Notice is hereby given of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Nottinghamshire Hockey Association
This meeting
will be held on Wednesday 24th July @ 7pm
In the Conference Room, Nottingham Hockey Centre.
Clubs are expected to have TWO voting members attend.
The Agenda, Minutes of the previous AGM, officers reports and any other relevant papers will be placed in this post on the NHA website, as they become available, before the meeting (see below).
Would clubs please forward any nominations for Executive posts and for any vacant committee positions (along with proposer and seconder details) to be received by the Secretary no later than 5pm on 12th July 2024.
Please note there are vacancies for both Secretary and Treasurer. I am happy to discuss these roles with any prospective volunteer.
Please also forward any nominations for Honorary Life Membership of the Association by 12th July 2024, along with a brief explanation as to why you have nominated them.
As a county hockey association, Nottinghamshire have been approached by a number of ladies hockey clubs/teams to voice their concerns regarding the allocation of teams based in the Northeast region of the Midlands leagues into Southeast divisions for the 2023-24 season, and to write to you in order that you might fully understand the potential consequences, as they see them.
We understand that league matters are an area responsibility but, as a county hockey association, at no stage have we been informed, consulted, or involved in this matter, so the details outlined below are a consolidation of information provided to us by those clubs.
We also understand that the density and standards of clubs and teams in the Northeast region of the area makes divisional allocation difficult, as it has historically in the men’s game, but to believe the assumption that the environments around the men’s and ladies’ game off the pitch, especially in areas of availability and ability to travel, are the same, is, in our opinion, a potentially dangerous one from a playing numbers perspective.
Their first concern was the invitation to a clubs’ forum, apparently sent to clubs earlier in the year (as we were not invited, we cannot confirm this) where, we have been told, this subject was subsequently discussed. Of the clubs that have contacted us, over 50% say this invite was not received. There are also indications from the remainder that the subjects to be discussed were not indicated, thus its importance was not fully inferred. We, and the clubs, are mostly volunteers with full time jobs and family commitments, so, if this is the case, we believe that full disclosure of items to be discussed and therefore their importance should, in our opinion, be shared in advance to all potential participants.
Moving on from this, the ladies’ teams in question cite the following issues this upcoming season will almost undoubtedly bring them if the divisional allocation remain as is.
A major decision around the reallocation of divisions is supposed to have been minimising travel, but investigations by one concerned club into their away travel (and associated costs) this will increase by approximately 300-400%. With the cost-of-living crisis in full swing, for the smaller clubs this will almost certainly be unsustainable.
The teams are populated by women who enjoy playing hockey, but, as they juggle playing alongside other family commitments, generally cannot justify a full day for hockey, limiting the time available for travel.
They are also, in many cases, partners of hockey players who may also be trying to juggle playing and family commitments on a Saturday.
They generally have a disproportionate number of junior/non-driver members meaning that the away travel will almost certainly become the responsibility of the same, few members every time.
A large number of involved juniors also have school etc. on a Saturday which limits their availability to travel.
Teams will therefore ultimately be selected based on availability to travel, rather than playing standard and, for some small clubs, matches forfeited completely.
Because of this allocation there is a real feeling that some teams, and in some cases, whole clubs, could become unviable.
There has been mention of a ‘small/ single team clubs forum’ being hosted by EH recently, at which “community hockey and supporting the diversity of local leagues by supporting the smaller single team clubs” was discussed and declared a priority. This divisional allocation does not appear to be supporting that. There is also concern about the environment and sustainability, by adding such extended travelling at these lower playing levels.
We are supposed to be increasing the hockey playing family, this would, on the face of it, appear to be having the opposite effect. History has shown us that when a club folds, only approximately half of its playing members move on to other clubs. This does appear to be penalising Nottinghamshire clubs for their successes in increasing participation with the penalty appearing to be it is likely to subsequently reduce it. Why should clubs continue to try and grow when they appear to be penalised? Could perhaps the lowest Northeast tier (mainly populated by development teams) be a six-team division where everyone plays each other home and away twice?
