1.0 ADMINISTRATION

The Club has registered with England Hockey to work towards their accreditation scheme - ‘ClubsFirst’. This is the ‘kite mark’ standard for Hockey clubs and will allow us to demonstrate that we operate a safe, effective and child friendly club environment. ‘ClubsFirst’ is aligned with Sport England and other Government, Local Council and National Governing Bodies. There is much work to do before we qualify, various Committee Members have kindly offered to assist in this.

Since the last AGM, full Club details have been added to the England Hockey website, so players looking for a Rochester-based facility can now find us. We have also registered with Medway Council’s Sports Development unit, and are receiving regular updates on coaching, training and support issues from them. We are in the process of completing Medway Council’s Sports Club Audit, which is intended to assist with the provision of training and support to local Clubs, and to help open up funding streams that could be used for coaching development and for facility improvements. The Club now holds a KCC ‘Kent Connect’ card that offers discounted prices and access to KCC Supplies for items such as stationery, printing, and clothing. Finally, we are now fully represented on ‘Fixtures Live’, a multi sport web site that the Kent Ladies League, amongst many others, use for their league updates.

It has been disappointing during the season to note the high level of unavailability from the men, particularly in the period Sept to Dec, when we frequently has a whole ‘team’ of people unavailable for one reason or another. This puts additional pressure on the Captains who have at times been unable to produce a consistent team from week to week, and the poor form of the middle XI’s up to Xmas was the result.

It is important that the Selection Committee should be discussing players’ form and ability to move up the XI’s, not simply trying to find sufficient players to get a team out. Perhaps in part due to these issues, and the disappointment of consequent poor results, some Captains did not manage the administration of their side particularly well. As Clive Whittington, our dedicated Treasurer has reported elsewhere, we were again blighted with late payments and missing match finance sheets – to the extent that a small number of players were deemed unavailable for selection until their outstanding dues were paid. Some sides also failed to provide match reports, to the press and to our own website – losing us valuable exposure. These are areas that we must tighten up on next season, though it should be noted that our Ladies’ sides had a far superior record in these areas.

The Clubs’ disciplinary record was better overall than 2006 – 2007, though the single red card received was the only one issued in Kent up to Xmas. It was with mixed feelings that I heard of a number of other red cards awarded to other clubs towards the end of the season, leaving our Club less exposed.

2.0 COMMUNICATION

The Club has been represented at both the Kent Hockey Chairman’s meetings held this season – and, after a slow start, your Committee have met more regularly in recent months. It is my intention to have brief notes from these meetings added to the website for all to browse in future, so improving communication.

The main thrust of the Kent Hockey meetings has been to discuss and launch the new ‘Single System for Hockey’ programme. This is a national ‘pathway’ from School and Club hockey, that aims to develop talented youngsters right through to National squads.

Kent HA proposes to set up one Junior Academy Centre (JAC) covering the whole of Kent, and perhaps five Junior Development Centres (JDC).

The JDC locations are intended to mean that no youngster faces more than a 30 minute journey.

They will operate for a 12 week period, from Sept to Nov, with 30 boys and 30 girls in each age group, starting in Sept 09 with u12 and u13’s only. In future years, a new age group will be added one at a time, until all age groups from u13 to u18 are operational.

Because the resources needed, JDC’s are being set up as joint ventures between clubs where possible, as follows -

Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks School

Maidstone, Sutton Valence and Marden

Canterbury and partners

Bexley and other North Kent clubs? Not established to date

Holcs, Old Williamsonians, and possibly Anchorians

The location for the Academy Centre has not been decided yet, though all 4 agreed JDC’s have applied. The JAC will operate from Jan to March, a further 12 week period.

All sessions will be led by Level 2 coaches as a minimum. The KHA have requested that all coaches register with them, and additional higher level coach training courses will be laid on to develop the necessary coaching skills for those who wish to improve their level.

30 players (from c. 150) who are identified by the JDCs as having the highest promise will be nominated for the Academy, where more intensive training will be available.

As you will understand, this matter has been debated at length in Committee – some were initially not in favour as concerns about losing our talented youngsters to more powerful clubs and our ability to actually assist with pitch time and coaching resource were raised. However, the consensus was to support the Holcs bid on the basis that our young players deserve the opportunity, and we could better protect our interests by being part of the set up, rather than run the risk of losing players to arrangements that were outside of our control.

The Club has been represented at all the set up meetings held by Kent Hockey to date. The expectation is that we may have one group of 30 to accommodate in the coming season, maybe two in future. If anyone would like to know more, or be involved in some way, please contact me.

3.0 PLAYING MATTERS

Great news – Our Mens 1st XI have clinched promotion to the Regional league – congratulations to Barry Mackness and Jeff Doust and the squad – the whole Club is rightly proud of your achievements this season, with just two games lost all season

The Ladies 1’s did extremely well to consolidated their promotion last season, ending in a solid mid table position in the Kent Premier Division, ably led by Michelle Russell - a great effort against some very good and well-established sides

The Mens 2nd XI needed to win their last game to have a chance of staying in the Open Division 2 but results on the final day of the season conspired to send us down. Huge thanks are due to Eddie Pentecost who took the responsibility to captain up to Xmas, after which Matt (Loaf) Lockwood kindly stepped up and impressed with his great determination and effort to find fresh players, which resulted in a much improved second half of the season

The Ladies 2’s, captained by Teri Stewart, had a tough time in Kent Division 3, and have ‘accepted the invitation’ to run in Div 4 next season. It’s not easy running the second team of two, there’s very little margin for error if players drop out or are needed for the higher XI, so we’ll hope they find more success next season.

