Dear Secretary / Head of PE

As we begin the second half of the season there are a number of important matters that must be brought to your attention.

I would request that you bring this circular and its various enclosures to the attention of all your members as soon as possible and also ensure they are made fully aware of any changes and implications.

Club Registration Fees and Documentation

Thanks to all those Club Membership Secretaries who, as requested, amended the membership printout issued some months ago and returned it together with their details of new members. It has certainly assisted in the processing of the numerous amendments that the office receives!

A number of clubs have had their Registration lists returned for a variety of reasons and I would ask that those Secretaries concerned complete the requested alterations and return their forms as soon as possible but in any event no later than 31^st January.

As is always the case players do join clubs during the season and it is vital for the new club members and the clubs themselves that registration is undertaken with the WHU. As mentioned in the past the possible consequences of a non-WHU member not having insurance are unimaginable and would undoubtedly leave any club involved with a substantial bill. This applies equally to officials, coaches and committee members as well as players of all ages – even if they only turn out for you once a month. A blank form is enclosed for your use – please make use of it.

To assist you in reviewing your members a list of all clubs’ WHU registrations will be issued in the first few weeks of January. Please use the opportunity to make certain everybody is registered.

Please also remember that no transfer of any player is permitted after 31^st December of each year unless approved by the WHU Management Committee for exceptional circumstances or if the club disbands or ceases to play. Additionally league rules vary and I would recommend that these also be checked before agreeing to any transfer request.

A number of clubs failed to return their documentation by the 30^th November despite having received reminders and they will have been contacted under separate cover. I fully understand that it can be difficult to compile all of your members’ details by 1^st October but by extending the cut-off date by two months I would have expected that all clubs would have had sufficient time to complete and return the paperwork.

School Registrations

A number of schools have forwarded their Registrations to the WHU via their Area Secretaries for the current ‘year’ but regretfully a large number have still to forward their payments for last year.  A list of those with outstanding payments has been forwarded to the WHU Council Regional representatives who will be in touch with their various school reps shortly.  To give all involved time to ensure payments are made only those schools that remain unregistered will be written to in February 2002.

Women’s International Squad Coach and Manager Appointments

As some of you may be aware the following appointments have now been made:-

                                                Coach                                      Manager                                  Asst Coach

Squad              Senior               Margaret Medlow                       Margaret Edwards

                        U-21                 Pam Richards                           unfilled

                        U-18                 Chris Marriott                            Lesley Bayne                            Llian Trew

                        U-16                 Dave Roberts                            Sue Legge                                 Llian Trew

Most of you will know the new coaches and managers and we wish them every success over the course of the next 2 years. Contact details for all of the above can be found on the attached amendments paper.

Commonwealth Games

You may have heard that all tickets for the Finals of both the Men’s and Women’s competitions have already been sold but there are still some available for the group games and other play-offs.  Tickets may be purchased from a number of sources including ASDA stores who all carry application forms, by phone on 0870-162-2002 or via the Commonwealth Games website which can be found at www.commonwealthgames.com/tickets    If you are interested in staying overnight in the area please contact Haydn Hughes (01978-293565) who can arrange accommodation at NEWI at reasonable rates.

I know that Mike, Bryn and all the squad would appreciate as much support as possible so if you fancy a few days of high-class hockey, now is your opportunity. So that you know which days Wales are playing, a copy of the playing schedule is attached.

Aberystwyth Girls’ and Boys’ Youth Camp 22nd – 26th July 2002

Following the success of last year’s mixed Camp this year’s will follow a similar pattern. The camp provides an excellent opportunity for younger players, regardless of ability, to enjoy an intensive week of hockey, which will undoubtedly improve their skills together with making a lot of new friends. Only the first 100 applicants can be guaranteed places on a first come, first served basis so please encourage your youngsters (who should be aged under 16 as at 1 January 2002) to get their applications in early. A copy of the application form is attached and I would ask that you ensure your Youth Secretary is made aware of the opportunity.

Sportlot Community Chest / Minor Equipment Grants

Many of you will be aware that it is possible to obtain a maximum of £750 per applicant in any calendar year for Community Chest applications. Whilst you may only hold one Community Chest Grant at any one time under normal circumstances you may not be aware that the restriction may be increased to 2 ongoing grants and an increased total ceiling of £1500 when additional projects including the targeting of women and girls are proposed. For further information, please contact either the WHU Office or your local SDO. Additional funding is also available under the Minor Equipment Grant Scheme (MEGS) for funding from £750 to a maximum of £5000. Again full details are available from the WHU Office or your local SDO.

