Divisions
The EHL league structure was altered for the 2008/2009 season, with the aim of promoting appropriate competition for the teams involved whilst reducing the overheads incurred by teams having to travel long distances. There is now only one national league, the Premier league, which is fed by three "Conference" leagues, split into North, West and East regions.
Previously there was a national Premier and national Division One league, which had players fed into it by a North league and South league.
The above league structure is identical for men and women's hockey.
The EHL takes new teams into the National North/West/East leagues from separately run regional hockey associations, such as the North Hockey Association. These associations run a multiple-division league structure of their own, and are in turn fed by teams from county or sub-regional hockey associations or leagues. For example, the Yorkshire Hockey Association runs 11 divisions, and those promoted out of the top Division will be received into the lower divisions of the North Hockey Association. Those promoted from the North Hockey Association's top league will be entered into the National North league of the EHL, from which they can be promoted into the EHL Premier league.
The reigning champions of the English Hockey Premier League are Reading Hockey Club who beat league winners East Grinstead Hockey Club in the championship play off final.
Read more about this topic: England Hockey League
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