About THG Hockey

Who We Are

THG Hockey was founded in October 2025 with a simple belief: young players should have hockey experiences they genuinely enjoy.

The name THG, That Hockey Girl, comes from the founder’s daughter. That’s where it started, but it’s always been about more than that. Whether you’re That Hockey Girl, That Hockey Guy, or That Hockey Player, welcome to That Hockey Gang.

Based in Oxfordshire, THG Hockey focuses on junior development. Sessions are designed to keep players active and involved, with plenty of time on the ball and coaching that supports both skill development and confidence.

It’s about more than improving hockey. It’s about helping children enjoy being active, feel good about their effort, and leave each session wanting to come back.

Our Story

THG Hockey began after recognising a common challenge for families: limited access to structured, sport-focused activity camps during certain school holiday periods. Rather than simply filling time, we wanted to offer something with real purpose: camps where young players could play hockey properly, learn new skills, and enjoy being active in a positive environment.

From the beginning, our focus has been on juniors. Sessions are carefully planned around age groups, usually spanning no more than two school years, so players feel comfortable learning alongside others at a similar stage. This helps create sessions that are enjoyable, inclusive, and genuinely beneficial for young players.

Coaching and Philosophy

THG Hockey was founded by Chris Hurden, a lifelong hockey player and coach with over 34 years’ playing experience and an FIH Level 1 coaching qualification. Camps are supported by a small team of adult and junior coaches, creating a relaxed, relatable environment while maintaining structure, safety, and high coaching standards. Chris was recently awarded a sponsorship by Grays Hockey, one of the sport's leading equipment brands, a recognition of his commitment to junior hockey development.

Our coaching is built around fun, gameplay, and purposeful skill development. Sessions are designed to keep players active and involved, minimising waiting time and maximising opportunities to play, experiment, and learn through doing. Our approach is influenced by England Hockey and International Hockey Federation principles, ensuring sessions reflect recognised best practice in junior development while maintaining the enjoyment that keeps children coming back.

Who We Work With and What We Offer

THG Hockey primarily works with players aged 9–12 (Years 5, 6 and 7), although camps and sessions can be delivered for other age groups when appropriate. We welcome players of all experience levels, from those new to hockey to school and club players looking for extra development.

We provide junior hockey camps during school holidays, private 1-to-1 training sessions, and small group training sessions. These are designed to complement school and club hockey by giving players additional opportunities to develop their skills, confidence, and understanding of the game in focused but enjoyable settings.

For Year 7 players considering sports scholarships at senior independent schools, our camps are designed to develop the technical, tactical, and personal qualities that scholarship assessors look for — delivered within the same fun, positive environment as the rest of the camp.

We are also developing a Performance Training Programme for players in Years 7 and 8, aimed at those looking for a more structured development pathway. This programme is currently in development, visit our Performance Training page to find out more and express your interest.

THG Hockey is based in Wantage, Oxfordshire, serving players across Oxfordshire and nearby areas of Wiltshire, using high-quality local facilities including St Hugh's School astro pitch.

Values and Looking Ahead

Player enjoyment and safety sit at the heart of everything we do. Sessions are age-appropriate, well structured, and delivered in a supportive environment where players are encouraged to try new things, be active, and enjoy the process of improving.

As THG Hockey grows, our commitment will remain the same: small group sizes, high-quality coaching ratios, and sessions where every player feels seen, supported, and encouraged to develop.

Looking further ahead, THG Hockey is developing a Performance Training Programme for players in Years 7 and 8, designed for those seeking a more structured development pathway alongside their school and club hockey. More information is available on the Performance Training page.