We are also concerned with the timing of the structure release. Whilst we realise that the AGM is not necessarily the forum for these types of discussion, the timing of its release does not allow the required 14 days’ notice for it to be included as ‘Any Other Business’.
We hope you take the time to consider these points, along with all the other responses we feel you may have received directly around this reorganisation and try to address some of these concerns before grass roots hockey becomes less varied because of the disappearance of small and single gender clubs. These are the clubs which give the game a diverse nature and a different entry into the game for many young, and low ability individuals who just want to play for fun. Many also serve communities outside of the cities but which therefore by nature leave them big travel distances already without having to pass several teams of similar ability to reach their allocated fixtures.
Hockey for all is crucial for the game to grow.
We do hope that the above information has indicated just how desperate some clubs are envisaging this forthcoming season and hope that some further compromise on divisional allocation in the Northeast region of the area can be considered.
Best regards
Jon Lane & Gareth Parr
Hon. Chair & Secretary Nottinghamshire Hockey Association
On behalf of Nottinghamshire Clubs
Notice is hereby given of the 2023 Annual General Meeting of the Nottinghamshire Hockey Association
This meeting
will be held on Tuesday 18th July 2023 @ 7pm
In the Conference Room, Nottingham Hockey Centre.
Clubs are expected to have TWO voting members attend.
The Agenda, Minutes of the previous AGM, officers reports and any other relevant papers will be placed in this post on the NHA website, as they become available, before the meeting (see below).
Would clubs please forward any nominations for Executive posts and for any vacant committee positions (along with proposer and seconder details) to be received by the Secretary no later than 5pm on 4th July 2023.
Please note there are vacancies for both Secretary and Treasurer. I am happy to discuss these roles with any prospective volunteer.
Please also forward any nominations for Honorary Life Membership of the Association by 4th July 2023, along with a brief explanation as to why you have nominated them.
It was almost three long years since Nottinghamshire gained promotion to A Division as B Division runners up in a close 4-3 loss in 2019 and everyone was been eager to get back in the fold.
The preliminary tournament was held at Abbeydale Sports Club, home of Sheffield HC and the spiritual home of Yorkshire, finalists four out of the last five years. Notts other opponents would be Lincolnshire, an A Division stalwart and 2013 winners, and local rivals Derbyshire.
Notts started their campaign on the Saturday afternoon against Lincolnshire. A side they play regularly as part of their competition preparation and were beaten by, comprehensively, just two weeks earlier.
Notts came out of the blocks, all guns firing and had Lincolnshire on the back foot from the off. Two early goals by Jack Robson saw Notts go into half time comfortably ahead. Lincolnshire rallied briefly, late into second half, forcing a penalty stroke with 5 minutes to go and set up a nervous last few minutes, but Notts held on to gain their first victory of the weekend.
The early Sunday game was always going to be key, against home side and favourites Yorkshire. Again, Notts started strongly, and Oliver Edmond coolly finished to put Notts ahead. Yorkshire rallied and pulled level halfway through the second quarter, before Notts Louis Duprez finished smartly from a penalty corner, to put Notts in front at the half time break. Yorkshire pulled level again shortly after the start of the second half and the game remained closely contested, but with neither side breaking through, to remain 2-2 at full time.
Notts final game of the weekend was against Derbyshire, knowing that a win would put them through as top seeds, regardless of other results. The game was a cagey affair, both sets of players knowing each other well, many of them team-mates for their respective clubs. Notts took the lead on 26 minutes via a Jack Robson penalty corner, before Derbyshire pulled level two minutes before half time. Once again, a cautious second half, neither side wanting to lose, saw the game finish 1-1 and Notts complete their campaign on 5 points, enough to see them through to Finals Day, but they could still go through top if Lincolnshire could overcome home side Yorkshire.
The shock 4-0 score line, that Yorkshire were on the surprise end of, meant that they qualified in second place and Notts went through as group champions, giving them a favourable draw in the A Division Semi-Final.
