We are pleased to share that Ryan Croxon has been appointed as AHC Club Lead Coach. Ryan will oversee the club's coaching philosophy, coaching budget, and the allocation of coaching resources across the whole club. He will also serve as Men's Performance Programme Head Coach for the 2026/27 season.
We are currently in the final stages of recruiting a Ladies Performance Programme Head Coach, with two strong candidates progressing through the interview process. We look forward to making an announcement soon.
Further Club and Junior coaches will be announced in future updates via Social Media and the new Whatsapp AHC Messageboard.

Ashford Coaching Network (ACN)

We have launched the Ashford Coaching Network, an initiative designed to bring together and develop coaching and umpiring resources across Ashford HC and neighbouring clubs. The network already includes nine local small / medium-sized clubs, along with twelve Ashford HC members who have expressed an interest in getting involved. If you'd like to find out more about opportunities in coaching or umpiring, we'd love to hear from you.

Young Leaders Programme & High Potential Junior Programme

We're excited to be launching a refreshed Young Leaders Programme, designed to encourage our U18 members to become more involved in the club through coaching and umpiring. The programme will provide valuable training, experience and mentoring, helping young leaders develop skills both on and off the pitch.
Alongside this, we'll be introducing our High Potential Programme for a selected group of junior players who have demonstrated the ability to progress within the club's performance pathway. It aims to provide additional support, guidance and opportunities to help players maximise their development.

Club Partnerships

We're excited to be strengthening our partnership with Staines HC, collaborating across a greater number of boys' and girls' junior teams. Together, we'll be competing in the Tier 1 competition, the highest level of junior hockey.
We're also pleased to welcome NPL (Teddington) into a new adult section partnership. NPL will continue to compete under their own name on Saturdays, but their players will now use our facilities and join Ashford's midweek training sessions.
This is an exciting opportunity for everyone involved, and we encourage all members to make our new players and coaches feel welcome.

Training Schedule

To accommodate these new partnerships and programmes, we have adjusted our adult and junior training schedule. Thank you in advance for your flexibility and support during this transition.
“Performance” training begins 12th August and “Club” training 25th / 26th August. The first two weeks will run like a trial for anyone wanting to push into the performance squad.

Training Times

Ladies Club: Tuesday, 7:30pm – 9:00pm (Full Pitch)
Men's Club: Wednesday, 6:30pm – 8:00pm (Half Pitch)
Ladies Performance: Wednesday, 7:30pm – 9:00pm (Half Pitch)
Men's Performance: Wednesday, 8:00pm – 10:00pm (Half Pitch)

Thursdays

We're pleased to be introducing a range of new Thursday evening initiatives designed to support the continued development of everyone across the club. These sessions will include coach and umpire development, specialist player sessions, and other opportunities to help our members grow and improve. These will be available to both club members and the wider hockey community.
We'll share more information about each initiative, including dates and how to get involved, in future club updates.

Overseas Programme Update

Many of you may already be aware that our overseas programme will no longer continue. Changes to UK visa regulations and England Hockey eligibility rules mean we are unfortunately no longer able to bring overseas players and coaches to the club.
While this marks the end of an important chapter, it has also provided the opportunity to reshape our approach and place an even greater emphasis on developing our own players, coaches, and club pathways for the future.
If you have any questions about any of the changes outlined above, please speak to your Club Captain, or contact Ryan directly.

We look forward to seeing everyone back at the club and wish all our teams the very best for an exciting and successful 2026/27 season.