In light of recent advice from England Hockey, the club has revised its policy for face masks. For further information, please speak to your captain, coach or any club official:

Junior Players
It is the policy of Slazenger Hockey Club, that any junior (under the age of 18) defending a penalty corner must do so wearing a face mask.

In all Yorkshire Youth Hockey League matches (Sundays) and Development team fixtures, masks will be provided by the club.

If a junior member plays senior hockey and a mask is not available then they will not be allowed to defend the corner. 

Senior Players
Senior players defending penalty corners are encouraged to wear a face mask, however it is up to the individual whether or not they choose do so.

Match Reports from Weekend of 22nd & 23rd September 2018

Men’s 1st’s vs. Bradford 1st’s
Men’s 1st’s hosted Bradford 1st’s for a tough opening game in the newly promoted Premier league. With Bradford finishing 2nd in the league last season it was a tough test. While Slaz lost out 4-3, they rose to the pace and speed of the new league. Richard Tuddenham netted a hat trick to keep the deficit to only a single goal.

Men’s 2nd’s vs. Men’s 3rd’s
Following a league restructure, Slazengers Hockey Club were in the unusual position of having their men’s 2’s and 3’s face off against each other in the first league game of the season. Unfortunately a few players were missing due to injuries and other commitments leaving the 3’s weaker than they would have liked and this was only compounded when keeper Daz Buttery had to leave the field injured mid way through the 1st half.

Outfielder Jack Mumford stepped up and took the pads even saving a Ben Jackson penalty flick towards the end of the game. Despite the 3’s best efforts, the 2’s ran out comfortable 11-0 winners. Goals came from Asad Baig (3), Ben Jackson (2), Damo Greig (2) and 1 each for Ben Graham, Will Gascoigne, Ian Hedges and James Taylor. The 2’s will take confidence from some good hockey and a solid performance throughout whereas the 3’s can take heart from some strong individual performances especially from newcomers Max Godley and Alex Stacey under difficult circumstances. Man of the match for the 2’s was shared between Ben Jackson and Damo Greig.

Men’s 4th’s vs.Leeds 8th’s
Unfortunately a new look Slazenger 4th’s took to the pitch against a strong organised Leeds 8th’s. Unfortunately they were run out 4-0 in a game where the scoreline did not reflect the flow of the game.

Men’s 5th’s vs. Wakefield 7th’s
An inexperienced team took to the pitch for their first league game ever. Unfortunately it was clear from the get-go that they were outclassed. However in typical Slaz form, they battled on for the whole game and came away with their heads held high.

Unforgettable debuts from Mark Rodgers, John McGrath and Ian Randle, 2 of whom retired injured much to the delight of other squad members. Despite Man of match performance from Darren “Blocker” Bailey Slazengers ran out a close second in the 9-0 defeat. Great times however were had in the clubhouse afterwards.

Ladies 1st’s vs. Thirsk 1st’s
1st league game having been promoted into North Division 2 did not start as well as hoped. Thirsk started on the front foot and quickly got into their stride. Within first 5 minutes they constructed a swift move down the right hand side, passing to their forward high up the pitch who turned the defender, to created herself some space, shot and scored. 0 – 1

Slazengers, although appeared a little sluggish at the start, with a few misplaced passes, soon upped their game as they picked up the pace. Strong play down the right from Alex Gilbert resulted in a cross into the path of Clare Dunston, whose shot was saved by the keeper.

The remainder of half was pretty even with both teams creating a number of chances. Thirsk came very close as they intercepted a pass and pushed forward, leading to a 1 on 1 with Gemma, the keeper, who made a fantastic save. As half time approached, Slazengers went wide down the right wing, with Molly Gilbert skillfully bi-passing the defender, crossing to Claire Dunstan, who set up Katie MInchella to score from the top of the D. 1 – 1

Thirsk started strongly in the second half passing well and pressing high up the field. Slazengers defended well and managed to scramble the ball away. During this time Thirsk were awarded a short corner which according to the umpire hit a defenders foot on the line, so a flick was awarded. Thirsk flicked the ball high right giving the keeper no chance of saving. 1 – 2

Not disheartened Slazengers continued to work hard and had opportunities themselves with Katie Minchella missing the goal by inches from a reverse stick shot. From a quickly taken hit out, Thirsk broke quickly, and with some accurate passing were able to create an opportunity and scored from open play. 1 – 3

Following another short corner for Thirsk, the initial shot was saved but in the following scramble the ball jumped up into the defenders hand and another flick was awarded. This time the keeper anticipated the flight of the ball and prevented a goal being scored.

