TOP TIGERS & THIRD SPOT

Highfields Hockey Centre in Nottingham was the place to be last weekend when the annual YAZOO National Youth Hockey Festival provided fun, excitement and anxiety – and some fine hockey for hundreds of young players, parents and other supporters to enjoy under sunshine and showers.

Saturday featured the Under 9 Wild Festival and playing as Tigers the HMHC team, under coach Helen Brook and manager David Brook, played some good hockey to win all their games against Wolves (Wakefield), Swans (St Neots Wombles), Reindeer (Cheltenham) and Star Fish (Stockport). Our promising team of boys and girls proved how well they had been coached and tutored (thank you Helen and David) in the techniques and rules of the game and it is to be hoped they continue to enjoy their hockey. In all 40 teams, including Kangaroos (Norwich City), played in eight groups of five in this innovative event with no overall winner.

On Sunday it was the turn of the U11 and U13 Boys and Girls to take centre stage in their respective national mini finals with the HMHC U13 Girls, as East Champions, looking to win their ninth event of a remarkable season. Their first match was against Lichfield HC and after dominating the first half they lost to a breakaway goal after the interval. This was a setback but wins in their remaining three matches could still give the team a good chance to retrieve the situation. Next up were Dean Close Prep School and after going behind a goal by Holly Baker quickly got Magpies level before running out comfortable 4-1 winners.

A tense 2-0 win, with both goals by Sarah Brook, over Wakefield GHS kept the team on course and with other results keeping us in touch we went into our last match against Kingston Grammar needing a win by any margin to take the championship instead of our opponents. After going 2-0 and 3-1 up things looked promising but a goal by Kingston seconds before the interval and another two immediately afterwards turned the game on its head and our chances now looked bleak. Holly pulled a goal back near the end but the outstanding Kingston team, and deserved championship winners, had the last word with another goal at the final whistle to win 6-4. With Lichfield disobligingly winning their last game our team was pushed down into third place in the round-robin event.

However, the squad and coach Nick McAllen and manager Nigel Wooltorton can take great credit for their performance which did the club proud. To be the third best team in the country is a tremendous achievement. My thanks and congratulations to Nick and Nigel and to every member of the squad including captain Sarah Brook (Player of the Tournament) and Holly Baker the tournament’s leading scorer with six goals. My thanks also to Heidi Wooltorton for making so efficiently all the hotel arrangements for the squad and supporters and to Neville and Sarah Chubbock for their sponsorship of the players’ commemorative tops.

The 2008/9 season is now over and the U13 Girls have played their full part in making it one of the most successful in the history of the club. I hope all members of the club are able to recharge their batteries over the summer before getting back into pre-season training!

Other comments in brief:

· Congratulations to Old Loughtonians HC on winning the Boys’ U13 Minis on the adjacent pitch to our girls.

· It was good to see ex-Magpies Tim Whiteman and Alex Smith playing for Beeston and Reading respectively in the EH Cup Finals at Highfields on Saturday afternoon. Both finished on the losing side as Reading beat Beeston 3-1 in an exciting men’s final and Reading Ladies lost 2-1 in a closely fought game against the all-conquering Bowdon Hightown. But there are consolations for both Tim and Alex as Beeston have qualified for next season’s Euro Hockey League and Reading Ladies have been promoted to EH’s Premier Division following their league exploits this season.

· Summer Ball (Saturday 4 July 2009). If you have not already paid to confirm your place/table would you please do so a.s.a.p. please to Jose Tibbenham. A few places are still available for singles/couples – please contact Jose (01379 854160); you will be very welcome.

You are cordially invited to the following:

· Sun/Mon 24/25 May – Topcroft Open Gardens (10 in all), 11am-5pm. Refreshments, Cake Stall, Raffle – £3 entry with proceeds to St. Margaret’s Church, Topcroft. Why not go and try to find some weeds in club secretary Daphne Beckett’s garden?!

· Thursday 18 June – Annual General Meeting (8.00pm) – agenda to be issued next week.

· Sunday 21 June – Strawberry Luncheon, Ivy House Alburgh (by kind permission of Malcolm and Sue Blackham). Tickets are £10 (adults), £5 (children 7 to 12) – with children under 7 free – and are obtainable from Daphne Beckett (Tel: 07850 709297) or David Alexander (Tel: 01508 530237).

· Sunday 5 July in the Ball marquee – Jazz On A Summer’s Afternoon. Bring your picnic and relax to the cool sounds of the Dixie Jazz Bandits. Gates open 3.00pm. Tickets £10, accompanied U18s free – please contact Mike the Mender (Withinshaw) on 01379 852002. This event is being organised jointly by Harleston Lions, Scouts and Magpies HC.

With kind regards to all HMHC members and supporters.

Mike Denham Tel: 01603 506925 E-mail: [email protected] 19/5/09