A new Vale of Glamorgan junior hockey club is proving to be a big hit after members of the Penarth Men’s and Barry Ladies’ clubs teamed up to coach the youngsters.

The innovative partnership was developed by the Dragon Sport team at the Vale of Glamorgan Council together with the Welsh Hockey Union.

Players from both senior clubs will run the new junior team, and a Community Chest grant has been used to train Barry Ladies’ members Jane Hardwick, Jo Wright and Jen Sadler as coaches to work with junior co-ordinator Nigel Mason.

The newly-formed club is open to boys and girls aged eight to 16 and they train every Wednesday from 6:15pm to 7:15pm at the Colcot Sports Centre in Barry prior to the ladies and men’s teams taking to the pitch for their sessions.

Nigel Mason said: "Hockey is a fast growing sport which is really fun to play. It requires a lot of pace and skill and is very similar to football in that it is suitable for all age groups and abilities, from beginners to budding Olympians. We are thrilled to have set up this new club and would love to welcome even more players who are interested in joining either the junior, men’s or ladies’ teams."

The Barry ladies’ team has risen up through the divisions in the last five years, and they have recognised that to continue their success long-term it is vital for them to have a structure in place for youngsters to progress through the ranks.

The Vale Council’s Dragon Sport team are delighted that this new setup has been put in place, enabling local boys and girls to get involved in hockey from a young age, and then have ways of carry on playing for many years to come by feeding into the senior male and female squads.

Led by the Sports Council for Wales and funded by the National Lottery, the Dragon Sport initiative aims to encourage more seven to 11-year-olds to get involved in extra-curricular sport. It focuses on eight sports – hockey, football, athletics, cricket, netball, rugby, golf and tennis.

The flagship scheme also aims to recruit and train volunteers who wish to assist, set up or run clubs for youngsters. If you would like to follow the example of the new hockey club and need advice on setting up your own club, please visit www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/dragonsports or call Rachel McGuiness or Pete Hardwick on 01446 704681.