As has been the recent trend, Finals Day was held at the Nottingham Hockey Centre. A change in weekend due to the moved Jubilee Bank Holiday meant that Notts suffered some unavailability (this reporter included!) and some new players were drafted in last minute.
Notts would start against Warwickshire, and a smart first half performance saw them go in at the break ahead, with a goal from Alex Davies. Warwickshire pulled level in the third quarter and that’s how it remained and would be decided by penalty strokes. After 5 each the score was 4-4 and we moved into sudden death and when Warwickshire hit the post with their fourth sudden death stroke, Ben Foxley slotted his home to set up a final against overall favourites and winners for three of the last four years, Kent.
In the final Notts held their own, but there was no reply to the favourites, and they went down 5-0 to finish with the County Championships Silver medal.
Manager Gareth Parr said, “Notts have won the County Championships once in the past, but under very different circumstances. It’s been ten years since Adam Innocent and James Hewitt approached the executive committee with a desire to restart the side, after a lack of volunteers to run it had caused us to not enter for a number of years. We restarted with the following aims, as it’s funded, largely by the Notts clubs (and the participating players), all decisions and selections would be made transparently, and we would use the squad as a development tool, not just for players but for coaches, officials and technical staff, and I honestly believe that Notts clubs have benefitted as a result. This year has seen players from almost all clubs attend the open training and trials sessions, gaining invaluable experience being coached by different coaches and playing alongside different team mates. The squad over the preliminary tournament and finals day has been made up of representatives from nine different clubs, which poses its own difficulties’.
To conclude coach Matt Orridge said “After two years off a new look County side came together and got stronger the more they played alongside each other. They’ve worked extremely hard to grind out some tough results and I couldn’t have asked any more of anyone. They’ve all been amazing to work with”.
With only 15 England’s Counties entering the competition in 2022, we are eager to see how the competition is revamped as we believe it has become an essential part of many players season.
Notice is hereby given of the 2022 Annual General Meeting of the Nottinghamshire Hockey Association
This meeting
will be held on Wednesday 20th April 2022 @ 7pm
In the Conference Room, Nottingham Hockey Centre.
Clubs are expected to have TWO voting members attend.
The Agenda, Minutes of the previous AGM, officers reports and any other relevant papers will be placed in this post on the NHA website before the meeting.
Would clubs please forward any nominations for Executive posts and for any vacant committee positions (along with proposer and seconder details) to be received by the Secretary no later than 5pm on 6th April 2022.
Please note there are vacancies for both Secretary and Treasurer. I am happy to discuss these roles with any prospective volunteer.
Please also forward any nominations for Honorary Life Membership of the Association by 6th April 2022, along with a brief explanation as to why you have nominated them.
NOTE: This AGM includes an agenda item to update our constitution to that provided by England Hockey
Regards
Gareth Parr
Hon.Secretary
(Links will become active as reports become available)
Notice is hereby given of the 2021 Annual General Meeting of the Nottinghamshire Hockey Association
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic this meeting;
will be held on Wednesday 1st September @ 7pm
via Zoom – Details will be forwarded to Club Secretaries we have on record.
Clubs are expected to have TWO voting members attend.
The Agenda, Minutes of the previous AGM, officers reports and any other relevant papers will be placed in this post on the NHA website before the meeting.
Would clubs please forward any nominations for Executive posts and for any vacant committee positions (along with proposer and seconder details) to be received by the Secretary no later than 5pm on 15th August 2021. Please note there are upcoming vacancies for both Secretary and Treasurer.
Please also forward any nominations for Honorary Life Membership of the Association by 15th August 2021, along with a brief explanation as to why you have nominated them.
Regards
Gareth Parr
Hon.Secretary
(Links will become active as reports become available)
Notice is hereby given of the 2020 Annual General Meeting of the Nottinghamshire Hockey Association
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic this meeting.
will be held on Thursday 23rd July @7pm
via Zoom – Details will be forwarded to Club Secretaries we have on record.
Clubs are expected to have TWO voting members attend.
