Wirral Schools and Youth Hockey Association
Annual Report 2005/06
1. Development Activities
The Primary Schools Initiative has continued to progress this season, with ongoing support from the Wirral Hockey Development Group, and a high number of schools participating and being supported through coaching and the School Sport Coordinators.
A new and important feature this year has been the Emerging Schools League, involving secondary Schools at year 7. Again, coaching support is being made available, and a 5 – a – side competition for participating schools has been held for U14’s and U16’s girls and boys. This should become 7 – side for U14, U16 and U18 next season. It is intended that the initiative should be rolled out to a wider range of schools, and this is dependent on future Local Network Fund grant aid.
The Wirral Committee has given much thought to the EH “Single System for Hockey” proposals and consultation and we have fed in our views to the NWSYHA for consideration. Although broadly supportive of the new approach, we are concerned about the impact on already stretched volunteer resources to enable it to happen, some issues about the annual timetable and age qualifications, and when junior players should be able to participate in adult hockey.
2. Competitions
There was a full entry for the Schools County Competition, which was completed in accordance with the agreed schedule. The Finals took place at Oxton HC on 15 January 2006, with the following results:
U14 Calday Grange GS 8 Neston HS 0
U16 Calday Grange GS 3 St Anselm’s College 3 (Calday won 3 – 2 on penalty strokes)
U18 St Anselm’s College 2 Neston HS
Players in the winning teams were presented with a personal memento on the day.
The Calday and Neston teams made it through to the North West Finals, which were once again organised by Wirral on behalf of the NWSYHA at Oxton HC on 29 January 2006. The results were:
U14 Calday Grange GS 0 Altrincham GS 2
U16 Calday Grange GS 3 Merchant Taylors College 3 (Merchants won 4 – 1 on penalty strokes)
U18 Neston HS 5 Merchant Taylors College 1
Neston HS went on to contest the North Regional final against Queen Elizabeth GS Wakefield but lost 0 – 8.
In the North County Championship, Wirral again fielded teams at U14, U15 and U17 age groups. All three squads were very ably managed and coached and were fully prepared through numerous training sessions as well as friendly games against other counties and local Clubs. This included the Under 17’s v. Oxton for the inaugural Tony Powley Trophy which ended in a 0 – 0 draw. The Managers and Coaches were:
Managers: Geoff Knight (U17), Richard James (U15), Roy Parry and John Ride (U14)
Coaches: Pete McInulty and Leigh Kelly (U17), Chris Flynn (U15), Laurence McKnight (U14)
All concerned must be congratulated on their sterling work in bringing together and developing their squads.
The U14 Competition was played at Leeds on 9 October and 27 November 2005, where although our team played very creditably the results did not quite match the effort!
The U15 and U17 Competition was played over three rounds at Belle Vue, Manchester on 8 and 22 January and 2 April 2006. Unfortunately the round scheduled for 5 March had to be postponed to the April date due to bad weather. This cost the Association £300 in cancelled coach transport which we can ill afford.
The U17’s finished equal 3rd with 9 points, and the U15’s equal 4th with 8 points, very good achievements given the strength of the larger counties.
Wirral also participated in the Merseyside Youth Games (boys U13’s) on 9 July 2005, winning the competition again with W2 D1 L1. There will be no repeat this year as the Games are being discontinued. As a result the Association has decided to run a County U13 team next season to capitalise on the Emerging Schools League initiative and provide competitive hockey for players in this age group at County level.
3. Honours
Representative North West Honours achieved this season were Carl Smith (U17), Chris Scott (U15), Callum McDougall and Will Green (U14).
The Wirral Player of the Year trophies for each age group were awarded to Craig Steadman (U14), Jonathon Moxon Brown (U15), and Steve Ellsmore (U17).
4. Administration
The business of the Association is conducted mainly through it’s Committee of eight plus the three Team Managers. It has been particularly welcome that Kev Smith has joined the Committee, representing Neston interests. We have met on 6 occasions this year, and the Annual General Meeting is held in May. In addition a great deal of business is conducted in other meetings and in liaison with other bodies such as EH, NWSYHA, Merseyside Hockey Development Group, County Associations, Local Authorities and Schools. As Chairman I would like to pay tribute once again to the huge amount of voluntary and discretionary effort which the whole Committee puts in to these activities to enrich the participation of young people in Hockey.
5. Finance
The audited accounts of the Association will be presented to the AGM on 4 May. It has been a difficult year resulting in a loss. This has been caused by a number of factors, including the fact that our pitch hire fees have more than doubled in 12 months, and transport costs have increased overall exacerbated by the cancellation of the coach for Belle Vue on 5 March. For the first time we have had to invite parents to buy some Wirral kit for their children rather than providing it all. We continue to charge players for both coaching and matches, but there is little scope to raise more from this as we must remain an inclusive organisation. We have been greatly helped by the ongoing generosity of individual Committee members. The grants from Cheshire CHA and Wirral MBC are recognised as a vital source of income without which we would face significant difficulty.
6. Social Activities
We continue to promote the social as well as the playing side of hockey, and have organised events in the year to enable players, their families, schools and officials to meet together and network away from the pitch. The annual player awards were made for the first time at a Hotpot Supper at Oxton HC on 10 March, to which all players and their parents from the three age groups were invited. We were pleased to host lunches for participants in both the Wirral and North West Schools Finals. Our annual Committee dinner took place on 7 April at Prenton Golf Club.
7. Conclusion
Once more this year the Association has faced an increase in both playing and development activities, and the usual challenges on the financial front to make it all happen. However we are seeing ever more young people becoming involved in and succeeding in the sport of hockey, which at the end of the day is our primary objective. We see our role very much in partnership with schools and local authorities, and the Merseyside Hockey Development Group.
It is right to conclude with three further expressions of thanks. First to the North West Hockey Umpiring Association, whose members willingly officiate in all of our competitions and therefore enable the whole thing to happen at all! Second to Oxton HC for the use of their facilities, particularly to Lynn Clarke for her excellent catering! Lastly to St John Ambulance for their valued attendance at both Finals days.
Mike Flynn
Chairman
Wirral Schools and Youth Hockey Association