dispensation for older players who are still at school will be considered by Auckland Hockey if appropriate. More experienced older players should consider playing in a senior divisional team - for more information see Senior Hockey.

• All youth hockey in Auckland is 11-a-side played on a full field with goalies and normal senior hockey rules.