The Agenda, Minutes of the previous AGM, officers reports and any other relevant papers will be placed in this post on the NHA website before the meeting.
Would clubs please forward any nominations for Executive posts and for any vacant committee positions (along with proposer and seconder details) to be received by the Secretary no later than 5pm on 9th July 2020.
Please also forward any nominations for Honorary Life Membership of the Association by 9th July 2020, along with a brief explanation as to why you have nominated them.
Regards
Gareth Parr
Hon.Secretary
(Links will become active as reports become available)
On Saturday 1st June Nottinghamshire found themselves back at the Nottingham Hockey Centre, looking to continue their unbeaten run in this year’s competition and gain promotion in to ‘A’ Division, the top-flight in County hockey.
Between them and a promotion place were the Isle of Man. These two sides have met several times over the last few years, the last meeting a gripping 5-5 draw in Bedford.
As the sun came out and with the temperature and humidity rising, Notts started strongly. Inside the first minute, Notts captain, Steve Batten, drove down the baseline towards goal and his pinpoint shot beat the Isle Of Man keeper, Will Margot, to put Notts 1-0 up. The game however remained in the balance and on 20 minutes the Isle of Man gained a penalty corner. Andy Whiting’s drag flick, hit the Notts post man and deflected wide. The umpires conferred and, deciding it was on target, awarded a penalty stroke. Whiting stepped up to calmly convert and the sides went into half time at 1-1.
Notts started the second half brightly, buoyed on by a great half time team-talk by new coach Matt Orridge. It obviously did the trick! On 40 minutes, after some sustained pressure, Notts won a penalty corner, cooly dispatched into the bottom left corner by Sam Dixon. Then, two goals in two minutes, the first an alternate penalty corner routine converted by Steve Batten and then a screamer from Notts left wing back, James Fisher, saw Notts go in to the final 16 minutes with a 4-1 advantage. Then came the comeback… An Isle of Man penalty corner led to a hugely disputed penalty stroke, converted again by Whiting and just a minute later the Isle of Man’s Jonny Callow scored a penalty corner to bring the Isle of Man within one with 12 minutes still to go. Some stout Notts defending held the Isle of Man at bay. Two minutes from time the Isle of Man swapped out their ‘keeper for an extra outfield player and then, as time ran out, the Isle of Man earned a penalty corner. Whiting’s drag flick, saved by Notts keeper Neill Slane, was then judged to have hit one of his own defenders, preventing a goal and yet another controversial penalty stroke was awarded. With the final action of the game, the Isle of Man’s Andy Whiting completed his hat-trick of penalty strokes to send the game into a penalty shootout.
After five strokes the score stood at 3-2 to Notts, but Notts ‘keeper, Neill Slane was getting closer to each of the Isle of Man flicks. He got a large part of the Isle of Man’s third but couldn’t keep it out. Notts then scored their fourth. Notts’ Slane finally got a full left glove to the Isle of Man’s fourth stroke and it was Notts’ James Fisher who ensured that Notts went into the final, and gained promotion, with a cool final stroke when the pressure was on.
In the other semi-final, Lancashire beat the Channel Islands 6-2 to set up a Nottinghamshire v Lancashire final.
With promotion already secured, and with the sun beating down, Notts were quick out of the gates yet again. Notts skipper, Steve Batten, again driving down the baseline saw his pull back across goal hit a Lancashire foot. The resulting penalty corner calmly dispatched low to the Lancashire ‘keeper’s right, by Sam Dixon, to put Notts 1-0 up inside 3 minutes. But Lancashire remained calm in their play and on 9 minutes scored from free play. On 20 minutes, during a superb smothering save by Notts no.2 ‘keeper Jason Ward, Ben Docherty was controversially adjudged to have deliberately impeded the Lancashire forward whilst clearing the rebound and a penalty stroke was awarded, but no personal penalty. With Notts losing their cool, Lancashire increased their lead just 2 minutes later. Notts regrouped and after a short team talk by captain Batten, regained their calmness and began to get themselves back in to the game, just as half-time arrived.
