Attendees:
Sue Attridge, Becky Batsford-Webb, Jess Batsford-Webb, Jo Carpay, Becky Florida Hopson, Cath James, Sam Phipps, Eli Thomas, Sue Wood, Sandra Westbrook, Elaine Burns, Hannah Greening, Liz Greening, Bethan Greening, Sue Collins, Gabby Kent, Becky Moore, Sophie Poxon, Hannah Westbrook, Doug Cave, Jane Sixsmith, Sarah Cross-Fellows, Tessa Collins, Carol Eustace, Caitlin George Charlotte Cross-Fellows, Tess Guest

Season’s summary

• Thanks to Sam for collating all the data this season! Four people had 2 MoM in the short season - Tanisha P, Geogie R, Liz M, Eli T (35 players got MoM in 6 matches played!).
• Ladies 1s - only played 6 league matches due to Covid, were top of the league at that point. Scored 26, conceded 10. Emma McCabe 5 goals.
• Ladies 2s - played 5 games, played all the top teams, finishing 9th scored 4, conceded 12 (BFH, Pox, Jasper, Evie)
• Ladies 3s - 6 games, 8th place on 7 points, scored 8 goals. Top GS - Becky Wooton 3 goals.
• Ladies 4s - 6 games, 2nd place, on 15 points, scored 15 goals. Top GS - Olivia Harrison on 6 (Top for all teams). Well done to the 4s!
• Ladies 5s - 5 games, 10th on 3 points. Top GS - Izzy Hurrion on 2
• Ladies 6s - 6 games, 11th place on 3 points, scored 8 goals. Top Goal Scorers: Lisa Abbott, Jess Harris, Hayey Newcombe, Grace Chew (2 each)
• Ladis 7s - 5 games, finished 10th on 1 point, 6 goals. 1 each:
• Thanks to all the Captains & Vice-captains and everyone who has helped with all the spring/summer hockey.
• Thanks to all the GKs for their flexibility and helping out with different teams: Ira, Sam, Ann, Jo & Bats.

Acknowledgements

• Thank you to all players, captains, umpires, coaches and committee members for being part of a really successful season of hockey, despite all the challenges we’ve faced. In addition to thanking the committee members individually, particular thanks to those who organised and helped deliver the Training@Home and Spring/Summer hockey sessions. Well done and thank you to Emily Peers who coached and inspired the U18 girls and to our summer league captains. We’re all very excited that our potential for future hockey stars continues … with Bats and Jess’s baby due on November 30th. Congratulations!
• Also to Sue Wod, on her retirement from an amazing football career and we look forward to her getting even more involved in hockey in the coming season!
• Chloe Cherry came to Sutton in recent years and immediately made an impact. She has been vice-captain of the 4s for two years and this past season, with her medical expertise, has taken on the role of Covid Officer for the ladies section, supporting Ian Harding and the Covid team in ensuring we have all been able to play hockey this year. We wish Chloe and Roger all the best with their next adventures ‘up north’, especially with next year’s wedding, and look forward to keeping in touch with you both
• Sue Attridge joined the club in the 2006/07 season … and the following year became treasurer! She was treasurer from 2007/8 until 2011/12; then ladies chairperson from 2012 to 2017. Sue had a year off in the 2017/18 season and they we persuaded her back to take on the co-club captain with Becky BW, a role in which she has had the utmost respect from everyone, supporting numerous players and captains in the 3s – 7s . After three seasons as club captain, Sue is stepping back for now to focus on exciting opportunities outside of hockey, but we look forward to our boomerang Subo continuing to be a highly valued member of the club … and maybe re-joining the committee again at some point in the future
• Elaine Burns was first involved in Sutton Ladies supporting her daughter Ellie. A talented former player herself, Elaine then became an umpire, coordinating the umpires for a number of seasons. For the past 10 years!, from 2011/12 through to 2020/21, Elaine has been our incredibly well organised and efficient Fixtures Secretary. She has taken up golf in recent years and will be an invaluable member of the committee there too. Thank you for all you have done for Sutton hockey!
• Sandra Westrbook joined the club in 1977 and took on the publicity role a few years afterwards doing match reports and newsletters. She became Club Secretary in the 1980s and was in the role when Sutton Ladies were European Champions and hosted the Championship at Birmingham University. It was all very different - no smart phones or laptops back then! Sandra helped with the start-up of junior hockey, social events and was 3rd team captain when we were struggling to get 3 teams out. She can’t remember exactly when she became membership secretary and then wanted to stay on the Committee to ensure the merger with the Men’s club took place. More recently, Sandra remained for another year helping embed our online membership system …. and the following year Covid happened. She guesses that covers about 40 years! “Now seems a good time to step down” although, we’re very relieved that Sandra has said she’ll continue to support the club in any way she can. Time for a change! Thank you SO much Sandra … we would like to offer you life membership and make you a vice-president of Sutton Hockey Club.
• Thanks to the rest of the committee: Jo Carpay - Umpire coordinator, Sam Phipps - Treasurer, Eli Thomas - Socials, Jasper - President, Becky FH - Secretary, Jess BW- Branding, Karen Slater - Welfare and Club captains: Becky BW & Sue Attridge; Chair: Cath James

Update on proposed club structure

• Although SCHC has been one club for a few years now, we have still been functioning fairly separately as mens, ladies and junior sections, with separate committees. This season has seen us working towards operating as one whole club. The plan is to combine a number of positions (club communications officer; club treasurer etc), making the most of volunteers and not duplicating roles. For example there will be one club membership officer, with different people supporting. There will continue to be separate club captains and fixtures secretaries for mens and ladies.
• The plan is for coaching to become more coordinated. Thanks to Doug Cave who has agreed to do take on a coaching coordinator role across the sections.
• The Player Development Working Group has met with representatives of all sections and different playing levels, proposing a mentoring programme to support players transitioning into senior hockey, both mens and ladies. All U18 hockey to be part of our academy offer.
• One overall club committee with fewer members, with smaller operational groups.
• Ladies training nights: Tuesday - higher teams, Wednesday - Club Training, both nights at Wyndley. Men will continue to train at Vesey on Tuesdays & Thursdays.
• May also offer some GK specific training for all club gks.

Election of committee members

• Club-captain; Becky Batsford-Webb. Nominated: Sarah Cross-Fellows Seconded: Jane Sixsmith
• There will be another co-club captain appointed once teams/captains are sorted in September.
• Fixtures Secretary: Sue Collins. Nominated: Cath James Seconded: Sam Phipps

AOB

• Sutton Community Games (Sat 10th & Sun 11th July, 12-5 at Wyndley). Please contact us if you can help.
• Thanks to Charlotte Cross-Fellows for introducing Jake White (PT) to the club and he is continuing to be involved in our coaching and conditioning.
• League restructure: Midlands restructure and leagues have been published, 12 leagues. 3s go into Midlands structure (Prem, Div 1, regional div 2s, 4 regionals div 3s - replacing the feeder leagues. 4-7s are in Arden (old Warwickshire league with some movements) with 3 divisions in. Centralised system for fixtures are due imminently as well as new centralised rules & new terminology.