Wimbledon Hockey Club
Newsletter May 2014
The season is over but there’s still so much going on! News of the Blitz party, the
end of season awards for juniors and seniors alike, summer hockey opportunities,
refurbishments at the Club and much more in this month’s newsletter.
We start with the Awards …
Men’s and Ladies Players of the Year
Ladies 1s – Harriet Naismith
Harriet joined the club 2 years ago and this season
has worked tirelessly in the midfield. Her super
fitness saw her complete the London Marathon in a
fantastic 3 hours 45mins. She also coached and
captained the indoor team who narrowly missed
out on promotion at Christmas. Harriet’s
commitment to Wimbledon HC also sees her at the
astro in a Sunday morning leading the girls U16s
age group this year
Men’s 1’s – Joint award: Johnny Kinder and
Phil Roper
Johnny Kinder: had a very good season in the
forward line scoring and assisting many crucial
goals.
Johnny is spending the summer playing in Australia
where he hopes to continue to improve his play to
impact on the 2014/15 season with Wimbledon.
Phil Roper: enjoyed his first season at the club
managing to balance his international playing
career and club hockey. Phil made a valuable
contribution in midfield, showing great skill and
fitness. We wish Phil luck in his pursuit of senior
international hockey.
Men’s 2nd team - Tom Irons
Most committed both on the field, on the training
pitch and in the pub. Better looking and less wrinkly
than Kiwi.
Ladies 1As – Linds Morrison
Lindsey is totally committed to the Wimbledon HC
cause. She has fitness and speed in bucket loads
and always puts everything she has into training
and matches. Her forward runs and attacking play
have not only given her opportunities to score
goals, but she creates for others too. Away from
the pitch she is a master social organizer!
Men’s 3rd Team - Jim Sayer
Undoubtedly our most consistent player of the
season, who every weekend left everything on the
field in terms of energy that belied his
years. Always one of the first to pick the team up
after a bad result his boundless optimism and
commitment to training set a great example for the
rest of the squad.
Ladies 2s – Squeeze
Over the years Squeeze has worked tirelessly for
the club, captaining the 1s and 1as. This season
the 2s were the benefactors of her wisdom and
hockey on and off the pitch. Controlling the
midfield and never (ever) giving up, she has lead
by example in this team. Her team have loved her
hockey and also her captaincy.
Men’s 4th team - Zoso Davies and Ash Toy
Zoso: Played every game, rarely missed training
(with us or other teams). Attended any/all social
events. Always kept us in the contest. Gave us a
solid PC corner defence routine (complete with
PDF diagrams). Bought a Go-Pro and put our
games on YouTube! Kept on wearing a
Hampstead & Westminster top to each game,
despite constant ridicule.
Ash: 3s loss was the 4s gain in the January
transfer window. Regular and consistent
attendance at training. Switched from the forward
line into the midfield, provided pace and fitness.
Constant attacking threat on the right, defended
well and occasionally found himself at right half.
Was 4th in line to strike at short corners. 3rd best
beard at the club
In all seriousness, both had a huge influence on
our season and it's fitting that they're recognised
equally as the players who stood out for WHC 4s.
1 Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/wimbledonhc and at www.wimbledonhockey.com Ladies 2as – Sue Clay ‘The Rock’
Sue is a long-standing member of the ladies
section, quietly gets on with her job in the defence
of the 2as. Never panicking and always playing the
right ball and making the tackle at the right time.
Her consistency, reliability and ability to read the
game have been a large part of the success of the
2as over the past 2 years.
Men’s 5th Team - Peter Lee
Some say his original Latin name is Calpe, and
that he is 426 m (1,398 ft) high and the property of
the United Kingdom. All we know is, in defence, he
was the 5s rock of Gibraltar.
Ladies Dev Team – Gaia Mc Bride
Gaia has steadied the defensive ship in the dev
team this year, organizing and encouraging the
many different juniors who have played for the
team during the season. She reads the game well
and makes crucial tackles. The adults’ role in the
dev team is different and she has provided
encouragement and support for the juniors around
her. Gaia was a junior player at Wimbledon and it
is great to see her showing the next generation of
Wimbledon Players the way.
Men’s 6th team - Bobby Sharp
Bobby has stood up as my vice skipper given the
6s put own keeper and brings our average height
above 5 10 and he's not a bad keeper.