Within 5 minutes of the restart Notts had reduced the deficit to one, with another classic Sam Dixon penalty corner goal, before Lancashire regained their two-goal advantage through a penalty corner of their own. With Lancashire legs tiring, Notts were now applying all the pressure, limiting Lancashire to speculative long balls and deep aerials to relive the pressure on their defence. With 12 minutes to go, Notts young star, Jude Chapman, broke through the Lancashire defence and his quick thinking saw him create the necessary space to catch the Lancashire ‘keeper by surprise and slot the ball past him to bring Notts back within one. Could it be Notts turn for a comeback? Chapman then hit the post, the ball bouncing back onto a defender’s foot for a Notts penalty corner. The resulting Sam Dixon penalty corner was deflected by Chapman and his quick thinking saw him knock the rebound from the ‘keepers save back past him, only to see it agonisingly hit the post again. A reckless challenge from a Lancashire full-back was punished with a 2 minute green card, when almost all were expecting a 5, or even 10, minute yellow card. Notts pulled ‘keeper Ward with 5 minutes to go, but Lancashire’s experience in the dying minutes showed and they managed to hold out to win 4-3.
Overall this has been a great campaign for Notts. Our aim/long term plan was to make it to Finals day – we went one step further and gained promotion. The squad over the Preliminary tournament and Finals day was made up of 9 separate clubs, that brings about its own challenges, but with a sympathetic coach, guiding the squad to play to their strengths who knows what might happen next year when we take on the might of the ‘A’ Division counties!
Nottinghamshire 2019 Squad Back row (L-R) Ben Docherty, Jason Ward, Alex Whitt, Steve Batten, Jack Howard, Ryan Day, Jude Chapman, James Fisher, Henry Godkin, Matt Orridge (Coach), Gareth Parr (Manager) Front row (L-R) Neill Slane, Max Sowter, Ken Gainsford, Alex Davies, Josh Dixon, Sam Dixon, Josh Singleton, Chris Powell, Ali Lewis, Manny Soar (Ass. Coach) Not Present – Charlie Brook
We’d like to thank everyone that’s made it a memorable weekend!
The weekend opened with Hosts Nottinghamshire v. Cornwall.
Long periods of sustained pressure from the hosts along with some stout defending from Cornwall meant the game was scoreless, until Notts’ Jude Chapman forced a scrappy PC over the line just before half time. Cornwall responded early in the second half with an open play goal by Alfie Budge, capitalising on a rare Notts defensive error. Notts finally sealed a 2-1 victory in their opening game when Sam Dixon converted a PC with 5 minutes to go.
The second game of the day saw Wiltshire play Norfolk.
Another evenly balanced game. Norfolk started strongly and took an early lead through Guy Crooks form open play. Norfolk doubled their lead on 17 minutes through Vincent Pertorious. Just before half time Wiltshire’s Matt Janes pulled one back and gave Wiltshire some momentum going in to the break. Two goals around the hour mark, one each for Wiltshire’s Marc Brothers and Tom Morton completed the comeback for a 3-2 win.
The third game of the day saw far travelling Channel Islands take on the Hosts Nottinghamshire.
In what was billed to be the game of the weekend, the Channel Islands started strongly, after their epic journey the morning of the tournament, with a goal by Phil Cuming after just 6 minutes. It wasn’t until early in the second half that Notts’ Sam Dixon pulled the sides level from a Penalty Corner. The Channel Islands regained their lead just 9 minutes later through Sam Dunstan, following another rare Notts defensive error. But two goals in three minutes, Sam Dixon’s second PC conversion and a field goal from Notts’ captain Charlie Brook saw the hosts home 3-2.
The fourth game of the day say Cornwall v. Norfolk
Cornwall were eager to bounce back after their close defeat to the hosts, but two first half goals From Norfolk’s Vincent Pretorious and another two after the break from Norfolk captain Will Edwards and Lee Hoggett saw Norfolk 4-0 victors.
