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Hockey Section AGM 06/18/2008

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING & AGENDA

The Annual General Meeting of the Hockey Section will be held at Reading Cricket & Hockey Club in the Thames Suite at 20.00 on Tuesday 8th July 2008. All Members are requested to attend.

RHC AGM 2008 Notice and Agenda

RHC AGM 2007 Minutes

Mens Club Captain End of Season Report 2008 06/18/2008

Men’s 1st XI: National Premier League Champions
Rustlers: London League Veteran Division A Champions
Reading Evening Post Sports Awards: Club of the Year
Reading Evening Post Sports Awards: Men’s 1st XI Team of the year

I have come to think of the Men’s section as rather like the big dipper. Not only within a single season, but also across the seasons.

My first year in office (2005/06) was reasonably successful, with a scattering of Division winners and promotions.

Last year (2006/07) was simply ridiculous. The heights we reached as a men’s section and as a Club were phenomenal; winners every where you looked.

But after the high, inevitably comes the low, as the roller coaster train falls from its great height.

In stark terms, we lost over eighty players between the summer of 2006 and the summer of 2007. That is more players than some clubs have as their full membership.

Squads of 17 to 20 dropped to 12 to 14, and with player availability becoming a luxury, the Friday night Club Captain bat phone was ringing off the hook. If I could charge myself out at £50 an hour I would signing the agreement on that Ferrari.

We took very tough decisions to withdraw the newly formed Rejects, and especially the Refills. These decisions were not taken lightly at all.

From the darkness there shone some light. The Men’s 1st XI aimed for a top four finish, but they kept on winning, and winning, and winning… hang on a minute we can win this Division, and by jove they did. And still the cup to contend. Only Mace let them slip up in the last league game I hear!

Europe beckoned, Jonty scoring the one-on-one to take them to Spain, if only those peskys Dutches boys weres nots so’s goods ats the hockeys, yahs. Surely they are contenders for Team of the year?

The Rustlers, win their Division for the second year in a row. More ex-internationals then you can shake a stick at. More men, contributing more to the Club then all other non-veteran teams put together? Surely they are also contenders for Team of the year?

Team rankings, taken from Fixtures Live:

I regret to say that the usual band of club men have excelled themselves. I say regret, as I only wish that more members would give back to the Club, and not take it for granted.

* Chris Davey and Mike Williamson - have done a sterling job for the 1s.
* Rhys Joyce - clearly has no life, captaining the 1s to National success and leading the ladies to their highest finish ever.
* Buggy – You are simply what this Club stands for. Academy training and men’s training, and County.
* Posh – enthusiasm personified. If only he was registered with the 1s he would have played and scored for every team I am sure. RAAJ as well.
* Barry Jukes – Mr Reading Hockey Club Junior. The most humblest of men, a socking good GK to boot, captaining the 3rd XI this year, the unofficial Club Captain deputy and now Chair of RAAJ. Don’t ever leave Reading Barry.
* Duncan Westbury – like a shining star, a beacon of hope and aspiration to the masses. Duncan stepped in to a massive pile of dog s**t in the 4s and did a wonderful job saving their bacon. I owe you a debt of gratitude for your cool head.
* Geoff Ash – if Geoff had charged himself out at £50 an hour this year he would be after the gold plated Rolls Royce, with mahogany picnic table and chairs. Geoff has led the charge to save this Club from financial ruin. We must all work hard to ensure that Geoff’s work is the start of great things.
* Simon Briscoe – Along with Geoff has been pouring over the books for too many hours.
* Charlie Lowe, Neil Boddington and the rest of their team – working diligently, and relentlessly, to secure the Club’s future.
* Jo Newman – Jo never gets any thanks really – he is not just a Chairman of the Hockey section, he is more than that. He is my guide, when things get hot and sticky. He is a master of the International and European event organisation. He knows when to say no, and how to say no. He has fought the Hockey section’s corner on innumerable occasions.
* Mark Lazarri – This year he has managed the Goal keepers supremely. No team has been left short.
* Steve Reed – fixtures secretary, pitch/ gounds liaison, RAAJ beer man, Retro’s hotshot – no man spends more hours doing hockey.