Ladies 3s – CJ (Christine Johnstone)
Captain fantastic – 4 years ago she convinced her
team it was the right thing for the club to give up
their league place for the development team. An
amazingly selfless thing to do as her team had to
start all over again at the bottom of the leagues.
However, they have had 3 years of promotion and
CJ continues to give 100% for everyone. This
year, she was even kind enough to provide a coach
for the 3s.
Men’s Masters 1’s - Paul Dixon
Tremendous work rate, selfless teammate and first
name on the team sheet.
Men’s Over 50’s Masters – Chris Long
Chris, our goal keeper, is over 70 and has kept
really well this season. He has played for us and
the 40+ Masters, and some days doubling up. A
long term memory is Chris going head first at the
opposition feet to sweep the ball away with his stick
- and being there first. It is only the last few years
that he has moved away from cane pads and
cricket wicket keeping gloves into modern foam
pads.
Ladies 4s – Tash Lawless
From a thriving junior section the ladies were able
to create a new team this season to accommodate
those girls no longer eligible to play colts. Playing
along side these girls are those mums and players
returning or those new to hockey. Under the
enthusiastic eye of Clare Burrell (mum of captain
Rachel) the 4's have successfully completed a
season with a promotion in the bag. The girls
should be praised for their approach to the new
world of ladies hockey and the competitive spirit
they showed on the field.
Tash has come from our junior section, through the
dev team and into the ladies 4s. She was also part
of our U18 team who won a silver medal in
National Plate Final. Any team member of Tash’s
will tell you what a great team player she is. She
has moved up the field this season from a defender
to a midfielder and has flourished there. She
leaves school this year but we hope to see her
back in Wimbledon Colours in the future.
Men’s Masonians - Colin Campbell
Colin has really helped the old Masonian HC grass
squad integrate into WHC. He was one of three
WHC Vintage masters who came on the
Masonian HC tour to Edinburgh last September
and Colin, as he is in the dressing room and in the
bar, was the life and soul of the party. During this
past season he has played through injury and has
put the pads on when our regular goalie Justin has
not been available. He also volunteered to
manage the side for a spell of six weeks during the
season and once he handed back to me we started
to win again!
Club Awards:
HY-TEN Men’s 1s Man of Steel Trophy –
Richard Alexander
Master Stick – Johnny Hobbs
Most Promising Junior, The Shaw Award. Harvey Dennis
Creed Jug – John Harris
Running numerous fines sessions for the ladies
teams. Attending all of the season socials. Usually
this is a team award but it was deemed that John is
his own team!
Fyfe Cup – 6th team, Simeon Green
The best performing team in the men’s section.
Winning the league cup. Making it to the final of
the cup.
2 Follow us on Facebook and at www.wimbledonhockey.com Cyril Simpson – Simon Hibbitt (28 goals) Highest
goal scorer in the men’s section.
Rea Plate: Greg Porter
Awarded for the most outstanding contribution to
the men’s section. Greg captained the men’s 5th
team
and played a key role in galvanising the 5th and 6th
teams ensuring that players were available and in
the right place each week.
Nominations for the Rea Plate: Andrew Sortwell,
Phil Ball, Tarek Abdullah, Greg Porter
The Most Improved Junior of the Year - Aaron
Bruce
Nominations: Zoso Davies, Aaron Bruce
Ladies Junior of the Year – Julia Schofield
This Goalkeeper has played for almost every team
this season from the 1s to the Dev Team. She is
calm and confident beyond her years. She is in the
England U15 training squad and is among the top 8
goalkeepers in the country for her age group.
Tabs Tipple – Ladies 2s
Ladies 2s had a tough start to the hockey season
on the pitch, but they got straight into their stride
with the social side of things. The weekly Bake-off
was a big part of this team and the standards were
exceptionally high. They were a force at the
Christmas social, donned golf kit and nail varnish
for the pub golf and organized a very successful
raffle at the social in the bar a month ago. On the
pitch their season rallied, which just goes to show if
you can get the social bit going the rest of it all falls
into place.
Lady of Steel (Defender of the season) – Merie
King
Merie puts in 100% and is a true fighter for
whichever team she plays for. She is an extremely
knowledgeable defender, who calmly hands on her
experience to those around her. Her tackling is
spot on and no one wants to face her in a tackle
box. Sue Clay may be the Rock in the 2as, but
Merie has proven herself to be the Mountain.
