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Chairman's Update - January 2017

Chairman's Update - January 2017

Stuart Emms26 Jan 2017 - 07:54
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https://www.wottonhockeyclub.o

Happy New Year!

Dear Members,

Now that we are well and truly back in business following the Christmas break, I hope you are all enjoying the hockey once more. We havent lost too many matches or training sessions to the recent cold weather, but we are looking forward to some slightly warmer temperatures as we move into the business end of the season with all the excitement of promotion battles and relegation scraps that this time of year brings (hopefully not too many of the latter!) Its also been great to see our junior and youth teams out in force in the last few weeks, proving that the future is bright for our club.
I trust you find the information below useful and informative. Remember there are plenty of ways to stay in touch what’s happening at your club:

• Most Fridays during the regular season we post a ‘weekend preview’ via social media and on the website so members can see what games their clubmates (senior AND junior) are playing in.
• Follow us on Twitter @wottonhockey
• Check out our public Facebook presence: ‘Wotton under Edge Hockey Club’ or @wottonhockey (where links to press articles etc will be posted) – please ‘like’ this page https://m.facebook.com/wottonhockey/ and boost our profile to prospective sponsors and the wider community.
• Check the website (and the news section) regularly and bookmark www.wottonhockeyclub.org
• Check your membership profile on the website is up to date (phone, email) and that you are set to receive messages/emails (this not the default)
• Members can also request access to a closed facebook members group: ‘WuE HC – the place dreams are made!’ for added banter, breaking news and matchday updates et al

With best wishes
Stuart Emms, Chairman

Upcoming Events
• SUN 29th JANUARY– WuE HC Junior Tournament (0900-1700 at Wotton Community PARC) where we will welcome junior teams from across the region from u8-u12s. A busy, but fun filled day with refreshments on offer. We would appreciate some help to man the refreshments stall and/or umpire games so if you can help, do contact cathywottonhockey@gmail.com
• SAT 4TH FEBRUARY - Wine and Cheese evening, Wotton Town Hall. This event is now POSTPONED and we will look to reschedule for some time next season.
• SATURDAY 1ST APRIL – End of Season Dinner Dance & Awards 2017, The Barn at Berkeley. Our BIG end of season event for seniors. Partners, supporters and non-members very welcome. The evening consists of a black tie dinner and presentation of awards followed by a disco. Tickets will likely be on sale mid-February. More details to follow but please put the date in your diary now.
• Other junior/youth end of season events TBC
• MON 22ND MAY: Annual General Meeting – more details of time, venue etc to follow but again please put the date in your diary
• SAT 17 JUNE: Party in the PARC. Look out for more on this big event from WCSF, there will be beer, bands, camping and more on site. We are planning to run a series of ‘club day’ style tournaments, invitationals etc at the pitch that day, more to follow. In the meantime, ‘like’ the Party in the Parc facebook page to stay in touch with whats going on. https://www.facebook.com/WottonPartyInThePARC/

I would also urge members to put SUNDAY 5TH FEBRUARY in their diaries. This is an England Hockey National KO Double Header at our home ground of Wotton Community PARC:
• 1200 The Mens 1s welcome Maidenhead HC and play for a place in the quarter finals of the Mens Trophy
• 1530 The Boys u18s welcome Ashmoor HC to play for a place in the quarter finals of the Boys Plate competition.
The finals of both these competitions will be at the home of GB Hockey in April/May – Lee Valley Tennis & Hockey Centre at the Olympic Park, London. So come along, bring the #bluearmy noise and cheer the lads on! Please like & share the poster advertising this event on our public facebook site and Twitter in order that we can get the buzz out to the local wider community.

Cross Country event at KLB this Saturday (28th Jan)
There is a district cross-country event at KLB this Saturday morning (28th Jan) and as a result there will be NO parking at the Sports Hall site in the morning. Given the ground conditions, WCSF will not be opening the New Rd site on this occasion so we have been asked that ‘hockey parking’ is in the KLB staff car park; so please lift share or walk where possible!
This will primarily apply to the morning ladies matches (L1 & L3) and afternoon games shouldn’t be effected; but any senior teams playing away and planning to meet in the morning should also take note.