The final game of day one saw Wiltshire take on the Channel Islands
An early goal by the Channel Islands’ Bill Millar put Wiltshire on the back foot and the Channel Islands took advantage with further goals from Peter Millar and captain Tom Millar, before Wiltshire responded though an open play goal from Sam Creedy, however a second by the Channel Islands’ Tom Millar would restore the Channel Islands’ 3 goal advantage shortly before half time. Two more Channel Islands goals in the second half, by Michael James and Tom Millar completing his hat-trick, spurred Wiltshire into a spirited comeback late on, but goals by Paddy Gompels and Jack Gompels we not enough to halt the Channel Islands 6-3 win.
Sun and blue skies welcomed the teams on day 2 at the Nottingham Hockey Centre, a stark contrast to the dull and drizzly weather on day one.
Cornwall v Channel Islands
The Channel Islands again started strongly, two goals in the opening 11 minutes, from Sam Dunstan and Peter Millar saw them take a two-goal lead. Cornwall bounced back level through Jonny Heward and Michael James but a further two goals from Jamie Bolton and Tom Millar saw the Channel Islands regain their two-goal advantage at half time. A spirited fight back saw Cornwall get back within one when Martin Rowe converted a Penalty Corner, before the Channel Islands Sam Dunstan restored their 5-3 advantage at the final whistle.
The second game of Day two saw the hosts, Nottinghamshire, back in action, this time against Norfolk.
Both sides were evenly matched, and it was only a 17th minutes Penalty Stroke, after an accidental foot on the line, converted by Sam Dixon, that separated the sides at half time. After the break, Notts came out all gun firing, and three goals in 4 minutes, Sam Dixon completing his hat-trick and another by Chris Powell, put Norfolk on the defensive. Two further goals, from Notts’ Charlie brook and Jude Chapman would seal the victory 6-0.
Game 3 of day two saw Wiltshire take on Cornwall. A win was vital for Wiltshire in order to stay in the running for a final’s day qualification place.
However, it was Cornwall that started strongly, determined to make the long journey worthwhile, they took a two-goal lead through Martin Rowe and Mark Symons inside 11 minutes. Wiltshire pulled one back almost immediately through Ben Clarke and so it would stay until the 63rd minutes when Wiltshire equalised through Jack Gompels. A nervy last 7 minutes for Cornwall as Wiltshire piled on the pressure, but they held out for a 2-2 draw.
The penultimate game of the weekend saw Norfolk take on the Channel Islands. A win for Norfolk could see them Challenge the Channel Islands for a finals place.
The game was extremely tight. Very few errors made by either side and it took 30 minutes for the Channel Islands captain, Tom Millar, to break the deadlock. Norfolk looked for a response and threw everything forward, but a goal 8 minutes from time by Channel Islands’ Sam Dunstan sealed a 2-0 win and the mathematical possibility of finishing the group top, should Notts falter in the last game of the weekend.
And so to the final game of two cracking days of hockey, played both on and off the pitch in the greatest of competitive and social spirits, Wiltshire v hosts Nottinghamshire. With Nottinghamshire looking for their first 100% record for many years.
Notts started strongly and there was no reply possible by Wiltshire. Notts’ skipper, Charlie Brook, put them ahead on just 4 minutes, followed by Jude Chapman on 10. Sam Dixon converted a Penalty Corner on 19 minutes and Notts went into half time three-up. With tiredness setting in, Wiltshire had no reply to further goals from Chris Powell and Alex Davies and Jude Chapman completing a great personal weekend with his hat-trick and Notts running out 7-0 winners.
Nottinghamshire Squad 2019 Back Row – Matt Orridge (Coach), Jason Ward, Ryan Day, Henry Godkin, Jude Chapman, Alex Whitt, Neill Slane, James Fisher, Ali Lewis, Gareth Parr (Manager) Front Row – Ben Docherty, Ken Gainsford, Alex Davies, Josh Singleton, Charlie Brook (Captain), Sam Dixon, Chris Powell, Josh Dixon, Manny Soar (ass. coach), Jack Howard