Lady of the Season (Outstanding contribution) Georgina Headley
Georgina basically is Wimbledon Ladies Hockey
Club. She has put in tireless hours over the years,
playing hockey, captaining teams, coaching juniors
and umpiring. She puts in countless hours behind
the scenes finding coaches, mentoring Captains
and players, solving last minute GK or player
searches and stepping in to coach various Ladies
teams. This season she has managed the bench
and coached every team at some point and all this
whilst unable to play due to injury. She can also be
found at every social and is a secret weapon in any
boat race team. She has passed on her great
hockey skills to both her daughters, but is by no
means ready to hand over the baton just yet!
Ladies Top Goal scorer - Natalie Stone
Scoring 40 goals for the Ladies 3s.
Extra Mile Award (contribution to Ladies
Hockey) – Tarek Abdulla
Tarek started playing at Wimbledon 20 years ago
aged 7. After Uni he returned to Wimbledon to get
stuck into the coaching and has been a major part
of the growth and development of the junior hockey
section. He also coaches within the Ladies
section, helps the men out too and encourages
juniors to get involved in all aspects of the club. If
Tarek can get to where help is needed for
Wimbledon he will… up scaffolding to film, on his
bike to coach the Ladies 4s, on the side lines with
the dev team players to offer encouragement and
help for the juniors starting out in senior hockey,
umpiring at horrible times of day for any team that
needs it, on a train and bike to support the girls he
has coached represent England. Hours and hours
spent at KCS. His coaching and encouragement
can be heard all over the South of England. Tarek
has done thousands of extra miles for
Wimbledon HC and we are exceptionally grateful.
Ladies Team of the Season - Ladies 3s
With their third Season of Promotions in the bag,
this team goes from strength to strength. There
was a tiny wobble this season they actually lost
three games – unheard of! But this team
characteristically shrugged it off and won their
league scoring 85 goals, winning 15 games and
edging Surbiton into second place by two points!
3 Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/wimbledonhc and at www.wimbledonhockey.com Final Team League Positions:
Ladies:
1s
1a’s
2s
2a's
Dev
3s
4s
-
5th National League – Women’s Conference East
6th South Division 3b
7th Surrey Prem
3rd Gained Promotion from Surrey Div 2 to Div 1
4th Surrey Div 3
1st Gained Promotion from Surrey Div 8 to Div 7
2nd Gained Promotion from Div 11 to Div 10. Player of the Year
Men’s:
1s
2s
3s
4s
5s
6s
Masters
Vintage Masters
-
Joint 6th National Premier
7th London Premier
9th London Div 1
5th London Div 2
6th London Div 4
2nd London Div 7
6th London Masters 2
8th Supervets 2
CLUBHOUSE UPDATE
New Sauna & Changing Room Refurbishment
A new sauna is being installed from 22nd to 28th May, whilst a complete overhaul of the
ladies changing rooms is currently underway. Ladies please note it is possible to
change in the changing rooms, accessing the rear of the area via a door by the tennis
courts, but the showers and loo areas are closed.
‘We aim to re-open the ladies changing rooms by 6th June although the finishing
touches will be completed after the Wimbledon Championships when work on the
men’s changing rooms will begin.’ Dean Hughes, Operations Manager.
Members will be notified of the men’s changing room works nearer the time and a notice
will be on the board in Reception with details.
4 Follow us on Facebook and at www.wimbledonhockey.com END OF SEASON BLITZ PARTY Tricia Hannaford commented on
the evening: ‘This was the first
year the junior parents took a
table at the awards evening and
we are so glad we did! It was an
amazing night. The sports hall
was decorated beautifully and it
was hard to believe that there
was a tennis court in there. The
band played all night, needless
to say everyone had a blast,
there was laughter, dancing,
awards, great food, brilliant
service and I’m sure one or two
sore heads the next day. What
more could you ask for? Well
done to Louise and her team for
making the night such a success
and just great fun!’
5 Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/wimbledonhc and at www.wimbledonhockey.com Summer Hockey Opportunities
WHC Ladies Summer Hockey league
Dates: 21st April – around end June. The week night we play will vary. There will be 10 matches, playing
each team twice.
Games: Will be at 7:15pm or 8:15pm. 25 minutes each way with 3 minutes at half time.
For: Anyone from the 2s, 2as, 3s & 4s
Venue: Tiffin Girls School Sports Pitch, Richmond Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT2 5PL
Cost: Seniors £5 per match
Kit: White shirts, maroon skirts, white socks (unless otherwise stated)
Contact: Sophie ( [email protected] ) to sign up.