Thank you to everyone that has umpired. All those that have yet to umpire and be assessed owe the Club £30 so cough up now.

I have mentioned but a few above, there are many more, but there should be even more.

I really hope next season will bring forth new enthusiastic blood to the men’s section. I want us all to bring a mate to join the club, if we all bought just one friend, no matter how good or bad they are, my headaches would reduce, my Captains could reduce their mobile phone bills and players would be a lot happier getting back to winning ways. It really is not that difficult is it.

Four of the possible 12 Captains are definitely remaining in post, so we need several new captains please. We also need an umpire manager and we need support in fixture arrangements pre-season.

Love Johnny Downer, Club Captain

This report, along with all the reports for each team can be read in one single lovely PDF document should you choose. It’s yours - to save, and cherish.

Mens Section End of Season Report 2008

Mens 1 End of Season Report 2008 06/18/2008

Slazenger England Hockey League Men’s Premier Division 2007/08 – Winners and Cup Semi-Finals

As Johnny D does things in 10 (and in truth as I just don’t have time to write a whole report) - here’s 10 things about our season:

1) We won the league for the second year in a row and had a 100% record for over half of it. Like Trevor Immelman last w/e, we led ‘wire to wire’!
2) We’re in the semi final of the cup too and on for the double…,
3) But we lost in the last 8 of the EHL to Rotterdam having beaten Cannock in the last 16.
4) Jonty was the first person to score one of the new penalties in the EHL in Oct. Bruvs saved Crefelds…and for once the English beat the Germans on penalties….but whatever you do, don’t mention the war!!
5) Watto scored a cracking team goal at the death v Loughborough at home to keep our winning run going.
6) We stole 3 points away at Cannock - had 5 shots, hit the post once and won 3-0!
7) Our indoor campaign stuttered before we even got started but we finished well to retain our place in the league and just miss out on finals night with the largest winning margin ever in the Indoor premier league against Canterbury…we won 14-1 and I scored the 14th…my only goal of the season…added value everywhere JD!
8) 3 of our team are strong candidates for Olympic selection having all been in the successful Qualifiers team. Catman got a GB cap and Spring the first of what I am sure will be many England caps.
9) Due to unavailability, Mace played on pitch last week in our last premier league match v Havant…eek.
10) We turned up to club ‘do’s’ this year…and even hosted a Race night…thanks to Mole for his efforts there…

Overall, it’s just been a great team effort this year to retain our status as the best team in the land. Without our GB boys, I would have taken 3rd place in the league and a place in Europe next year at the start of the season…but we’ve surpassed even our own expectations. Everyone involved in the squad has worked really hard and it’s been a real team effort without our stars…so much so that it is hard to single anyone out at all. People have dug in, trained well and shown some real heart in some tough games… and I think that team ethic and heart is something that has really characterised our team this year.

Special thanks goes to the Management team - to the club for their support, to Mike for his efforts and expertise and to Chris as manager who has done an amazing job to make everything run smoothly and Jacky for her continued physio support at games.

Rhys Joyce

1st XI Captain

Mens 2s End of Season Report 2008 06/18/2008

London League Premier Division - 6th place

http://www.londonhockeyleague.org.uk/

So what do you do when all bar three of the 2006/07 2nd XI squad leaves, no one wants to be captain, and as an ageing, widening Club Captain in a position of power, authority, good looks and intelligence, you see the opportunity to secure your 2s squad spot, for potentially a last gasp effort in your career, by making yourself captain. I could not think of an answer to that one.

