Well, welcome to the South Nottingham Hockey Club 2023/24 season!

 

Sounds great doesn’t it?!  Well I’m excited anyway.  Given it’s August, I appreciate that many of you may be away now or looking forward to a break in August but thought I should reach out so you know what’s coming up and when.

 

Firstly, whilst I know a hard core continue to meet up on Thursday evening at Bingham - which is is a great sign of how the club has developed - please enjoy the rest of the off season and perhaps just consider the additional tempting extra beer with half an eye on maybe the gym to get trim and ready for the new season? - just a thought and your call!

 

As ever, it’s my pleasure to welcome one and all to the 2023/24 season with my usual round of admin reminders - you know you love it and would miss it if you didn’t get it:

 

-             Importantly, please register - you should have had an email

already asking you to register and maybe even pay your subs.

We’ve managed to keep the subs the same yet again and even provided some flexibility for those who are fresh out of education and looking for jobs or just into jobs.  South’s subs are a real value for money in Nottinghamshire and one of the focuses of the committee in support of our values around promoting youth development and family fun.  Of course registration is really important please for everybody as without it we can not provide players with insurance.  No registration no play I’m afraid, we can’t risk you.  Sorry!  As Neil Batty keeps on saying on social media it’s 4 clicks and even Ken Shapland has managed to do it!  Thanks.  Thanks also to Gary ‘the money man’

Pickering for the organisation and functionality behind all of this.

 

-             Beyond the Summer faithful who are still gathering on Thursdays

evenings, formal training begins on Thursday 31st August at Bingham 19:30 - 21:30.  All welcome, the usual coaching support will be provided, no charge for training - how nice are we?!

 

-             Junior training starts on Sunday 10th September 10:30 - 11:30.

Again usual crew supporting with appropriate fancy dress as we go through the season!  The Halloween outfits last year were a particular highlight!  No charge

 

-             Our Fixture secretary (the legend that is Caroline Brackenbury)

is beavering away at getting some friendly fixtures in prior to the league season and we’re hoping to get this under way on Saturday 2nd September for a couple of weeks

 

-             Combining with the above on the 2nd September and on the back

of the successful awards night at the end of last season, Sammy our wonderful Social Sec. is drumming up support for Burgers, Beers and a Silent Disco (I’m of the age that I still don’t really know what that is!) at 19:00 at Butt Field Clubhouse, Bingham.  Let’s have a good turnout please and don’t forget to register on Teamer.

 

-             Then it’s the big one, the league season starts on Saturday

16th September - clear your diary and get ready for those Sunday mornings when your muscles remind you what a great game we play!

 

So that’s the dates to load up in your diary as perhaps you bask in the Mediterranean sun where a cold drizzly Bingham in February is just a bad dream!

 

Other thoughts since I’m on:

 

-             This great club has achieved yet another milestone that we

should all be proud of - 6 teams are going to be fielded every week in the 2023/24 season as we launch our 2nd XI ladies team - brilliant!  They will need all support and of course we will provide.  Love it.

 

-             Our Men’s 3rd XI under the extraordinary leadership and goal

scoring ability of their skip Grozzy - having achieved promotion in two consecutive seasons - find themselves in the same league as Ben’s 2nd XI.  Fireworks are going to ensue as for the first time in my (too long!) South Nottingham memory we have league fixtures between our own 2nd & 3rd XI’s.  Definitely a crowd drawer and don’s forget Ben and Grozzy we have a club plan!

 

So I think that’s it for the time being - something for everybody perhaps, I hope?

 

As ever, thank you to the volunteers and support that keep this great club going - you should all be very proud of what you have built here.  I am.

 

Regards

 

Simon

 

Simon Recaldin

Chair

South Nottingham Hockey Club