Yes, it's that time of year again The new hockey season will soon be upon us so it's time to dig out your boots and sticks and get back into training.

We are still hoping to be able to run 3 teams this season, but due to the ‘retirement’ of one or two longtime members, we need new players to make this viable. If you know anyone who might like to play hockey (even if they haven't played for ages!) bring them along to training. Better still, bring them along to our start of season get-together, to be held at the Club on Church Rd, on THURSDAY 31st AUGUST AT 7.30pm. There will be FREE food, drinks available, a Club display, information about the forthcoming season, a balloon race and a chance for you all to catch up on the gossip? We would like to see as many players as possible coming to this social gathering - so please make every effort to come along to what we hope will be a fun event. (Mums and Dads who may have to bring our younger players are welcome, too).

Letters from the main Club about Subs. etc. will be going out soon. Can I remind everyone that the sooner Club subscriptions are paid, the lower our costs over the season. Just reiterating what Joe says in his report, to run a hockey club requires quite a substantial cash flow. We have fees to the League of over £500 to pay at the beginning of September, and the cost of hiring astroturf pitches goes up every year. We need those subs in at the start of the season to enable us to meet these bills, so please send off your payment as soon as you get the letter.

Another big expense is kit. We have to provide all our goalies with a kit that keeps them safe, as well as the shirts for each team and a different spare set for when we have to change due to a clash of colour with another team. None of these shirts last forever, and they are expensive to replace. At present, we seem to be missing some shirts from each set, so will you all please check that you haven't got one at the back of a drawer. (That applies to the Men’s section too – Tom, Bleasy – Ed). They must be somewhere out there! If you do find one you'd forgotten you had, please return it as soon as possible, or just ring to let me know where it is - I won't shout at you, - promise!

Make sure you make a date in your diary for the 31st August. Look forward to seeing you all then and have a great season.