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Annual Report

Annual Report​

It has been another successful year for West Hampstead Hockey Club, both on and off the pitch. At the time of writing, we have 297 fully paid members, exceeding our original forecast of 225 members. This includes 157 men and 140 women – a testament to the ongoing appeal of our club.

Off the Pitch

We have made significant strides in the administration and management of the club this year. The introduction of Teamo has streamlined many of our processes, making it much easier to manage finances, club activities and communication. A major milestone for the club was achieving ClubMark accreditation in July last year, this recognition from England Hockey showcases that we are operating as a ‘great club’ with a safe environment.

Financially, we are in a strong position and are projected to finish the year with a balance of £15,550.97, we had budgeted to finish on a surplus of £1,500. The variance is due to the difference in membership in comparison to our budget. Our financial position has allowed us to make a few key investments in the club such as the purchase of four new goals, the purchase of the Veo camera, and with the support of our parent club CLTC we saw the refurbishment of the women's changing rooms at HCC.

We've had a jam-packed social calendar this season, and the biggest event is just around the corner. We're excited to bring back a sit-down meal in a brand-new location. Don't forget to submit your nominations for the Damo Award if you haven't already! The shortlist will open for voting early next week.

Finally, a huge shoutout to Sudheer for another incredible year of match teas. Despite rising costs, Sudheer has continued to deliver excellent post-match food, and magnums!

On the Pitch

On the pitch, we have enjoyed equal success, fielding 16 teams in the London Leagues and continuing to maintain a strong presence. From our 303 games played in leagues we have

  • Won: 127
  • Drawn: 42
  • Lost: 127

Huge congratulations to our Women's 4s and Women’s 6s who have already secured promotion, and to our Men’s 3s who have secured a top of the table finish. A special mention must also go to Grace Guthrie, who is currently the top goal-scorer across all London leagues, an incredible achievement!

Additionally, six of our teams competed in the England Hockey Cup Championships, with the Men’s Tier 3 squad progressing to the semi-final and our Mixed Team are still in the competition.

Our umpiring community continues to grow, with 63 members umpiring this season. A special shout-out to Al Whiting and Robyn Copp Barton, who have both passed their Level 1 Umpiring Assessments this year.

We have also placed a strong focus on coaching, with over 31 members stepping up, and we welcomed Jimmy, our international player-coach to the set-up. A special shout-out to Pia and Thatch who have lead their teams to promotion. We have invested a lot in coaching throughout the season, some call outs:

  • Specialist small group sessions in pre season
  • Coaching development session - to give our coaches the chance to learn new skills & discuss how to improve
  • Coaching equipment investment - rebound boards, large coaching whiteboard, Veo
  • Lots of video recordings (40 in total with 1810 views) with video analysis across all levels

Also a thank you to Michael L, Robyn Copp-Barton and Ed Hill for their support in running the summer programme last year!

Acknowledgements

I would like to extend a special thank you to Georga, who took on the coordination, installation, and upkeep of our new goals, all while managing the day-to-day responsibilities of Fixtures Secretary. A big thank you also goes to everyone who generously volunteered their time to help with the goal build.

A huge thank you also goes to our captains, coaches, and umpires who dedicate their time to ensure smooth operations and success on the pitch.

I would also like to express my thanks to all the committee members, but particularly those stepping down this year. Your dedication, passion, and hard work have been instrumental to the club’s success:

  • Jared, who has taken on multiple committee roles throughout his time. Your support on a personal level and continued presence remain at the core of our club.
  • Harry, who, during his year as Welfare Officer, has tackled his responsibilities with diligence and compassion. Notably, his hard work on shaping our club’s stance in response to England Hockey’s Trans Policy changes.
  • Michael K, who over the past three seasons, has played a pivotal role in nurturing our umpiring talent, successfully guiding too many umpires through assessments.
  • Niki, whose short but impactful stint saw the implementation of new processes that have really improved the club processes, and strengthened our relationship with the Cumberland.
  • Cookie, who has been at the heart of our club for the past two seasons, bringing so much commitment and enthusiasm, you’ve really helped to support a really inclusive and welcoming environment for the mens section.

Finally, none of what we do at West Hampstead would be possible without our incredible members. To each of you, thank you for your support and being part of West Hampstead HC. Let’s continue building on this success. Here’s to another season.

Many thanks,

Sophie Mills

WHHC Chairperson