As Club Captain, I thought back to happier times, and some words of advice from a previous 2s captain, Alex ‘Titch’ Jones. Titch wanted to get invited to 1st XI training, and thinking that by making himself captain, the 1st XI coach would ask him to suggest who should come to 1st XI training…

So, the 2s had a new captain, with more enthusiasm for the post than skill. Big Dave immediately spotted the weaknesses in my game… in that I have no game… just width, and plenty of that. He did not fail to exploit this as a starting point of banter all season.

Things started well for the 2s, helped particularly by the presence of several of the 1st XI stars, namely Shillen, Molely, AR, and Codders. Their class was way above anything the standard 2s squad could muster.

It was going to be a tough season to emulate last year’s auspicious 2s season; winning the Premier Division by a mile, not loosing a game, the U18s (who made up nine of the squad on a bad day) winning the national title and to all effects the European title, and still managing to host some 1s benchers as well.

The words consolidation, mid-table mediocrity, do the best we can sprang to mind from the word go.

But unknowingly, in the first seven games we had won 5 and drawn 1, loosing in a game of swamp hockey at Old Loughts 2-1. Scores were not high, winning by 2 and 3 each time. Points of interest included Molely getting two greens in the same game for the same offence. Shil scoring everything he touched. The return of Blair ‘Blairos’ Dickinson. Codders throwing his toys out the pram in every game and sticking his tongue out at an umpire at the end of the game.

The Old Georgians away game, was a game of note, a weakened squad, made up primarily of those still going through puberty went to Weybridge. A very tight first half saw us take the lead, and then have it taken away from us. At the start of the second half they came at us very strong and Big Dave pulled off a couple of Bobby Dazzlers to keep us in play. Our fitness prevailed, as did the need to get home early for X-Factor, and we walked away with it, walloping them in the second half, winning 4-1.

The team changed every week throughout the season; symptomatic of crap availability from players. In total we used 40 different players across the season, as described in the table below.

The 10 November game against Canterbury, who were top of the table, and we were second (which was not bad) was a game of the highest quality, certainly the best I have played in. Big Dave was supreme in goal, with Shillen and Molely playing a half game each. The pace of the game was phenomenal, we went 1-0 up, but were soon pegged back, and were under the cosh for most of the second half. Shil came on in the dying minutes and reverse stick shot from an impossibly acute angle take the game 2-1, and put us top of the league!

And it all went down hill from there.

A cup game at Southgate, who were ringed up to the max, against a basically 2As side saw us loose 7-0 and saw us loose our rag a few times. Draws against a strong Surbiton side and frustrating Bromley side were next.

Molely racked up two yellow cards in the same game for the same offence.

Then Indian Gym. Now what do you normally expect from an Indian Gym game… ringers, cards, goals, goals, goals… well this didn’t disappoint. Seven minutes in and they fist yellows were out, a ten minute sin bin for a Gym player for raising his fists and an unfair five for Moley for receiving the onslaught. Three more yellow cards for us, and six more for them, 3-0 up for us, and then gifting them three goals in the space of five minutes and we were 4-3 down. I got hit over the head with a stick and went down like a roll of lino, Big Dave chases over and calls there player a dirty Barsteward, the player asks Big Dave said, so Big Dave repeats himself, slightly louder, stood next to the umpire. Big Dave is requested to take a five minute breather by the Umpire and Molely goes to kicking back… I was still out cold on the floor. We lost 4-3.

H&W away, cyclonic conditions at Paddington Rec, a bare 11, with four of those borrowed from the preceding 2As game. We loose 8-1, a real low point, if only Big Dave had been there.

By this stage of the season Pete is firmly ensconced as the team whipping boy.

The new year dawns and the need to get points is ever clear. A run of three easier games yields the full nine points.

