Founded in 2016 by Wapping Hockey Club, Wapping Kidds was the first inner-London hockey club for school-age children. We’re proud to provide junior hockey in Tower Hamlets and Newham, with 100+ children playing every week, and we’re excited to keep growing Kidds as part of our mission to make sport more inclusive and accessible.
Wapping Kidds (a nod to Captain Kidd of Wapping fame – not just a bad spelling!) welcomes and nurtures everyone, from complete beginners to experienced players. We’re a mixed hockey club for ages 6–18, and all children are welcome, whatever their experience or background.
Training sessions are held at the John Orwell Sports Centre, E1W 2QD in Wapping, Tower Hamlets, on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings at the following times:
For the 2026/27 season, our terms will operate as follows:
Our U8, U10, U12 and U14 teams get the chance to take part in fun Sunday tournaments against clubs from across London. From U13 onwards, juniors who are ready to take the next step can also play competitive senior hockey on Saturdays as part of our dedicated men’s and women’s development teams. And as their skills, confidence and experience grow, there’s the opportunity to progress into our higher-level senior teams and play alongside some of the club’s best players.
Our Head Coach, Sandra Akinbolu, manages a friendly and enthusiastic voluntary coaching team who are passionate about helping young people enjoy hockey.
All coaches are DBS checked and our regular coaches complete England Hockey safeguarding courses.
As the club grows we are always looking for new coaches/assistants. The sessions are planned and led by our lead coaches, and we provide training and support for our volunteer coaches including a junior coach program for 14-18 year olds.
We welcome parents helping out, and even run free adult sessions for those who have never played! If you’re keen to be involved, drop us an email and we can chat.
We provide the hockey sticks needed for children to play with us, but they are also welcome to bring their own.
Clothing – trainers or astroturf shoes and comfortable clothing to run and play hockey in should be worn. It’s also important to bring suitable clothing for the weather (raincoats, gloves, sun hats etc) as we play in all weather - NB. peaked caps are not advisable for safety reasons.
Shin pads and gumshields – shin pads are necessary as hockey balls are hard! These can be bought cheaply online/from most sports shops. Gumshields are highly recommended and will be required for any children playing in matches and tournaments.
Water – please bring a water bottle to keep hydrated!