The FIH World Youth Hockey 5’s Girls Development Festival took place from Tuesday 12 to Friday 15 December in the Solomon Islands, with a strong focus on connection, learning, and shared experience. Each day began with team-building activities, before moving into on-field technical sessions led by Tsonelo Pholo and Amy Ryan, alongside off-field workshops delivered by Gill Gemming and Kirsten Stuckey.
The festival brought together athletes aged 13–18, youth leaders aged 19–23, and coaches, with all six Pacific Island nations represented. Participants travelled from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, creating a truly regional environment of collaboration and support.
Athletes spent the first two days developing their skills on the turf, balanced with off-field workshops, before taking part in a two-day festival. Youth leaders also completed two days of workshops, focusing on event management, umpiring, and officiating. They then put their new knowledge into practice by creating the festival draw and running the two-day competition. Coaches participated in two days of mentoring before being allocated teams to coach during the festival.
Speaking after the first day of on-field sessions, Amy Ryan, FIH Trainer and Australia U16 Women’s Head Coach, said, “It was a fantastic opportunity for the athletes to come together and share this experience, and a privilege to work alongside new coaches from the Pacific Islands. We’re looking to provide participants with new skills, new ways of thinking about hockey, and a reinvigorated love of the sport.”
Off-field workshops were a key part of the program, with a strong emphasis on safeguarding and wellbeing. Sessions highlighted the importance of respect, care, and responsibility, with discussions around safe play, supporting one another, and breaking down barriers for women and girls in sport. Participants also took part in sessions on nutrition with guest expert Leeann Nabu, Olympic values, and leadership.
The Youth Festival was made possible through the support of the FIH, the IOC via Olympic Solidarity Funding Grants, the Solomon Islands Hockey Federation, and Solomon Islands Hook in 4 Health.