Slazengers again rallied and a pass intercepted by Lisa Minchella deep in the Slazenger half was quickly dispatched down the right. Once picked up by Frankie in midfield she cut through the defence to find Claire Dunstan free in the D who slotted the ball home. 2 – 3

Ladies 2nd’s vs. Thirsk 2nd’s
Heading into the first game of the season with lots of new players, Slazengers 2 new they had to go out strong. The first 20 mins were evenly matched, with short corners at both ends. Finally a break from a long ball to Caro Schofield forced an error by the goal keeper, giving slaz a penalty flick. Calmly Stacey Drake transferred the ball to the back of the net, 1-0 Slaz. However, the lead was short lived after a thirsk short corner resulted in a goal, half time 1-1.

In the second half, open play was again even between both sides. Short corners were given at both ends but Thirsk were unable to penetrate through slaz’s solid defence. However, after a Slaz player received a yellow card and was sent off, they knew they had to dig deep and stay focused. Despite the odds, Slaz prevailed and with only 10 on the pitch, managed to secure another short corner taken as a straight strike which was rebounded to the open arms of Caro, who rhubarbed the ball into the back of the net. Final score 2-1 to slaz, a great start to the season, with Stacey Drake receiving Player of the match.

Ladies 3rd’s Game Cancelled

Ladies 4th’s no game

Boys Under 14’s
Slazengers Under-14 boys won promotion to Division Three of the Yorkshire Youth Hockey League with the minimum of fuss. Their three games produced 15 goals and none conceded as they saw off Halifax, Adel and hosts Bradford.

The opening match was a 4-0 win against Halifax, with Max Godley scoring twice plus goals from Will Gascoigne and Alex Hobson, playing his first full pitch game of hockey.

Bradford were expected to be a tougher proposition but they were dispatched 7-0 thanks to some devastating attacking hockey by the Slaz boys. A Godley hat-trick was supplemented by goals from Gascoigne (2), Hobson and Alex Stacey.

A win against Adel would secure top spot in the division and another 4-0 success came courtesy of two more Godley goals and one from Hobson after Tommy Randle had opened the scoring.

The promotion was highlighted by some excellent team play built on solid defence, with keeper Aiden Coughtrey well protected by Lewis Killey, Joe Minchella and Isaac Burrows.
Curtis Jones, also steeping up form the U12s to play his first 11-a-side game, battled hard up front without reward.

The summer is blazing away and we’re into August already. That can only mean one thing – the hockey season is only 4 weeks away! We will be fielding 6 mens teams and 4 ladies teams, plus junior squads – a record size for the club. Captains will be in touch to inform you of the squad you’re in.

Here’s what you need to know running up to the season:

Season Dates:

As usual there will be several weeks of friendlies at the beginning of the season. This will vary from team to team, as we look to balance availability of players coming back from summer with the need to get squads out for competition. Friendlies will run for approx 3 weekends before the season starts. Therefore the key dates for the diary are:

• 1st September 2018 – First friendly fixtures
• 22nd September 2018 – First League Fixture

Preseason Training

Preseason training is currently running. It is free, so please make use of the time available!

• Ladies Monday 8-9pm
• Mens Wednesday 8-10pm

Season Training

Season training starts in 4 weeks time. Please ensure you have completed your online registration prior to the season starting. Subs have remained unchanged, so please help the club by paying as soon as you can. Start dates for each session are detailed below:

See you all on the pitch!

