Sudbury Hockey Club hosts successful new-look open day ahead of 2024/25 season starting
A revised format of Sudbury Hockey Club’s annual ‘Club Day’ event was hailed a success.
Held at the AstroTurf pitch at Great Cornard Leisure Centre on Sunday, the day combined the start of junior training along with fun hockey matches, a barbecue and a chance to browse club merchandise from CSS Rugby. Sudbury-based physiotherapy and sports injury clinic, Physio Motive were also on hand to talk to people about their work.
The day started at 10.30am with a junior session and games with parents as a prelude to their hockey training which starts this Sunday (9.30am).
An open invitation for anyone of any age or ability to ‘Get Back to Hockey’ or ‘Have a Go’ then followed.
The club welcomed back a former player, and his family, as well as several parents who are new to hockey, all who ended up mingling with some of the senior club players to play an impromptu small-sided game with the youngest player being just six years old.
The game was slowed to walking pace, which was good to see, especially as walking hockey, like the more well-known walking football, is growing in popularity.
Nicky Waterson was one of those delighted to have taken part, saying: “I have never played hockey before and the last hour was really good fun.
“I like the power behind the stick and my step count has increased by several thousands.
“I didn’t think I could do this and today I proved myself wrong, plus, I scored a goal!”
Her two children, Max and Lana, along with cousins Blake and Riley, enjoy playing hockey and having fun at the Sunday morning sessions. They are certainly keen with Max saying that “playing at home on bumpy ground improves my skills” and Riley said that she “learns to dribble and pass”.
As a way of acknowledging players’ input to the club, they are invited to play in the annual Chairman’s XI versus President’s XI match. With the late afternoon heat the game was played in quarters and president Tim Blackburn’s team took the lead through Simon Hardingham’s goal in the first quarter. They were winning until Sam Clark equalised in the third quarter bringing the score to 1-1, which is how it stayed.
Chairman Paul Rolfe said: “It was a hard-fought match in the right spirit and bodes well for a promising start to the season.”
Match fees went towards helping Tim Blackburn fund his forthcoming trip to New Zealand to represent England in the Men’s Over-60s team in the Masters Hockey World Cup.
By September 12 all sessions at the club are set to be back to full stick and ball training.
For more information about the club, please their website: www.sudburyhockeyclub.co.uk