Spencer HC Summer Hockey leagues
Spencer HC are once again running a mixed 7-a-side league, men's 7-a-side and ladies' 7-a-side open to
members and non-members. There is only enough space for 8 teams per league, so it is strictly first
come, first served. To enter, download an entry form and return to Myra Sae-Heng
at [email protected]. Payment in full will be required 14 days before start of the
league.
General Rules for All Summer Leagues:
Leagues of 8 teams over 8 weeks will follow a round robin format. Games are 25 mins each way. Two
games are simultaneously played at 7:30pm, then another two at 8:30pm - ie every team plays each
week. 3 Points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss. Leagues will run in two sessions: a) Two mixed leagues
running on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8th April – 28th May 2014 (8 weeks). b) Three leagues
running on Mondays (ladies), Tuesdays (mens) and Wednesdays (mixed) from 9th June – 30th July 2014
(8 weeks). Umpires provided. Free (small) Jug of beer/shandy for each team each week. Cost is £340 per
team per 8 week league and includes a small jug of beer or shandy every week and allocated umpires
Venue: Spencer HC, Fieldview, Earlsfield, London, SW18 3HF
6 Follow us on Facebook and at www.wimbledonhockey.com JUNIOR END OF SEASON
Awards
Many congratulations to all our award winners. Many of you have collected your trophies but there
are still some waiting collection with Reception at the Club! Please come in to collect them.
Team
Most Improved Player
Players Player
Most Valuable Player
GU16 Prem
GU16 Stars
GU16 Stripes
GU14
GU14 Stars
GU14 Stripes
GU12
GU11
GU10
GU9
Emma Rosier
Julie Eastaugh
Claudia Telling
Charlotte Scott
Rachel Aram
Annabel Sharpe
Beth Hornsby
Thea Robinson
Amber Halsall
Charlotte Thesiger
Paula Borkmann
Betsy Parrack
Sophie Fairbairn
Maddie Cunningham
Zoe Brune
Alannah Dennis
Tash Southorn
Eleanor Williams
Lauran Scott
Amber Simpson
Julia Schofield
Jemima Coe
Anna Bailey
Phoebe Redding
Mia Stevenson
Millie McCleave
Rosie Moorhead
Eloise Page-Cowan
Lila Howard
Molly Wolff
BU16
BU14
BU14 Dev
BU12
BU11
BU10
BU9
Oliver Hopkins
Kian Akhtar
Milo Collins
Barnaby Jullien
Nicky Moxon
Jacob Barker
Harry Baker
Rohan Mistry
Josh Gravestock
Ben Drysdale
Felix Reimnitz
Benjy Aram
Brynn Cann
Ollie Reed
Joshua Keeling
Nick Browning
Ben Garewal
Theo de Unger
Rob Dreyer
Johnny Seymour
Alexander Warlop
End of Season reports:
BU9/10 (Frances, Reg and Paul)
The boys under 9 and 10 had a wonderful season. With up to 28 boys down at KCS this was the largest
group we have had on Sunday mornings and shows the boys’ desire and commitment to play hockey. We
were lucky to have many sessions so expertly taken by Ben Marsden with keen guidance from Taj, Frances,
Reg and Paul. Early season training soon transferred to excellent match results with up to 4 teams going out
to home and away tournaments. In November the Panthers and Cougars played each other in a very hard
fought final at Ashstead; a feat repeated right at the end of the season with the same two teams (many
different boys though) coming joint first in the Spencer tournament.
Demonstrating how far we have come was shown in the Surrey Cup with our A team only conceding 2 goals
and coming joint second in the group to Surbiton. Barnes only went through as runners up on more goals
scored. We have half the group staying at U10 for next season so it should be another really promising year.
Many thanks to all the boys for their fantastic attitude this year. Thanks also to all the parents for their
support, especially at KCS in that sub zero micro-climate and also for taking their sons to the many away
matches, often very early on a Sunday morning.
Good luck to all those boys stepping up to the U12 group! Look forward to seeing the rest of you in
September.
7 Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/wimbledonhc and at www.wimbledonhockey.com BU11/12 (Simon Nicholls)
2013/14 was a great season for the Boys. With nearly 40 boys in the group, we had a great base of players
- to the point where our biggest challenge at times was to find enough opposition teams to play
against. The boys showed excellent commitment to training and improvement, and right across the squad
they have come on massively over the season. That was shown in strong performances in matches and
tournaments throughout the season - with the highlight being a narrow defeat in the final of the Surrey Plate
competition.
