England Hockey Success for George, Again!

Congratulations to George (Year 11) on being selected for the Under 16 England Hockey Squad for 2025-26 after previously having been selected for the U16 Squad last year also.

Delighted, George enthused: “Being able to represent your country and putting on the shirt is always a special feeling.  European tournaments in the summer months such as the 8 nations, will be a great and beneficial experience where we will hopefully go abroad and spend a week playing high level international hockey. Now it being my second year in the programme I am much more comfortable with all the sessions and feel I can have more of a leadership role within the team, aiding those in need of support”.

The trail process included having to participate in a ‘Talent Academy Festival’ where all the talent academies come together to play in a 3 day tournament, where contenders are then hopeful to be taken forward to a set of 3 assessment camps with cuts after each round.

Head of Hockey at Leighton Park, Matt Richards, expressed how proud of the Year 11 sport student he was: “We’re so proud of George’s hockey achievements here at LP. To be selected again for England Hockey for the second year in a row is a pretty special achievement. George has been extremely disciplined in his work away from the hockey pitch to allow himself to be in the best possible shape. Our sport scholars’ programme and APP gym sessions give him the support he needs to carry out his S&C sessions, whilst our new astro is the perfect space for his running sessions. Given our close link with Reading Hockey Club over the years it’s been great seeing more of our students push themselves at a club hockey level and it’s incredible to see George leading the way by getting his first Premier League hockey minutes in the RHC men’s 1st team at the age of 15.”

George’s mother, Anne, expressed her gratitude to our LP Sport Department: “We are indeed very grateful that Matt continues to support George and also to Simon for calling to share with us the PE Departments’ pride and excitement at his selection. We very much appreciate the care that all of the LP PE department give George.” George also thanked the PE Department: “As a Sports Scholar I have 1-1 sessions and use APP (Advanced Performer Programme) to develop my strength and conditioning, developing my hockey. Go Perform is also available to me where I can fix any niggles and use physio sessions to perform at my highest. I am very grateful to the PE department and all those that have helped me get to this point.