Hello all

We are now into June, and the hockey season is going strong. WHC teams are in action across all of our age groups, from the year 1s/2s right up through to our Senior Mens and Womens. I wanted to send out a quick top of mind email now that we are approaching mid-season.

Overall, I am happy to report that we are using the QEC turf more than ever before. Apart from less trips to Cromwell, it warms my heart to see our hockey players on the turf whenever I drive (slowly) past the turf. Our usage of the turf is one of our best advertisements for the Club!

A Big Thank You!

A big thank you to the large group of people that has enabled our players to get out there and play. The Committee, coaches, managers, umpires and others have all been working hard behind - and sometimes in front of - the scenes. Many parents have also pitched in, whether to organise car-pools, halftime lollies, or providing side-line encouragement. We are a club of volunteers, and we are lucky to have a fantastic culture that is supportive of our players. We especially love the sideline representation at home games!

Umpiring

Umpiring is an area where I receive feedback every year. We are working both at the Committee and COHA level to figure out how we can better identify and then develop umpires, but as a club we are lucky that we have a number of enthusiastic high schoolers that have put up their hands to help. It’s a cliche - but true - to say that without the umpires we don’t have a game, and as our umpires grow their skills I encourage everyone to be supportive and positive. This is especially important on the rare occasions when there is negativity from our opponents.

Supporting the Club

As a club we are lucky to have some fantastic long-term sponsors that are committed to supporting hockey. Our gold sponsor is Baileys, and our silver sponsors are Pack n Save and the Five Mile Pharmacy. We are also lucky to have support from Ferg and Sal’s Pizza in the form of player of the day awards. Please support our sponsors where you can.

Collectively, our sponsors subsidise fees and other costs (such as uniforms), and make hockey much more affordable for our players. We are in the process of looking for another silver sponsor. If you are interested, then please email the club.

Another way you can support the club is by buying a sign at the turf. A sign costs $300 (which covers making the sign), and the per-year cost is $500 (which goes straight to the club!). Again, email if you are interested.

Lastly, as a Committee we are still searching for someone to step into the role of club Secretary. The role is mainly inbox triage and meeting organization. For more detail, or if this is something you could help out with, we would love to hear from you.

Riley at the Masters World Cup

Finally, our high school super coach Riley Chandler has been appointed as the Assistant Coach of the New Zealand 35s Women competing at the Masters World Cup in Rotterdam in July. This is a self-funded trip, and Riley is fund-raising to cover the cost. In case you don’t know Riley, she is our rockstar coach of the WHS Girls First XI, who also pitches in with the WHS Boys First XI. If you are interested in helping cover the cost of the trip, please email Riley (rjchandler098@gmail.com).

That’s it for now! Enjoy the hockey season, and I will be back in touch later in the year with details of our Awards Night and AGM.

Go Waka!

Shaun

President, WHC