The Mens 3’s also had a complex season, but a late flurry of improved performances gave us a chance of avoiding relegation in the last game, but it wasn’t to be as we lost a heartbreaker by 5 -4, having led throughout. Andy Stoute captained, but also moved house, set up a new business, and oversaw the birth of a daughter, so much needed support was given by Martin Futter, Dave Routledge and others. There is strength in this team, with enough talent to do well, so we’ll expect more next season.

Paul Judge’s 4th XI struggled this season and was relegated from Kent Open Div 3 as we blooded some of our youngsters. They’ll all be older and stronger next year, and were not helped as the 4’s suffered in early season from poor availability from higher XI’s. There’s a decent blend of experience and youth, so next season should be much more fun for all concerned.

Kevin Haselden’s development, or 5th, XI had a terrific season, with Clive Whittington, Pete Meyers and Brian Phipps and myself working with a bunch of enthusiastic 14 and 15 year olds, playing some fully adult teams at times. Losing just 4 out of 18 games, and inflicting rare losses on both the teams that were promoted, a third place finish was fair reward for a season to remember.

4.0 SOCIAL EVENTS

Some good social events have been held during the year – Kenny Mackness coming to the fore with an original approach to some Quiz Night teasers, a Rugby World Cup evening (aided and abetted by Dickie Dalton), and our first Race Night – to which it was pleasing to invite some of the Cricket and Rugby sections. None were more pleased than Maria Koller-Willard, who won on EVERY race…

Finally, the Annual Dinner was a great success at the Franklin Rooms, with over 100 guests (including all of Grant Pullies’ neighbours), again organised with panache by Martin and Judith Pinder.

5.0 SUMMARY

The strength or otherwise of a ‘club’ is the bond between those who make up the membership. The membership of this Club are united by an interest in hockey and the enjoyment that we get from participating or watching. We are also linked, in some cases more tenuously, by a history with the Math School, which, even if not attended as a pupil, still influences many of the traditions of our Club, and helps to set it apart from others.

To my mind, this Club should have two goals – success on the pitch, and a strong social aspect to help build lasting friendships. To achieve these goals requires more commitment from all members. Attending training, being available for selection every week, and supporting social events, watching other XI’s play – are all basic building blocks.

At times during the last season, it has been regrettable to note that some players have slipped away after matches, without paying subs, helping to host the opposition or clear the dishes, or made themselves unavailable for spurious reasons.

Season 2007 – 2008 has been a learning curve for your new Committee and Chairman, and we hope to do better next year. However, we need all members to become PARTNERS with the Club Officers who give up their spare time to make Saturday afternoon sport happen. We’ll all enjoy this Club more if we can concentrate on positive, forward-looking actions, not debt collecting or clearing up after others.

Thanks to the time that Eddie Pentecost and others have put in to attracting and developing young players in recent years, the OW Hockey Club is in the fortunate position to have a terrific crop of youngsters making their way through the XI’s. With the added strength now of two Ladies’ teams and an increasingly sound administrative and financial structure, the Club is in good shape to move forward and enjoy a very successful 2008 – 2009 season.

PETER WRIGHT

Officers of the Club

President : Dr. Gary Holden ( Headmaster of the School)

Vice Presidents : C.V.Charlesworth, A.J.Gatward,
A.E.Johnson, G.M.Finch, R.A.E.Martin, J.M.Nixon,
P.R.King, T.J.Doust.

Chairman : Peter Wright

Vice Chairman : Kenny Mackness

Treasurer : Clive Whittington

Hon. Secretary : Helen Abrahams

Hon. Fixture Secretary : Kevin Haselden

Chairman of Selectors : Stuart Seymour

Director of Mens Hockey : Jeff Doust

Director of Ladies Hockey : Debbie Sullivan

Youth  Co-ordinators U14s : Geoff and Graham Lee

Youth Co-ordinator U16s : Jeff Doust

Schools Liaison : Richard Dalton & Mark King

Child Welfare Officer : Richard Dalton

OW Club Rep : Maria Koller-Willard

Social Secretary : TBA

Website Co-ordinator : Grant Pullies

Press and Publicity Officer : TBA

Sponsorship / Kit Representative : Peter Wright

Club Auditor : Pete Meyers

Club Mark Liaison : Peter Wright and Stuart Seymour

Subs and Match Fees 2008/09

Annual subscription
- Full members £75 (or £50 if paid by 31 Oct 08)
- Students £45 (or £30 if paid by 31 Oct 08)
- Juveniles £30 (or £20 if paid by 31 Oct 08)

Match Fees
Men's 1st XI and 2nd XI - £10
Men's 3rd XI and Ladies 1st XI - £9
Men's 4th and 5th XI  and Ladies 2nd XI - £8
Cup Games - £8
(Students and Juveniles are charged match fees at 50% of the above rates).

Forthcoming Meeting Dates

Committee : Monday 8th December, 2008 @7:30PM. Venue is Chairman's residence.

Committee Decisions / Announcements

Committee Meeting -

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