The Surrey Cup - where we came across the eventual winners - showed us that there is always room for
improvement and that gives the group something to aim for next season.
Finally, some words of thanks on behalf of the squad:
• to the rest of the U11/12 coaching team - Phil Ball, David Johnson, Rob Crumby, Henry Hailstone and
Susan Hutchinson - who have put in a huge effort over the season, especially on those days when we had
matches in one location and training back at Kingsway.
• to Justine Johnson for co-ordinating the season brilliantly
• to all the boys' parents who have helped make the season run so smoothly and given great support from
the touchline.
GU12
Both Cup and plate teams finished third in Surrey, the plate girls lost in the semi-finals on golden goal to
Spencer but the Cup gained a semblance of revenge by beating Spencer on flicks in the ¾ playoff.
BU12 Came Runners Up in the Plate, only loosing on flicks in the final.
BU16
Won their league to qualify for the league cup. A narrow quarter final win over Canterbury set up a semifinal match against Surbiton. The boys took a 5-1 lead but the opposition refused to give in and brought the
game back to 5-5. The boys ended up losing on flicks.
GU16
Entered the South Indoor tournament for the first time gaining great experience as well as a win and a draw
on the way.
GU18
The second year in a row we have entered the South Indoor competition and a much improved performance
meant we were one result away from qualifying for the Nationals, though a memorable win over Surbiton
was a highlight for the girls. In the outdoor cup a loss in the first around against Surbiton meant we entered
the plate. Thanks to a bye and a walkover we ended up playing Wycombe in the quarter finals. A close and
competitive encounter was decided by one goal in our favour. With Semi-finals and finals held on the same
day the girls enjoyed a trip Old Loughts. We won the semi-finals after a nail biting sudden death flick
competition. Unfortunately our luck run out in the finals against Bath buccaneers, despite numerous
chances we went down 2-1.
Other notable successes include:
27 girls and 10 boys selected to play county hockey as well as 22 nominated to JRPC.
Congratulations to Julia Schofield, Meg Dowthwaite, Josh Coniglio and Bex Arch who have either trained
with or played for junior England teams the year.
8 Follow us on Facebook and at www.wimbledonhockey.com TOP CLASS HOCKEY – LIVE
Hockey World Cup
31st May – 15th June
The Rabobank Hockey World Cup continues to be one of the biggest prizes in hockey, combining
extraordinary talent with unrivalled prestige to serve as the climax of the world hockey calendar.
This epic tournament, consisting of 76 matches, will be the second time that both the men’s and
women’s World Cups have been held at the same time and at the same location. The schedule will
see six matches per day in the pool phase running until 10th June, reducing to four during the
knock-out phases.
Held at the Kyocera Stadium, Holland, the event will kick-off on the 31st May with the women’s
final on Saturday 14th June followed by the men’s on Sunday 15th June. See full schedule here.
England's men's first game is on Saturday 31 May against Spain at 16:30 (UK time), while the
women will be playing their first on Sunday 1 June against the USA at 12:00. The men are in Pool
A along with Australia, Belgium, India, Spain and Malaysia and the women are in Pool B with
Argentina, Germany, China, USA and South Africa.
If you’d like tickets click here or take a look at England Hockey’s travel packages by
clicking England Hockey Travel .
Commonwealth Games 2014
24th July – 3rd August
Over seventy nations and territories including England, Jamaica, Australia, South Africa,
Kenya and New Zealand will compete for medal glory in 17 sports across 11 days of
competition.
The Commonwealth Games take place every four years, and this year it’s the turn of Glasgow to
host the 20th meeting of the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Hockey events will take place at the new Glasgow National Hockey Centre, starting on the 24
July and finishing on the 3 August. 10 nations will be participating in each of the Men’s and
Women’s Hockey competitions at Glasgow 2014. In the preliminary rounds, teams will be split into
two pools of five. The top two teams in each pool will progress to play off for the medals.
Australia has been the dominant force in Commonwealth Games Men’s Hockey, securing every
title since its introduction in 1998. Watch out for challenges in both competitions from other medalwinning nations including Pakistan, England, India, New Zealand and Malaysia. Australian women
have also dominated the Gold medal spot at previous Commonwealth Games. However, they still
find themselves below New Zealand and England in the current World Rankings.