We go to EG, with a very weak team. Simon Disco Briscoe is bought in for reinforcement at the back, claiming at the start of the game that he wont venture beyond the half way line, as he is feeling tired and ill. So midway through the first half he leaps, wobbles, chunters, bobbles his way past approximately 24 tackles and finds himself in the D, he wafts the ball towards the goal, bouncing over the keeper and wring footing a useless defender, 1-0 up. EG who also had a weak squad should have gone down to ten, but the umpire could not find it in himself to send off the five year old cry baby they had playing. The same southern hemispheric umpire then proceeds to give EG a P-Flick for a wonderful deflection by Ali ‘the rat’ Parkes. They take the initiative and score another later on. Again Big Dave pulls off some blinding saves to keep us in it.

We beat OGs again at the Ghetto, though not without some moments of panic, squandering a 3-0 lead to come back to 3-3, before knicking it at the end.

The rest of the season (six games) we went without a win, seeing us tumble down the table from the top three, finally finishing sixth.

We nearly pulled it out of the bag away at Bromley, when we carved a three goal lead. Big Dave was sublime in goal, with Toby and Christian running their little student socks off up front. But with seven minutes to go, it all went wrong. Bromley scored 3 in five minutes, yes three, as our fitness went, and we made fundamental errors of judgement. Watching from the sidelines with man-flu was painful.

We lost again 4-3 to Indian Gym, who to be fair were well disciplined (only one yellow card) and one umpire on their side.

Summary is, not enough goals from our forwards, not enough fitness from our midfield and lack of experience from the defence.

Special love to Dave Tyler, who has a hard year of it with the 1s, but looked class and committed for us in the games he played in, and scored a hatful of goals to.

Special love to Molely, who always played when asked and has no pretentiousness about him. He does stand out a mile from the rest of the 2s squad.

Special love to Buggy who eventually made it back from injury post Christmas.

Special love to AR, who is an absolute dream to play with, so cool so calm, different gravy… please stay and teach us all oh Master Yoda.

Special love to Shillen, committed, quality, deserves everything he has achieved this season.

Special love to Christian and Toby, dirty tax dodging students you may be, but I love your spirit, your never say never attitude and the fact that just like Forrest Gump you keep on running.

Special love to Pete for letting us verbally and physically abuse him from the word go. We will miss you Pete.

In all, it has been a roller coaster season. Sixth place is where we ended up, safe, but not secure. One man kept us alive though, one giant man, one Very Big Dave “that’s not a great save, that’s a shit shot” Guthrie. Extra special love.

Love

Johnny Downer

2nd XI Captain

Mens 2As End of Season Report 2008 06/18/2008

London League Division One - 3rd place and Cup Runners Up

http://www.londonhockeyleague.org.uk/

This season has been a bit of a rollercoaster for the 2As.

The first half of the season was indifferent as a result of low numbers and poor availability and the team struggled to maintain mid-table. Nonetheless, the team proved hard to beat, producing a remarkable 5 match draw spree to end the year.

However, in the second half of the season with a more consistent team bolstered by ex-Refills and new-comers the 2As got back to winning ways, playing some Sweeney Todd pie fuelled hockey washed down with cavalier champagne.

As always, 2As dogged determination was thrown in to help us out of many a hole. The team morphed into a well-oiled unit from February, going on a winning streak which saw us finish a very respectable 3rd in the league and also led to a Division final appearance.

The 2As are a mongrel breed with a mix of naïve youngsters, urban youth, beer toting graduates, mortgaged twenty-somethings and the elderly. As always, success has built on the youngsters with Cook, Parkes, Kapoor Jnr II, Yates, Barber, Record and McDermottroe playing well beyond their years.

This young flock has been expertly shepherded by the wiley Brown, sticky Walsh, bionic Bairstow and poised Lander and scared sh*tless by the driving of al-Qu’eda Ansary and “goal-machine” Anderson. Jedi masters Briscoe and Steel have showed us the true side of the Force….when not playing golf, skiing, suspended or in Fiji! Play well you did 2As.

