Our pathway is structured into two phases of development to provide the appropriate programme, at the right time, for the age and stage of development. Understanding development needs enables us to deliver a progressive programme, consisting of the appropriate diet of training and competition and transitions through stages of development.

FOUNDATION PHASE

Girls Under 11 and 13
Boys Under 10, 11 and 12

The foundation phase affords early engagement opportunities for players to discover and enjoy the game, whilst specifically building the foundations that will underpin their future progress and later sporting success. We build the foundations of future performance by targeting the development of skills that players will need in the future and by progressing these skills as they move through each age and stage of development.

Our approach in this phase is to develop a large talent pool over time, placing greater emphasis on developing potential and providing support for players to achieve performance outcomes in training and competition. Selection occurs between phase transitions, but there is no formal ‘Squad selection’ within the Foundation Phase other than for teams to compete in external fixtures and when touring. Our priority is long-term individual player development, whilst providing opportunities for players to be competitive.

We adopt a more localised offering of opportunities through the winter and summer programme and schedule the appropriate volume of training and diet of internal and external competition through the summer. Through a combination of shorter pitch lengths, varied formats and the sampling of playing roles we provide diverse experiences that allow players to explore the nuances of the game.

TALENT PHASE

Girls Under 15 and 18
Boys Under 13, 14, 15 and 18

The talent phase affords opportunities for players to understand the game to greater depths and to foster enjoyment, whilst progressing the foundations of future performance and developing strengths that will underpin their future progress and later sporting success. We adopt a more individualised approach to progress foundations through each age and stage of development as players begin to specialise in their disciplines and as the requirements of the game evolve.

Our approach in this phase is to develop a talent pool over time, placing emphasis on developing potential and providing support for players to achieve consistent performance outcomes in training and competition. The number of players in the talent pool reduces at each phase transition as we identify players for further development through selection. This process culminates in the selection of a pool of players to represent age group squads through the summer in external fixtures or when touring. Our priority is long-term individual player development, being competitive and learning to win, whilst ensuring we provide opportunity to accelerate the development of high potential.

We provide localised opportunities through the winter and a broader, more extended offering through the summer programme. We schedule the appropriate volume of training and diet of external competition through the summer, with the added layer of external competition though the ECB national competitions for Girls Under 15 and 18 and Boys Under 14,15 and 18. Through the initial years of the talent phase we continue to provide diverse experience through varied playing roles, but move towards establishing more specialised playing roles and increasing the frequency of opportunity to perform these roles as we progress through the phase.