You can start supporting England right now by following the Team England Twitter, or if you want
to find out more about England and the Commonwealth Games you can have a look at their
website.
Ticket prices start at £15 for adults, and all ticket and pricing information can be found on
the ticketing section of the Commonwealth Games website or for information on every sport and
venue click here Glasgow 2014 .
9 Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/wimbledonhc and at www.wimbledonhockey.com FIXTURES – JUST HOW ARE THEY ARRANGED?
I suspect that most of us take it for granted that someone somewhere organizes our fixtures and after
you’ve read this I think you’ll agree we owe them a huge thank you for the job they do. So here’s what
our Fixtures Secretaries have to say on their role …
Nicki Hangar – Ladies Fixtures Secretary
Two seasons ago Georgina Headley asked me to take over as fixtures secretary for the ladies’ section and, unable to think
of a legitimate excuse, I agreed. The main part of the role is setting up friendly fixtures for the teams in the Surrey
divisions. This largely happens for all teams in all Surrey clubs simultaneously, just before the first league meeting of the
year begins and involves a lot of bargaining over home and away fixtures as well as explaining how the Development team
fits in and why we have a team named the 2As.
Having played for Cheam as a junior and Epsom as a senior before I came to Wimbledon to play in the 2As, there are
quite a few familiar faces at the meeting.
Over the summer the ladies’ fixtures secretary meets with Andy Sortwell (the men’s fixtures secretary) who masterminds
pitch allocation for the entire club and helps him to input all of the data onto Fixtures Live.
During the season you are responsible for confirming the friendlies and dealing with any cancellations, rearrangements
and additional fixtures so you hope for no snow or frozen pitches.
Overall it has been a very interesting role, the fixtures secretaries in other clubs are very helpful and friendly to work with
and Andy Sortwell is absolutely brilliant at his job. I will be stepping down as fixtures secretary at the end of the year and
Sarah Burnham, an ex-Wimbledon junior who has returned to the club, will be taking over.
Andy Sortwell – Men’s Fixtures Secretary
It all started in 2005, on a hot and sweaty southwest train out of Waterloo. No, this isn't the opening line of a Mills and
Boon novel, but my ongoing commitment to Wimbledon hockey club as the fixtures secretary.
“So twinnie, can you talk?”, No I couldn't really, on a 30-degree sardine can, but I tried to anyway. “We need some help at
the club. We need someone to take over the fixtures secretary role. It’s not too arduous and there will be a couple of beers
in it for you…” With the 200 other occupants of the train carriage staring at me as if waiting for my reply, “…errrr, ok” I
agreed, why not!?!
th
As my 8 season draws to a close, I reflect on my responsibilities of ensuring that “where and what time” is the least of
everyone’s worries. After all, for most, remembering where all ones kit resides is task enough, lest we collectively worry
about being scattered about the astros of southwest London.
For me, the hockey season doesn't start with late August, lung busting sprints around the cricket pitch. Crazy as it sounds,
I actually enjoy that stuff! It starts mid-June with spreadsheets, fixtures live, lots of square pegs and many round holes. By
the end of July, 95% of our pitch allocations have been checked and submitted to KCS for final approval. In between, there
is as much art as there is science to make this all work smoothly. I was very quick to dispel the myth that this process was
at all political. The idea that the “best slots on the best pitch” were favourably allocated has always been a point of
contention. But, my process has always been based on team merit. Besides, now we have 2 adjacent pitches of equal
quality, this idea is all but defunct. (Those of you old enough to remember Raynes park vs the single old KCS pitch will
remember the issue.)
I will avoid discussing the actual process of allocating 1200 hours of hockey pitch time. Such ‘highlights’ can be discussed
on a one-to-one basis if the reader feels the need. It is worth noting that every effort is made to integrate the national
league games into broader club life. Also, I try to ensure that, lower down the club, consecutive teams are best placed to
offer umpiring and substitute support. After all, it’s only the very top of the club that has the luxury of appointed umpires.
Also, a specific point is made to accommodate junior development teams. Often, their players have school commitments in
the morning so we must be wary of hindering our own internal growth.
The first day of the season isn't where this role ends. On a weekly basis, I am in contact with a raft of others working
behind the scenes to make Wimbledon one of the best clubs in the country. KCS management and ground staff are keen
to work with us to ensure their facility is properly used. Post-match refreshment - Geoff, Mandy Kim & Dave at the club are
always in the loop. For them, 1 home game or 6 home games is the difference between a quiet night or 20+ peri peri
chicken / jaeger-fuelled hotbed of activity.
