England Age Group Hockey: Summer 2026 Review
By Surbiton HC
Following a busy few weeks of international action for rising stars in Europe, we talked to some of the SHC juniors who represented England at various tournaments earlier this summer…
What were your tournament highlights?
Toby B (BU18): Playing against some of the best U18 teams in Europe, while wearing the England shirt, was something I’ll always be proud of. Sharing these moments, as well as seeing how the Spanish support their national football team, with the rest of the squad created some special memories.
Katie S (GU18): My highlight of the trip was coming back from 2-0 down against Spain in the first match of the series, fighting back to 2-2 at 8pm. We had a motivating team talk at half time and changed our press, which allowed the momentum to fully tilt our way and it was a great feeling. Alongside that, a real highlight was how much the team bonded throughout the trip; it was a great group to have been part of.
Saya M (GU16): I scored a goal against Spain in the first match of the tournament. It was a PCA deflection. I enjoyed spending time with my England teammates on and off pitch and was also awarded the Player of the Match award in the final game against Belgium.
Phoebe G (GU16): Playing in the semi finals against Germany in the 8 Nations Tournament. With each game we played I felt like I got better.
What were the biggest challenges you faced and how did you manage these?
T: The biggest challenge was maintaining a high level of performance throughout a demanding tournament, even when we narrowly ended up coming just short of a semi-final slot, we all battled until the end of the tournament in extreme weather and managed to secure 5th place. I managed it by focusing on my preparation, recovery between matches and concentrating on one game at a time.
K: The biggest challenge was stepping back up to international intensity in heat as high as 38°C. We had several ways to mitigate the heat, but the ability to return to that level of intensity came from the team’s general desire to win, strong communication both on and off the pitch and staying diligent with warm-ups, cool-downs, and morning mobility. Also, I was able to adapt to the challenge of having to hydrate constantly throughout the camp allowing me to play at the best of my ability.
S: One challenge was when the food became repetitive. The team was able to visit a nearby Tesco to buy additional food as refuelling and having good nutrition is vital during a high level tournament.
P: Having beaten the Dutch in the 6 Nations tournament, but then losing to them during the pool games in the 8 Nations, which then meant having to play Germany in the semi finals. It was a good lesson in tournament hockey.
What have you gained from the experience?
T: The experience helped me develop both as a player and as a person. Training and competing in such a high-performance environment taught me a lot about professionalism, teamwork and resilience. Playing international hockey also challenged me to adapt to different styles of play and has given me confidence that I can compete at that level consistently. I’m looking forward to bringing everything I’ve learned back to Surbiton.
K: I've gained adaptability, due to facing a wide range of teams who all played very differently. I also developed the ability to scout a team, which we did before our match against Canada, allowing me to contribute to how the team played.
S: From a hockey viewpoint, playing at a high intensity junior tournament and against quicker oppositions, I learnt about the importance of constantly staying mobile and active on my feet when defending.
P: I definitely sensed an improvement in my hockey and it was great to have the chance to play four of the top teams in Europe.
Well done to all our current, former and newly joining players who have represented England at England U16 to England U21 at tournament level this summer: Eva F-M, Phoebe G, Issy M & Saya M (GU16); Nina L & Katie S (GU18); Josie H, Freya R, Izzy Y (GU21); Toby B (BU18); Rory M (BU21). We are proud of you all!