Gloucestershire HA – Junior Academy Centre announcements
Please join me in congratulating Joely Brewer and Rhiannon Holt for their recent selection for the Gloucestershire Junior Academy Centre (JAC) Girls u17 squad!
This adds to the club's list of JAC players (akin to County selection for those of us who still think in ‘old money’!), with Naomi Culpepper & Hannah Cox selected for Girls u15s and Elodie Sparrow for Girls u14s back in November. Phil Gunton (u14s), Leo Wells (u16s) & Ben Butter (u17s) were selected for the Boys squads. Well done all!

Discipline
Can I please remind all members that acknowledgement and acceptance of the club’s disciplinary policy is a condition of membership (you tick this box when you sign up on line and the full policy is available on the website!) I would highlight two points:
1. Lack of respect, inappropriate language or behaviour directed at officials will be dealt with appropriately (the club has a well earned ‘good’ reputation for this, and we won’t allow individuals to compromise that)
2. Behaviour outside of ‘official’ club events but where individuals can nevertheless be identified as club members (and therefore risk the club being brought into disrepute) are still covered by the disciplinary policy and, where deemed necessary, may result in further action being taken.
We have a have a great reputation as an ambitious but essentially community based club, but I don’t want to take this or good behaviour for granted. There were several incidents brought to the committee’s attention in December that are being dealt with. You may report any individual concerns to me, or another member of the committee should the need arise. In addition, and from a different perspective, you may also be interested in the guidance recently issued to local umpires in this regard- equally of interest to players about how umpires will look to ‘manage’ the game, and specifically dissent. This has been sent to captains and to active umpires on our roster. http://hgwhua.co.uk/docs/rules_dissent_jan17.pdf

Lions Club & New Defibrillator at the PARC
As well as sponsoring a new junior kit and supporting the purchase of new junior GK equipment, the Lions Club of Wotton have also generously supported the purchase of a new AED (defibrillator) which is now on site on the container next to the pitches. The AED will be at the start/finish line of the Parkrun each Saturday from 8-10am but otherwise will be on the container should it be needed. Thank you to the Lions Club for their ongoing support of WUE HC and WCSF. Look out for a photocall when the new junior kit arrives.

‘Top Gun’ Trophy update
Current scores on the doors for the senior XIs Leading Goalscorer Award as follows; all to play for with the trophy presented at the Annual Dinner on 1st April:
Dave Chevin (M4) – 16
Ryan Howarth (M1) – 13
Lauren Leyland (L1) – 13
Vic McGuaig (L2) – 12
Jas George (L1) – 10
Chris Barton (M3) 9 goals, Mike Buist (M1) on 8 goals and Abby Ellis (L2), Matt Fairburn (M1), Darren Pearce (M2), & Greg Willcox (M2) all on 7

GoCrea8 Hockey Camps – February Half-Term & Easter Holidays
Once again GoCRea8 will be running their two day hockey camps in February Half Term, and at Wotton Community PARC on the 13th and 14th Feb. The courses will be run by highly experienced Coaches, Professionals and Past and Present Internationals. All abilities, girls and boys welcome, 7-14yrs. Gocrea8 Hockey is an official coaching partner with England Hockey and continues to evolve and improve it's coaching delivery for young players to get the best from the sessions. Its founder, Matt Fairburn is Head Coach of our Mens section and plays for our Men’s 1st XI. To view the February and Easter Courses, please click http://www.gocrea8.co.uk/classes

Goose & Gander – WuE HC’s kit and clothing supplier
Don’t forget that the full range of the club’s playing and training kit and clothing (seniors & juniors) are available via local business Goose and Gander Ltd. You can find them on the corner of Market St and High St in Wotton under Edge (under the Tolsey Clock) and online at http://gooseandganderltd.com/collections/wotton-under-edge-hockey

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