Best goal: Ali Parkes v EG (Home) – reverse roof ripper

Honourable mentions: Shiv Kapoor, Jon Lander, Ian Anderson

Player of the season: Ben Cook

Capt’n Rob Foster

2As captain

Men 3s End of Season Report 2008 06/18/2008

London League Division Three – 4th place

http://www.londonhockeyleague.org.uk/

Sponsored by The Cross Keys in Pangbourne

The 2007/8 season didn’t get off to a great start with us lying second bottom for the first few weeks but with 5 match wining streak saw good finish to the season gave us fourth in London League Division 3. This highest position the Men’s 3s have ever finished in London League. This is not bad considering the small squad size and the amount injuries that happened during the season.

My player of the season has to be Will Hall for all his defensive work he has put in this season, whilst not dressing up as beaver! Though he still has a lot of work to do on his attacking ability. The prime example of this is from the Maidenhead home game when with an open goal he hit the ground and not the ball. Then to cap it all off went down injured trying to hide his embarrassment. Though Will is not the only one to have a DOD moment as Adam and Tim have both won this award on numerous occasions this season, just ask Adam about his miss against St Albans or Tim’s misses against nearly every team in the league.

Despite these mishaps throughout the season there have also been moments of pure magic with Sam Howell’s team goal against Wimbledon and Rich Collins’ 80 metre solo goal against St Albans. I thought I would mention everyone’s moment of glory this season:

* Lavers : Goal line tackle against Richmond 2as which he hurt his back
* Sumo: His monster aerial against Richmond, made their right back look stupid
* Hall: Diving goal line clearance against Hampstead
* Kiff: His goal line save from a short against Wimbledon to get the win
* Mike Cat: His shinned goal against Hampstead
* Howells: His no nonsense finish against Wimbledon
* Collins: 80 meter solo effort against St Albans
* Babbage: His reverse stick finish against St Albans
* King: Nailing the 6’ 2” South African from Richmond Griffins (Tom is only 5’5” and 16 years old)
* Kimber: What did he do? Answers on a post card Reading Police station
* Mackie: His volley against Wimbledon on his first game for us
* Will McCartney: His ridiculous finish against Chiswick
* Hamilton: His equalising drag-bobble against Old Loughts

I also like thank all those who made appearances for the men’s 3s this season. I would mention you all but the list too long.

Somehow despite my defensive tactics we managed to score a lot of goals. The table below shows that the goals were shared around, though somehow despite missing at least 5 tap-ins a game Tim Hamilton managed to get 20 goals which is not a bad effort. Tim also provided excellent sponsorship from The Cross Keys in Pangbourne. The Cross Keys in Pangbourne is excellent pub which is a short walking distance from Pangbourne station is highly recommended by the men’s 3s.

Despite all the stress and strain of getting a team out every week this season, my first as captain, has been enjoyable and hope that we build on this season look to finish higher up next season.

Barry Jukes
3rd XI Captain

PS: Don’t forget to visit the Cross Keys in Pangbourne

Mens 4s End of Season Report 2008 06/18/2008

London League Division Five - 7th place

http://www.londonhockeyleague.org.uk/

The fours had their toughest season in a while, not because last year we were promoted to Division 5, but as we had a lack of players in our pool we never had the same squad each week. We also often played with less than 11 players, which isn’t fair on anyone.

I reluctantly took over the captaincy following Timbo’s unexpected departure knowing it was going to be a challenge, and it certainly was! Somehow we all got through it and despite forfeiting two games and therefore 20 goals against us, we ended up 7th out of 9. We could have done a lot better had we not “lost” both these games to the same side (Teddington 4s) who finished 5th with two more points than us.

Despite the club losing more players than it gained, the 4s welcomed the joining of several new players to the club, particularly Andy Grimmer (aka “Pony” as he often paid his match fees with £50 notes) and Dave Hawkins. Both these players put in sterling performances throughout the season. The 4s also had their fair share of injuries. Andrew MacDonald (aka Macca) played once at the start of the season and upset his groin again, Chris Wade was brutally challenged snapping his collar bone and Craig Parrett finally wore his hip out entertaining the ladies.