It’s not uncommon for 1 fixture a week to require a degree of special attention. If this is at the request of the opposition,
then so be it. I often find myself in tight situations, unable to allocate turf time at KCS. One usually finds that what goes
around comes around, so, it’s best to keep things flexible.
In recent years, through extended junior commitments and 2 teams playing top flight hockey, Wimbledon HC has all but
taken over the KCS turfs. This has been expensive, but a very rewarding process for all concerned. It’s also important to
remember that there is no nomadic element to our home games. As a club, we have worked hard to keep KCS our base. It
is easy to forget that many teams in London board the 'home-game merry-go-round' of Kennington Park / BoE / Battersea
Park each week. We just have to remember the correct meet time and sock colour.
10 Follow us on Facebook and at www.wimbledonhockey.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAM
April 5th 15.00 – 17.00 at KCS Astroturf a group of friends and
family that have played with Pam Abdulla during her hockey
career celebrated her 60th Birthday with fun games/ flicks
against the keepers and a 12 aside match followed by cakes
and chocolates on the sideline (made by Nadia) and then tea’s
in the lounge area at the club. A friendly match was indeed
played in the spirit of friendly hockey and fun was had by all.
When Pam is involved it is a given that you will have a fabulous
time.
Who is Pam you may well ask. Well, I defy anyone at the club not to know Tarek or the
work he does for the club, but were you aware that there is a history of the Abdulla’s at
the club?
His Dad Bobby was our Head Coach for some time and still coaches’ our juniors now.
Pam (Tarek’s Mum) coached the juniors for some 19yrs during which time she also
assisted with the weekly and Sunday administration. She was a key person working
with Julie Q towards the further development of a structure for juniors at the club.
During that time Tarek and Nadia went through the junior system alongside several of
our current members. Pam always worked tirelessly to ensure that juniors were cared
for and nurtured into fine hockey players.
Where would the club be without the Abdulla’s? We owe them a huge debt of
gratitude. Julie Q 11 Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/wimbledonhc and at www.wimbledonhockey.com WHC MARATHON RUNNERS
Our Club has had a large number of it’s members running marathons so we thought we’d say a huge well
done to them and share with you who did what, where …
Elliot Laville (U16) and Guy Laville (U12) both ran in the London Mini Marathon;
the last 3 miles of the London Marathon. It was Elliot's 6th time and Guy's first
time. Elliot ran in the U17 men’s race completing the course in 18.15 mins, whilst
Guy ran in the U13 boys finishing in 28.24 minutes. Wonderful experience and both
really enjoyed being part of such an amazing event.
Eliott has also just received a GLL Sport Foundation Achievement Award following his
results for 2013 representing GB in Biathle (run/open water swim/run – continuous).
After 5 races across the country he was ranked 4th. Well done Elliot!
. Georgie Southorn (U16) squad ran in the London minimarathon for Merton U15 Girls team and ran 3 miles in 21.00. The
U15 Girls team came 5th overall as all 8 of them completed the
distance in sub-23 mins.
Natasha Southorn (U12) ran for Merton U13 Girls in 22.45.
Emma Headley ran in the U17 girls race for
Wandsworth crossing the line in 19.10 mins
helping the Wandsworth team to 4th position.
T he re a re m a ny s eni or h ock ey m em be rs w ho are m arat hon ru nne rs bu t to
na me a fe w …
Brad Sellars ran the Paris Marathon and is heading to the Berlin Marathon later this year – Good Luck Brad!
Florence Beckett ran the New York Marathon in November 2013, for the MSA Trust, raising over £1,500.
‘I had expected it to be quite a flat, nice course – had no idea there were so many hills in New York – every
mile seemed to have a hill which was pretty painful! Highlights were going through Brooklyn with loads of live
bands, up 1st avenue and into the Bronx where there were gospel singers and huge bands! Lots of very friendly
other runners which kept me going, as well as spotting my supporters 5 times in different places as they rushed
around navigating the metro system to try to catch me..! Finishing in central park was a great feeling, as was
spending a week in New York afterwards eating as much cheesecake as possible!!!’
Chloe Young and Kerry Bean ran to raise money for ‘Save the Rhinos’ - they didn't run in the rhino outfits
that they brought to the last social though!
