A central element of the scouting in Lucerne was the first-time introduction of an U16 Development Team to complement the existing U16 national team. This expansion is an important milestone in the Swiss Hockey Pathway and aims to continue to provide talented players with targeted support after the U14 regional selection, even if they do not make it directly into the national team. “With the Development Team, it is now possible to give up to 50 players a development opportunity at U16 Boys level,” says Project Manager Highperformance Youth Matti Schaeben. “The Development Team is therefore the logical step after the introduction of a third U14 Regio Boys.” However, not every squad place will necessarily be used. A total of 27 players were called up to the U16 national team, with a further 18 players making the leap to the new Development Team. This gives significantly more talented players the chance to develop further within the national framework and make the leap to the top in the long term. Swiss Hockey wants to do justice to the balancing act that arises because there is unfortunately only one Hockey5s from EuroHockey in the U16. National coach Xavier Santolaria comments as follows: “We don’t want to lose a player who shows potential. The new model gives us the chance to work with a broader group in the long term.”

Bas de van dr Schueren will start the campaign with 21 players born in 2009 and will be in close contact with the U16 coaches. The aim this year is to offer the players further playing experience at international level and to prepare them for the conditions at U18 level.

In Lausanne, 41 players presented themselves at the U16 and U18 girls’ national team trials. The coaching teams were impressed by the willingness to perform, the team behavior and the technical quality of the participants. Many of the 2010 players who want to fight for a place at the Hockey5s European Championships in Alanya stood out in particular. U16 Head Coach Thijs Spaink puts it well: “We have a talented group of girls who have a great playing style and can quickly adapt to the coaching team’s instructions. The competition is fierce and with a view to the Hockey5s European Championship 2026, we want to challenge and develop the players in a targeted manner.” At the end of the weekend, 22 players were selected for the U16 national team and 11 players made up the U18 national team squad. Due to the smaller number of players, however, they train and play together even more than the boys.

A key goal for the next two years is to prepare for the U18 European Championship (B Division) in summer 2027. The current U16 and U18 squads will work closely together to develop a common playing culture, dynamic and team chemistry. “11-a-side, i.e. large-sided field hockey, is crucial for us in the adult sector. This variant is also at the heart of what we do at youth level,” says Matti Schaeben. “Nevertheless, Hockey5s is an important training level for us, which should give our players more tools for 11-a-side.” This modern, fast form of play requires a particularly high level of game intelligence, technique and decision-making skills – and this is exactly what the 2025/2026 season will focus on. The players also gain a lot of international experience so that they can later compete on the big stage.

Swiss Hockey would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment and is looking forward to an exciting season with an international focus and plenty of development potential!