PAYMENT

SENIOR MEMBERSHIP FEES

JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP FEES

This season, the way we manage junior membership costs is changing. The system we use currently of an up front membership fee, plus training and match fees has become increasingly hard to manage as the section has grown and the number of training sessions increases. Tracking payments from week to week, collecting match fees and managing all the cash for 100 players for 3 different training sessions a week, and 8 different teams is a real headache! We also believe that this system makes costs expensive for the vast majority of players who play and train frequently, as all the small payments add up.

After reviewing costs and consulting with parents, this season we will be replacing all junior training fees, membership fees and tournament fees with a single payment. This greatly simplifies our club administration and means that we can reduce the total cost of membership for all members. It makes costs predictable for you, and us. When we enter England Hockey national competitions (In2Hockey or EHB Cups), or if your son/ daughter plays for an older age group, there are no surprise extra costs.

For juniors playing Saturday senior league hockey, they will still have to pay the £4 match fee. However, we believe that this new membership system helps us maintain our goal of keeping the cost of our sport as low as possible; helping more people play, and offers a substantial saving compared with a regular season of individual payments.

 

We understand it is a big change to previous years, but hope that you see the benefits for everyone in switching to this system. If you have any questions, please get in touch. To help clarify, we have tried to preempt any questions you may have:

Junior Q&A

Q: What would you do for new members starting after the season begins

For new members after Christmas, there will be a pro-rata reduction (i.e. 50% charge). During the season, there will be a 1 month grace period for all new members where the discount rate applies. (i.e. 3 usual weeks of free sessions + 4 weeks at the low rate).

Q: How does this affect juniors playing senior hockey

This only covers junior hockey. If your son/daughter plays for a Saturday senior side, they will still be required to pay £4 match fee for each game they play.

Q: How about the family cap?

The £300 family cap still applies.

Q: Its a lot of money isn’t it?

We’re aware that £80 is a lot of money for anyone. However, we pride our self on keeping hockey costs as low as possible. At this price, we will continue to one of the cheapest junior hockey membership in Yorkshire, and compared with other junior football and other sports, we’re still comparatively cheap!

Q. Its a bit unfair to have a £10 penalty from 1st November onwards?

The hockey club is a large organisation to manage, and coordinating subs accounts for large portion of this. We have to organise teams, league competition and training across a wide range of age groups and it is all completed by volunteers who do it all for free. We simply ask that membership fees are paid as early as possible. This helps with our cashflow and reduces the huge task of club management. Every effort is made to make payment as easy as possible, and as such we believe a £10 charge is not unreasonable if a player has been playing for 8 weeks without payment.

Q: What about 16-18 year olds, or in full time education (FTE)?

There are no Yorkshire Youth Hockey Leagues for Under 18’s, and as such those 16 and older will play Saturday hockey in the senior structure. Those players pay half the full senior cost (£40 membership, £4 match fees).

Q. Can I keep using the old system as I’m not sure my son / daughter will want to keep playing.

Unfortunately not. It has been decided by the committee that we should only manage one system. The new one provides a good saving for all members, and eases management for the club. We provide 3 free sessions to try the sport before asking for money, and a further grace period of 4 weeks at the low rate for new players in season. We believe this is sufficient to be able to decide, and is well in line with all other sports clubs in the county.

Q. £80 is more than I can afford

We do everything we can to keep costs low, to enable as many to play the sport as possible. If the cost represents a financial burden, it is something which can be discussed with a member of the committee in confidence.

This season, we’re changing the way we manage players throughout the entire club. In order to improve the way we manage the club, we are moving from paper based registration to an online system used by England Hockey (Club Buzz)

The system allows us to manage players across men’s, ladies and junior sections through an online portal. The system is password protected, and those with access are are tightly controlled with DBS checks and safeguarding training. Squads will only be visible to the appropriate team manager or captain, such that contact and emergency contact information is readily available. We believe it is the best way to improve how we manage the club and ensure we stay in line with modern legislation on data protection and safeguarding.

It will be a requirement for all players to be registered online this season. It is also mandatory that all Under 18 players are fully registered before they play for the club, as parental consent must be given for transportation and photograph in line with safeguarding guidelines.

