Welcome to Reading Hockey Club, the country’s premier Hockey Club, sponsored by adidas.
We run 11 men’s teams and 7 ladies’ teams, with both elite squads at the very pinnacle of the domestic game and brimming with international talent. Our thriving Next Generation youth section attracts hundreds of youngsters to participate in our exciting sport, and ensures the future strength of Reading HC.
Whether you are an existing member or new to RHC you’ll find some useful information on the club HERE.
Men’s 1st XI Head Coach
Reading Hockey Club are pleased to announce the appointment of Andy Watts as the Men’s 1st XI Head Coach for the coming season.
Andy has been an ever present member of the Reading 1st XI squad since his league debut as a 17 year old in 2002. He has played for winning RHC teams in the Cup, League, Premiership and European Cup during his time at the club.
Andy is Head of Hockey at Magdalen College School and is currently coaching Oxford JRPC as well as running the Reading Hockey Camps.
Andy says “I am enormously proud and excited to have been appointed as 1st XI Head Coach. I have been a member of the club for 16 years now and I am delighted to move into this new role. It is with some sadness that I will step away from playing, but the coaching role is one that requires my undivided attention. The opportunity to coach a side and at a club such as Reading, is one that simply couldn’t be missed. It will certainly present a range of different challenges, which I am fully prepared to embrace. I would like to thank Reading HC for its long term support and look forward to working with the club on generating future success with the 1st XI.”
Calling all potential Young Leaders!
Reading Hockey Young Leader courses – the course will lead to the EH Leadership Award.
Details below:
Course 1:
Monday 28th July 4 pm to 9 pm
Tuesday 20th July 9 am to 5.00 pm
Wednesday 30th July 9 am to 5.00 pm
Course 2:
Monday 25th August 4 pm to 9 pm
Tuesday 26th August 9 am to 5.00 pm
Wednesday 27th August 9 am to 5.00 pm
You will need to attend all sessions to complete the Award. There is also an England Hockey on-line learning resource to complete.
Venue: Reading HC, Sonning Lane, Sonning
What: The course will cover all aspects of hockey, including:
• General principles of leadership
• Introduction to In2Hockey and Quicksticks
• Delivering (coaching) hockey
• Umpiring
• Organising a hockey festival
• Managing hockey
The course is fun and interactive. It will include classroom and pitch based activity. Your lead tutors will be Bev Thompson and Philippa Sanders.
How much: The course fee for £75 for RHC Members and £95 for non-RHC Members.
What do I do next? If you would like to sign up please contact Philippa (details on flyer: RHC Leadership Award 2014) by Wednesday 21st July.
We look forward to welcoming you on the course.
Philippa and Bev
Ladies Coach Announcement:
Reading Hockey Club are delighted to announce the appointment of Merijn van Willigen as the Ladies 1s Head Coach.
Merijn joins us following five successful years as Director of Coaching at Havant Hockey Club.
He is an England Hockey centrally contracted coach, and he has also coached Welsh national teams (U18 Boys and U21 Women) as well as a number of regional teams.
Merijn says “I am incredibly excited at the opportunity to work with you all. It will be nice to see some familiar faces from Clifton and Trojans, but mostly I think there is a fantastic opportunity here to work on another very successful period for Reading HC”
We welcome Merijn to the club and look forward to working with him and wish him every success in his role.
Reading Real Ale and Jazz festival needs YOU!
WHAT IS READING REAL ALE & JAZZ FESTIVAL?
Reading Hockey Club has been running the very successful Real Ale & Jazz Festival event every summer for the last 27 years, helping to raise vital funds for the club.
The organising Committee are club members who spend most of the year booking bands, selecting food suppliers, real ales, and wines, securing the necessary licenses, as well as promoting and staffing the event. It is a big ask from a small band of volunteers who are always looking for new people to come and help for a few hours a month.
But now the rest of the club members need to come along and help with staffing the event.
WHEN IS IT?
Thursday 17th, Friday 18th Saturday 19th July.
WHAT THE FESTIVAL NEEDS YOUR HELP WITH…
The festival cannot exist or be successful without club members volunteering to help.
Volunteers are needed to help set the site up in the week prior to the event, but we especially need help during the evenings to staff the Festival – working on the bar, collecting glasses, hospitality, selling tickets and programmes, all help is really appreciated, even if just for a few hours.
Anyone can come and help from colts to vets, family and friends – we can find jobs for all ages and abilities!
For those who have never helped out, you can have a lot of fun with your friends whilst working and raising funds for the club.
Please come and help even if it is just for a few hours one night or for the whole week!
GET INVOLVED AND SUPPORT YOUR HOCKEY CLUB
Please sign up at http://www.readingrealalejazzfest.co.uk/#!staffing/c19sm or email staffing@raaj.info
John Tovey
Reading Cricket and Hockey Club regret to inform you of the death of John Tovey, a past President of the Club (1977-1983), and an Honorary Life Vice-President, at the age of 91. John also served as a trustee of the Club for a number of years.
John played cricket and hockey at the Club and captained the 1st XI of both sections. He also achieved minor counties (cricket) and county (hockey) honours. John was one of those very influential in both the formation of the combined Reading and Cricket Hockey Club in 1959, and the subsequent move from Church Road to Sonning Lane in 1986.
He was also able to attract the players necessary in raising the overall standard of hockey at Reading and secured the Club’s position in the Premier London League.
John remained passionate about the Club, always interested about how both sections were doing, both on and off the pitch.
The Club offers condolences to John’s family.
The current state of Hockey within the UK
Shane Ryan went to visit a host of clubs, including Reading across the UK to investigate the issues checking on the current health of hockey, to find out how it compares in other countries and where its future lies, both at the top and bottom of the game.
Published on 29 May 2014, this is a documentary about the current state of field hockey within the UK (2013/2014)- a sport where participation rates remain fairly high, men and women compete equally and, collectively, both senior teams are relatively high-achievers at elite level nationally in comparison to most other sports.
However, hockey still lags behind with little investment, lack of media coverage and less hockey being played at school level, with participation rates, despite a post-Olympic boom, falling.
Hockey for Boys
In June and July the club will be running Hockey for Boys, a great introduction to this fast and exciting sport for boys in Years 7, 8 and 9.
£5.00 registration with a free hockey stick and T-shirt for participants who attend all six sessions.
Half Term Camps
There are still spaces on the half term camps next week:
- May 27th-28th: Classic Camps are aimed at players of all abilities aged 7-16.
- May 29th: Performance Camps are aimed at those who have reached JAC level or above aged 13+
Goalkeepers will also receive specialized coaching and are welcome to both camps.
For more details check out the camp page, email readinghccamps@gmail.com or download the poster
Wanted: Men’s or ladies 1st team Physio
Check out our advert for a new 1st Team Physiotherapist Men’s or Ladies for next season on the England Hockey website: Reading 1st team physio advert