Welsh Hockey Web Site

The WHU Website is being continually updated and if you would like additional material detailed please forward it to [email protected]    If your own club or school has a website and you would like it linked to the Union site please let us know.  All Welsh national competitions, results, WHU contact information, general information regarding coaching courses and links to all other known hockey related web sites are listed. The site also contains a bulletin board where you can make your views known to all!

Veterans’ Hockey

Congratulations to all those who participated in the recent Home International Veterans’ Tournament at Basingstoke. England were winners of the Tournament with Wales not that far behind and if one had been awarded, a Fair Play Trophy would certainly have come our way. In the first ever Over-50’s International between England and Wales, despite England holding a 1 goal advantage for the majority of the game, 3 late goals left the sides sharing the spoils. A special mention must be made of Bernie Wheeler (and Jane) who have helped the ‘Seniors’ game expand to its current level of popularity. If anybody would like to become involved with the Veterans, Bernie is always on the lookout for over 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. He can be contacted at [email protected] 

Bernie is looking to hold a Regional Vets’ Tournament sometime before the end of the season and if you are interested in playing please contact Chris Harness (North) on 01745-812962, Alan Rookes (South East) on 01633-420553, Bernie Wheeler (South West) on 01834-891218 or Ian Johnson (Mid Wales and Anglos) on 01568-708779.

Other dates for your diary are:-

Over 40’s Divisionals in Stourport on 11/12 May

Over 50’s Divisionals in Southgate on 27/29 April

Over 40’s & Over 50’s Four Nations Championships in Bangor, N Ireland on 10/11 August.

European Club Tournaments

For the first time in its history, Wales will be hosting three European Club Tournaments in early 2002. Both Cardiff Athletic LHC and UCW Cardiff HC will be hosting their respective Cup Winners’ Tournaments over 29^th March to 1^ST April at WIS and Llys Talybont respectively, with Whitchurch HC hosting their Division of the European Club Championship over 16^th to 19^th May, again at WIS.  Full details available under EVENTS on the Web Site.  As you can imagine a lot of work is needed to ensure the tournaments are run successfully and if you are able to lend a hand please let the clubs know. Swansea LHC will be representing Wales in both the Indoor and Outdoor Club Championships in Poland and Austria and with Newport HC playing in their first European Indoor Tournament in Portugal, we wish all five clubs every success. On the road to this year’s European qualification are Whitchurch HC and Newport HC who are due to play each other in the South Wales Premiership Final on a date in March yet to be agreed having overcome Cardiff HC and Swansea Bay HC respectively. The successful team in this match will play the North Wales representatives in April to find out the Welsh representatives in the European Club Championship for next season.

Prize Draw

By now all Clubs and Schools that requested tickets are hopefully well on their way to selling their allocation.

The prize of a weekend for two in Dublin, together with tickets to watch the Ireland v Wales Six Nations match as well as air tickets and transfers to/from the airport to the hotel, promises to be the most successful yet.

It is an excellent opportunity to raise funds for your club or school with 70% of the purchase price being retained by the seller. If you require additional tickets please contact the promoter, Anne Mullin on either 01633-420326 or [email protected] as soon as possible. To help you publicise the opportunity a poster is enclosed for your notice board. The draw will be made at Whitchurch Tennis Club on Saturday 19^th January, with all ticket stubs and monies to be returned to Anne Mullin by Friday 11^th January.

HSBC Bank

HSBC Bank has also sponsored the Women’s National League for a further season and our grateful thanks for their continued support, which undoubtedly eases the financial consequences of playing in the league.