You will shortly be receiving an email from “ClubBuzz”. This is the first step to registering with Slazenger HC. Please follow through the link and populate the required information.

In the coming week, you will also be prompted to sign-up for the season. This allows us to fully understand who is playing for the club this season and helps selection of squads.

We appreciate this is a big change, and it is a somewhat new process for us. If you have any questions or queries, please get in touch.

Thanks
Slazenger HC Committee

Saturday Working Party
This Saturday is the first working party of the summer. We need your help to give things a lick of paint ready for the new season. It runs from 10:30am-1:30pm, with BBQ for those who come and help. Let us know you’re coming so we can organise some paint brushes and snacks!

England Hockey on the Big Screen
Afterwards the working party, join us on Saturday afternoon at 2pm to see England take on India in the Ladies Hockey World Cup! It will be live on the brand new 100″ big screen in the clubhouse!

As members of Slazenger Hockey Club, you are hereby invited to attend the 2018 AGM’s

Men’s Section AGM: Tuesday 10^th July

Ladies Section AGM: Tuesday 17^th July

Hockey Club AGM: Thursday 19^th July

The AGM is an important constitutional gathering for the members of Slazenger Hockey Club to hear about the progress of the sections and the Club during the past year. The meeting also provides a forum for members to put forward their ideas for the future of the Club. Don’t stay away, come and have your say!

Slazenger Sports Club 7:30pm

The following positions are up for election. Nominations for positions can be made in advance via emailing clubhouse@slazengerhc.co.uk

Men’s Section AGM (Tuesday 10^th July):

• Men’s Section Chair
• Men’s 1^st Team Captain
• Men’s 2^nd Team Captain
• Men’s 3^rd Team Captain
• Men’s 4^th Team Captain
• Men’s 5^th Team Captain
• Men’s 6^th Team Captain
• Men’s Fixture Secretary

Ladies Section AGM (Tuesday 17^th July):

• Ladies Section Chair
• Ladies 1^st Team Captain
• Ladies 2^nd Team Captain
• Ladies 3^rd Team Captain
• Ladies 4^th Team Captain
• Ladies Fixture Secretary
• Ladies Umpire Coordinator

Hockey Club AGM (Thursday 19^th July):

• Club Chair
• Club Treasurer
• Club Secretary
• Club Welfare & Safeguarding Officer
• Club Web & Communications Officer

Its only 4 days until the Junior End of Season BBQ & Presentation Day!

This is the final reminder for tickets.

I am aware that some people have still not purchased tickets! There are limited numbers remaining which can be purchased from behind the bar in the clubhouse. When they are gone, they are gone. This is limited by the number we have catered for, so please buy any remaining tickets ASAP!

For those who have never been before, Its a chance for the kids to show off their skills to the parents with the Parents vs Kits Tournament. Afterwards there is food and award presentations. It’s always a great day, and a celebration of everything which has been achieved this season. All are welcome; players, parents, friends and family!

For those who have tickets and are coming. Please ensure you arrive for 9:30am, so we can organise teams for the hockey tournament. There will be plenty of sticks for parents who are getting involved, so make yourself known to the organisers, and we will get you ready to play! There will also be showers and changing facilities available after the hockey.

Thanks for your help. see you all on Saturday morning!

Ian Hedges
Junior Section Chairman

This week junior training resumes:

• Monday 8-9pm (U14 Girls & U16 Mixed)
• Tuesday 6-7pm (U14 Boys & U12 Boys)
• Sunday Morning 9:15am – 10:30am (U8, U10 & U12 Girls)

There are final junior tournaments this month and next for various age groups, so please keep an eye out for information from your team manager.

Sunday morning sessions will run until the BBQ (12th May). For other age groups, we may extend some sessions in order to prepare teams for the final trophy playoff games.

Can I please take this opportunity to remind you to get your tickets for the End of Season Presentation Day & BBQ if you have not already, as its only 4 week away!

Finally, U14 and U16 players are welcome to attend the social mixed pay and play hockey sessions which are running on Wednesdays (£3 per week).