Weekly Update - Be our difference !

Game Day is upon us !

The Ladies 1's host West Herts HC in our crucial play off this Saturday 22nd April at 2pm. We need the loudest and proudest crowd of the season down to cheer the girls on and give them every advantage ! West Herts have already been relegated back to the East Premier Division so travel with their pride to play for. So please come along to support the ladies and help do your bit to keep National League Hockey at Timperley next season. Entry is free - programmes in return for a donation.

If you're not familiar with the format the three 9th placed teams from East, West and North National Conference Divisions play each other once in a round robin and the top team gets to stay up in IWHL the following season - joined by the five Regional Premier Division Champions. 10th place Conference teams have already been relegated automatically.

So the drama couldn't be greater ! Here's what the Ladies 1 need to do and need that home support to achieve:

Win by 4 clear goals or more
- so we'd pip Exe HC to stay in IWHL by a better goal difference. (Exe are on a GD of +3)

If we only win by 3 clear goals and are on equal GD of +3 with Exe - it then goes down to goals scored so we have to score 6 goals or more on the day to beat Exe.

FInally, if we win 5 -2 v West Herts we have to play Exe HC again both sides are tied on GD, GF and GA !

So for the spectators the afternoon couldn't be set up to be more exciting ! We wish the girls and coaching team ever success and we know you can do it.

Thanks to Dave Halkyard and #Hockeydog for doing the updates on Twitter and Facebook so if you cant make it down get your phone at the ready ! Thanks also to Ruth Evans who is our Match Day Sponsor and Chief Steward for the day too !

Training, training and more training !

The club was a hive of hockey activity last Tuesday and if you'd have been down you'd have seen the great sight of the hockey at Timperley in its full glory ! We had our Under 10 Girls and Boys and Under 12 Boys playing practice games ahead of North Finals next to our Ladies 1's warming up ready to play a practice game v our Men's Over 50's followed by taking on the Ladies Over 35. It says much for our sport that players from under 10 to over 50 can all enjoy our sport with such passion and in such a positive team based environment. One more weeks training for the Vets and the Youngsters before they head off to North and EH Trophy finals over Bank Holiday weekend.

We've also got some of our Under 16 Boys still training with Altrincham Grammar School for Boys as they prepare for the National Schools Finals next week down at Lee Valley on Wednesday (26th) and Thursday (27th). Good luck to Ben Entwisle, Ben Nicholson, Harry Whitaker and Luke Holland.

Planning, planning and some more planning !

Hopefully everyone will have seen the latest Timperley Sports Club Update (download attachment) and had the email inviting them to complete the survey that will feed into the planning and setting a clear new vision for the club to guide future developments. If you're a member, or parent of an academy member and you haven't had an email with a link to the survey please email timperleyhc@gmail.com - do check your spam box first ! The closing date is Monday 24th April.

Timperley Sports Club also ran a really insightful workshop this week to help shape up thoughts and ideas around what the club might be like in 3 years time. We had a great cross section of people from across all four sports and the club staff, facilitated by an organisation called Sporting Assets. Thanks to all those who attended from hockey. The emerging ideas and results of the survey will be shared at the TSC AGM on 11th May - so do come along to find out more. TSC AGM Paper's will be emailed out soon and will include section and other written reports in advance this year - this will give more time at the meeting for discussion and questions and the Project18 session.

There's also a hockey committee meeting this week when we'll be progressing our own pre season plans for 2017-18. Work is going well to refresh the hockey programmes we run, including looking at training across all ages. We'll be updating everyone at the Hockey AGM (and presentations) on Sunday 14th May along with other updates on whats planned for the section and how we'll be gathering more of your ideas and views too. We've slightly delayed our hockey survey to avoid overload with the TSC Survey.

We're also on the look our for new committee members and for people to get involved with a range of roles from doing the match day posters each week, to keeping team areas of the website vibrant and up to date, to finding new captains, volunteer coaches and parent manager through to main committee roles. Next week we'll be updating on the opportunities to get involved and help take the section forward.

Jackie Lord and Pat Jones are also putting the finishing touches to the planning for this years Summer League's for Men (Tuesday's) and Women (Wednesday's). Summer League starts on 16th and 17th May and is not only a good social hockey experience it is also a major fund-raiser for the section so do get involved in helping make it a success. Alex Morley is also having a final push to get teams along to the Men's Tournament on 6th May - so if you know of any teams interested get in touch with Alex asap.

Finally, plans for the 140th Anniversary Event at the club on 24th June have been finalised by the Club Executive and details will be announced next week as we reveal something completely different by way of a great club night out !

That's all for this week - apart from wishing the Ladies 1 every success and to smash the goals into those lovely new blue goals we purchased in the summer and bring on the IWHL at Timperley next season !

****April 200 Club Draw will take place at 6.30pm on Saturday 22nd April - why not join for £4 a month - see Nick Burnett for a Standing Order Form and to pick your number****