Meet your Captain

After promotion the season before, last season was a bit of a frustration. The men’s first team easily has the ability and skill to do well in the current league - as we’ve shown on many occasions. It’s getting that consistency that has evaded us. My objectives for this season are as follows.

·         To build on the effort of last season to improve the confidence and the consistency of our game play in every match

·         Build the team spirit and banter

·         Promotion

With all this in mind I’m looking for commitment. As first team players we have to set an example to the rest of the club. Selection will be based on availability, commitment to training and skill. This means that I’d like to see all the first team at as many training sessions as possible, full availability for every game, and as many people as possible at the pub afterwards and to the social nights.

Those who have played under my captaincy before will know that I am a firm believer that it is those teams which show a good spirit with drive and passion that win hockey matches not necessarily those teams with the most skillful players.

I will therefore be looking to build a squad based around a core set of principles which will include a regular commitment to matches and training and a desire to improve and better themselves with the aim of eventually playing 1st XI team hockey. With this attitude I am confident that we will be able to secure promotion back to the West Midlands 1 Division.

The mens 3’s is going to building a solid foundation this season, after having a tough time in a higher division last season and consequently  dropping back down to East Mids 2. The club’s junior academy is starting to feed players into the senior teams and the 3’s is where we will give these younger players the experience to develop their game. We’ve got some good experienced players in the club as well. The 3’s will be a more relaxed team (don’t read that as a less committed or less competitive team) where we enjoy playing and also bring on new talent to feed into the higher teams. I’m expecting a core of players who are committed to playing every week, with others who play as much as they are able, and if you’re wanting to move up through the club it’s essential you train regularly as well.

Over the course of the past few seasons, Leamington Ladies 1XI have strided up the leagues and have grown from strength to strength.  Last season, with the best defensive record in the league, the Ladies Ones maintained a strong position, following their previous promotion. With the support of our committed and passionate coach, Bryan Frazer, the team are looking forward to challenging the other clubs in Midlands Division 2 and getting stuck into some hard work (and play), which will hopefully result in another successful season.

From my first game for Leamington I knew two things; the Ladies 2s were in the wrong division!!  And they were a lively, sociable and fun bunch of girls. I was lucky enough to be asked to stand in at the end of last season when our Captain was injured so I already know that Captaining the Ladies 2s is not so much a job but a real privilege. This season we all hope that we can be close to challenging for promotion but whatever the outcome we will play our hockey hard and enjoy ourselves doing it. And we will play hard off the pitch and enjoy ourselves doing it.

After a slightly disheartening end to last season, the 3XI are ready and raring to go. We are determined to start this season off with a bang and are aiming for promotion this year. As well as having to put in some hard work, we are looking forward to a fun, successful and enjoyable season.

Details to follow... watch this space!