Peter Small ran the London Marathon for Parkinson raising £2,457.71.
‘The first 15km seemed to fly by and everything was going to plan. Just before the half way
point I began to feel sluggish and slightly tired, luckily, the next few kms included crossing
Tower Bridge and seeing the elites running the other way around 14 miles. Around 17 miles
I began to feel a pain in my knees, which got significantly worse over the next mile or two. It
became clear that my knees were not going to hold up until the end, therefore, I took the
calculated decision to walk the final 8 miles of the race even though it meant forfeiting the
time I had been planning for. Those final eight miles felt longer than all those that had come
before them, but as I crossed the finish line, I was overcome with raw emotion. It was
probably the hardest thing I have ever done and I was so happy to have finished the ordeal.
Will I do it again? Definitely.’
12 Follow us on Facebook and at www.wimbledonhockey.com NEWS
Wimbledon Guardian's
new hockey column:
Henry on hockey
(From Your Local Guardian)
England hockey international and Wimbledon star
Henry Weir starts his new and exclusive column for
the Wimbledon Guardian after getting some good
news. 7:00am Thursday 15th May 2014 in Sport
There is a great buzz in the camp at the moment.
With an injection of youth we know we have the
potential to win medals – sooner rather than later, if
we are lucky.
It’s great to share this feeling with two club
colleagues, with whom I have a fantastic bond;
hopefully our collective experience will benefit
Wimbledon next season and beyond.
We found out the news about the England squad
selection via email which was quite nerve-racking,
particularly for me as I had been in a race against
time to return to full fitness since rupturing my right
ankle in a freak training ground accident, when I
was clipped by another player’s foot, about eight
weeks ago.
I underwent an intensive six-week rehabilitation
course which involved hyperbaric therapy, and
meant 14 consecutive days of 90-minute sessions
in an oxygen chamber.
By Henry Weir, England Hockey columnist
Wimbledon in it together: It is a special feeling to
know we are going to Holland to represent our
country.
On Tuesday it was confirmed that I will be going to
the World Cup later this month as part of England’s
18-man squad, along with my Wimbledon Hockey
Club team-mates Alastair Brogdon and Michael
Hoare.
It is a special feeling to know we are going to
Holland to represent our country, and from a
personal perspective I’m thrilled to be selected after
almost two months out with injury and a gruelling
rehabilitation programme – more of which below.
The tournament in The Hague, which runs from
May 31 until June 15, will be my first World Cup. I
have been in the squad for just over a year now,
having been drafted in just after the London
Olympics in 2012, as part of a raft of players to
mark a new generation.
I’m 24 now and looking forward to hopefully playing
for England for many more years – and this
summer should be fascinating as we also have the
Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, shortly after
the World Cup.
It’s really claustrophobic and uncomfortable – you
wear a mask and it’s like being in a tiny submarine.
And you are not allowed to listen to music, or have
any electrical items around, as one spark could
create a massive explosion.
With my final exams at Loughborough University
looming I started studying to pass the time, but I
found it very hard to concentrate and by the end I’d
resorted to sudoku puzzles.
It was hellish, but it did the trick: I made my
comeback appearance in the 3-3 draw with the
Netherlands on May 3, coming off the bend to win
my 37th cap for England. That showing must have
convinced the coaches that I could feature at the
World Cup.
I was so pleased that Alastair was chosen, too –
partly because we live together near Maidenhead
and it would have been awkward if one of us had
been overlooked.
To celebrate I went for a lovely Korean meal in
London with my long-term girlfriend Laura, who
plays for the women’s team at Wimbledon. It was
rather low-key, though, as I’ve had my head down
with my studies.
I’m in my final year of a sports science degree at
13 Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/wimbledonhc and at www.wimbledonhockey.com Loughborough – where I met Laura, who graduated
a couple of years ago – and I handed in my
dissertation the other week. I have my final exam,
however, on May 27 – the same day we are
supposed to be flying out to Holland.
Ideally I want to arrive in The Hague with a clear
head, done and dusted with my degree, so I might
fly out after the exam rather than postponing it.
That way I can solely concentrate on what should
be an incredible summer with England – and
hopefully a medal or two.
NOW: Pensions are one of the UK’s leading auto
enrolment pension providers and the proud partner
of England and Great Britain Men’s Hockey. Follow
@NOWhockey or go www.nowpensions.com 14 Follow us on Facebook and at www.wimbledonhockey.com