Special thanks must go to the Rover’s captain, Jon Maguire (aka “Mags” as he was caught pleasuring himself over a glossy) for giving me players last minute, which often left him short.

I think a valuable lesson has been learned by all this season. I sincerely hope recruitment over the summer is fruitful, otherwise there’s not much to look forward to.

Duncan Westbury

Men’s 4s Captain

Rovers End of Season Report 2008 06/18/2008

London League Division Seven - 6th place

http://www.londonhockeyleague.org.uk/

OK, gonna keep this brief and to the point!

after last seasons promotion and cup win the Rovers where on a high over the off-season until arrgh !!!! captain is off to pastures new leaving a huge gap at CB, RB moving away, LB working abroad, Sweeper emigrating, the list was growing and still no volunteer for the captaincy until I was cornered after a pre season training session by the BIG BOSS Johnny D after a really painful Chinese burn I was in convinced.

so with the pre-season came some new faces and some blowing off the dust,

3 games and 2 wins, with one loss to the Rustlers… RINGERS WHAT RINGERS?

so up until xmas results were, lets say, indifferent, with Friday night phone calls and squad juggling with captains both above and below and a fair bit of doubling up!

but all in all a good first half to the season.

so new year and more up and down results with just about 11 men and even 10 for the last game of the season …

18 current matches played, won 6, drew 4 and lost 8, scored 38 and let in 42

but all in all finishing 6th just one point behind the Rascals… DAMN THOSE PESKY KIDS!!!

SEASON OVER … DONE!!!

ANYBODY WANT TO CAPTAIN NEXT YEAR?

Jon ‘Mags’ Maguire

Men’s Rovers Captain

Rascals End of Season Report 2008 06/18/2008

London League Division Seven - 5th place

http://www.londonhockeyleague.org.uk/

No report submitted by the Rascals

Ronan Daffey (Rascals Captain) and Ian Fraser (Rascals Manager)

Retros End of Season Report 2008 06/18/2008

Hampshire Open League Division Six – 4th place

http://ccgi.hampshirehockeyassociation.co.uk/Public/LeagueResults.php

The Retros finished bottom of their division last year and were relegated to Hampshire Open League Division 6. Things could only get better!

We did indeed get off to a good start. Two solids wins at home took us to dizzying nose bleed heights in the table (2nd) before our first of 4 away trips to Dorset took us back down a peg or two. We were to remain strong at home for the rest of the season, only losing 2 games and winning all the rest.

The table eventually split into 3 mini leagues. The top 2 teams pulled away, and the bottom 3 teams (all hit by penalties for conceding games) never got going leaving the 6 teams in the middle to scrap it out for 3rd with only 6 points between 3rd and 7th for most of the season.

Retros had a poor run of 4 losses after Christmas which dragged us down to the bottom of this pack but picked up again as the ski season tailed off and managed to put together a couple of wins and a draw to be back in the hunt for 4th.

Lack of availability hit all the teams this year, but we managed to field 11 men for all the games except for a very creditable 2-1 loss at Trojans with only 9 men.

The last game of the season was against Hamble. They had been relegated with us in second last position after leap-frogging us by beating us in a rearranged game at the end of last season. So we were out for revenge. I’m glad to report that revenge was achieved with the retiring captain scoring his 2nd league goal for the club in 12 years to take the game 2-1. 4th place gave me a very happy end to my tenure as captain!

Honourable mentions go to perennial top scorer Tim Smaldon, ever reliable rookie goalie Ollie Ringrow and super ump Turbo. I’d also like to thank Laz (who managed to get replacement goalies for the 2 games where Ollie wasn’t available), everyone (and there were quite a few) who umpired for us during the season and Mags, Duncan and Steve Howells who managed to not steal too many players from me too frequently in trying circumstances and did manage to help out on occasion when I was short as well, Johnny who provided ever cheerful leadership and all the Retros for putting up with my abysmal pre-match and half time talks!

Angus Purcell

Retro’s Captain

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