Men’s International Playing Records

If you require information concerning any player who has represented Wales at Senior level since International hockey’s inception full details are available on the WHU website, click on Men's International Playing Records

WHU Staff Changes

Hilary Borrow, the WHU Administrator, has now left the Union to take up a part time role elsewhere and has now been replaced by Jeff Clease.  I know that a number of you have already been in contact with Jeff and we wish him well in his new position.  Helen Thomas (RDO South East Wales) has also left to take up a lecturing role and we thank her for all of the work undertaken in development of hockey in the South East.  We are currently in the process of restructuring the South East Development job and in the meantime please contact either Chris Marriott (RDO South West) or the Office.  David Salter has returned to the hockey family after a few years’ absence as Finance Officer replacing Theresa Jones who retired to bring a new baby (Oliver Joseph) into the World. Click on Contacts

International Year of the Youth

Siobhan Rowlands of Barry LHC and Bethan Walsh of Swansea LHC were the successful applicants in the WHU competition whereby they travelled to Perth, Australia to take part in the FIH Youth Promoters Congress.  As part of the Congress all participants had to present their plans to a high-powered panel, using video, PowerPoint, websites and posters.  The six finalists were selected and proceeded to ‘sell’ their plans to a different panel, which included the FIH President Els van Breda Vriesman.  Bethan’s presentation, in the words of our National Performance Director Alan Lints, ‘blew the panel away’, and after a short wait she was awarded the title of ‘FIH World Youth Promoter’.  A hugely satisfying day for Welsh Hockey, which was capped when Anne Ellis was presented with the FIH President’s award for services to Youth Hockey Development.  I understand that when Anne was presented with her award the tears that Alan Lints had managed to just keep in check during Bethan’s award started to flow!

Bethan will be making her presentation to representatives of the WHU and Sports Council for Wales shortly and it is intended to video the event so that everybody can have the opportunity of seeing it for themselves. Copies will be forwarded to Regional Committee Secretaries to whom all requests to borrow the video should be made.

This is an excellent way in which to end the Year of the Youth initiative and it is an opportunity to thank all those involved in organising the various ‘try it days’, ‘marathons’, new indoor tournaments, camps etc together with all the sponsors including Ken Howells, Coca Cola, City and County of Swansea, Llantwit Major Rotary Club, and RAF Careers, which made the year such a memorable one.

RAF Careers

As you will know the RAF Careers has been generous enough to continue their funding of the School and Youth Finals for which we are extremely grateful.  They have also produced wall charts and by this time each club will have received a sufficient supply for each of their registered Mini and Youth players.  Schools will find a chart enclosed and I would ask that it is placed on the school notice board.  Click on RAF Careers

Roger Caddick - WSA Welsh Sports Administrator of the Year

It is a privilege to advise all members that one of the hardest working volunteers for both club and Governing Body has been recognised by the WSA. Roger Caddick of Whitchurch HC has acted in numerous roles for his club including President and Fundraiser and can still be found on a Sunday morning bringing on the large number of youngsters in the club.  From the national perspective, Roger has acted as the Marketing and Publicity Officer for a number of years and whilst he has recently relinquished the position as Publicity officer it is thanks to his continued hard work that sponsorship, such as that detailed above, continues to be received.  It is the first time that a member of the WHU has received the award and its presentation is fully justified.

Awards

Congratulations to both John and Meryl Roberts of Colwyn Bay who have won awards at the recent Conwy Borough Council presentation evening. Meryl was awarded the ‘Coach of the Year’ award for the second year running with her husband, John, being presented with an award for ‘Services to Sport’. Congratulations to them both as well as Margaret Smith, also of Colwyn Bay who was a very close runner-up to John.

Big Apple Hockey Festival

Have you ever thought of playing hockey or umpiring overseas? If so this could be for you! The Big Apple Hockey Festival is open to all teams playing in their categories of Competitive Men, Competitive Women and Masters (over 35’s). Cash prizes of up to $5000 are available to the winners with the level of competition likely to be of a good standard.  The Tournament takes place in New York City between 30^th August and 2^nd September 2002 with an entry fee payable of $900 per team.  Umpires will also be required and the Festival may prove to be an excellent build-up to our own season. If you are interested please contact the WHU office for further information.

Civil Liability Insurance

We have renewed our Civil Liability Insurance Policy with Perkins Slade and I enclose details of the cover for your attention. I would remind all clubs that personal accident insurance is not included in the package and would recommend that you make your own arrangements if cover is required. Perkins Slade Limited do offer the insurance if you wish to contact them direct.

Please note that it is vital that each club maintains an accident record book whereby details of all injuries and accidents are recorded together with full details of witnesses etc. These details would be required by any insurance company in the event of a claim being made. Even if an accident occurs at a venue owned or run by an organisation other than your own club, it is important that details are entered at the time of the injury / accident into the accident record book maintained at the venue.

