Surprise (and slightly confusing) regional news

In a development that will really please the county U18 coaching staff Hayley (and presumably the other Hertfordshire girls aged over 18  who went to the England U20 trials) has been called up for the East Region's senior trials on 14th December. That means the trials for the adult regional squad - not the junior trials, which take place in January.

The reason that this is likely to have the county coaching team a shade peeved is that the 14th December clashes with the final county date, and the Notts Lincs and Derbyshire tournament. It also means that they will have been able to field a full-strength Herts U18 team on only one weekend all season - the trip to Worcestershire on 30th November (U15 team, and U15 and U18 travel information, for that here) - which makes that a rather special event.

Obviously girls like Hayley who fail to get into the regional senior squad will still be eligible for the junior trials in January. However if they do make the senior squad it is not clear that they will not be able to play for East U18s as well. There are some date clashes, but surprisingly not many, so its is not practically impossible.

Amongst the incentives for going to the senior trials is that there are fewer regional dates, but also more actual matches (rather than training sessions). The senior regional system also ties in better with the pathway to national squads.