Child Safe Initiative

A working group consisting of the Welsh Police forces combined with Sports Council for Wales and a number of Governing Bodies has met a number of times to consider the Avon and Somerset Constabulary initiative called ACHE (Action against Child Exploitation).  The group has nearly finalised its own version of the package, which you may have seen on television in early December.  The initiative centres around a proactive methodology for organisations that recognise the need to construct and maintain a child protection policy rather than relying simply on ‘vetting’ as the safeguard against undesirable persons working with children.

Each of the resource packs will consist of leaflets, posters, help cards, organisers’ guidebook and parents’ declarations, together with a video and has been financed by the National Assembly for Wales.  The method of issuing the 8000 packs (one to each club within each Governing Body) has yet to be agreed but it is vital that all of our clubs take on board the information contained. In this respect each club will be requested to appoint a Child Liaison Officer, as mentioned in a previous circular and guidance on the selection of such a person is also contained within the pack.

I am aware that schools will also be issued with the video and will undoubtedly receive additional guidance from their own Authority.

Handbook Amendments

You will find enclosed details of the amendments received since the WHU Handbook was produced and I would request that you issue each of your club officers with a copy. If you are aware of any other changes please let the WHU office know in order that changes can be made in time for next year’s edition.   Click on WHU Information

E-Mail Pen Pals

Bethan Walsh, the WHU’s own FIH World Youth Promoter, is trying to encourage young hockey enthusiasts to ‘get in touch’ with one another from around the World. If any of your club or school players would like to become part of the scheme please contact Bethan at [email protected]

Club Sponsors

A number of clubs have expressed an interest in publicly ‘thanking’ their sponsors through including a list of their benefactors in the WHU Handbook. This is something that may well be possible but please remember that you can also thank them by placing a free classified advert on the Welsh Hockey Web Site.   Click Avertise

Cancelled / Walkover Matches

The number of league and primarily Cup games being postponed, cancelled or teams awarded walkovers this season is a cause for concern with not one round of any National cup competition being completed without at least one team declining to play for some reason.  The whole principle of the sport of hockey is to play the game and not simply to enter a competition and then refuse to participate.  Wherever possible a game should be played and not left up to the ruling committee to decide the outcome of a game.  We need to encourage people to join clubs and not put them off due to cancelled fixtures. Obviously there are some occasions when nobody can do anything about a match being postponed e.g. weather conditions, but in these circumstances please ensure your opponents are informed at the earliest opportunity.

Dragon Sport Hockey Schools

Following a discussion with the Sports Council for Wales any Primary Dragon Sport Hockey School can now access goalkeeping equipment as well as the normal hockey bag.  Please contact your local Dragon Sport Co-ordinator for further information.  For those schools requiring equipment and not currently involved with Dragon Sport you can access the similar kit through the normal Community Chest channels.

Appointments

Congratulations to the following umpires and officials who have either already officiated or have been invited to attend various events-

Steve Graham – Umpired a substantial number of matches (including the Final) at the Champions Challenge.

Don Adams                   Umpires Manager           Euro Cup Winners Cup               Gibraltar

Martyn Gallivan              TD                                Euro Club Championship            Switzerland

Carolyn Llewellyn           Judge                            Euro Club Championship            Austria

Steve Graham                Umpire                          Euro Nations Cup                       Russia

Anne Mullin                   Judge                            Euro Nations Cup                       Lithuania

Colin Crayford                Judge                            Euro Nations Cup                       Ireland

Alan Carter                    Judge                            Euro Junior Nations Cup             Italy

Lesley Bayne                 Judge                            Euro Junior Nations Cup             Czech Republic

All that remains is for me to wish you and your club / school every success in 2002.

Chris Brewer

Director of Hockey

Enclosures:

Aberystwyth Girls’ and Boys’ Camp application (Clubs and Schools)

Prize Draw poster (Clubs and Schools)

RAF Careers Wall Chart (Schools) RAF Careers

Perkins Slade Civil Liability Insurance cover details (Clubs)

Handbook amendments (Clubs and schools)  Information  or  Contacts

WHU Calendar (Clubs and Schools)

Commonwealth Games Playing Schedule (Clubs and Schools)

New Members Registration Form (Clubs)