As we start off the new season, we have been getting a number of questions around payments and membership.

All the information around being a member of the club can be found in the ‘Welcome Packs’ at www.whitchurchhockeyclub.com/joining

Membership fees

The fees below cover players to be a member of Whitchurch(Shropshire) Hockey club from 1st July 2023 to 30th June 2024. These can be purchased via ‘Store’ on Teamapp

All players are required to join as members to represent the club at any level. These cover affiliations to England Hockey, Regional bodies, insurance, club investment, etc.

The deadline for payment this season is Saturday 14th October 2023 after which an additional £5 admin fee will be added.

*NUS card required for over 18s in further full time education

** Players who play infrequently or are away at university in the coming season but who would still like to play when at home.

Match fees

*paid in cash on the day to the team organiser

Throughout the season we capture who has played which games via Teamapp, we then at intervals throughout the season issue invoices to the players for the games played via email (important that contact details in Teamapp are up to date). It is these fees that cover pitch hire, officials, food, etc.

We also rely heavily on players paying promptly and getting in contact if you have played games but haven’t received invoices. For Under 18s who have been given parental permission to be contacted directly, invoices will go to the player, so please pass on to whoever is paying.

Senior Training

Senior training on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings is predominantly paid for by the collection of match fees which is why at Whitchurch we offer free training to anyone who regularly plays for any of the senior teams during the season.

For those who play infrequently or only attend training we take a register each week and will invoice £3 per session at various intervals throughout the season.

For summer training we don’t  have income from match fees to support free senior training so we charge £3 per session to all players, this will be invoiced as per the match fees.

Academy

Academy is run separately from the senior club and whilst selected players may attend both Academy sessions on Saturdays and senior training during the week the payments are separate.

For Academy we charge in half term blocks and payment is made in advance of the blocks starting. These blocks can be paid for via ‘Store’ on Teamapp.

This allows us to minimise the administration of the coaches and volunteers at the session to focus on delivering hockey, it allows us to cover the cost of the pitch hire and allows us to plan in advance the number of coaches and volunteers required to cover the numbers of players attending.

Unfortunately this is none refundable based on attendance.

We have tried for many years to keep the costs of hockey to a minimum and are one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest in the area to provide hockey to as many people as possible.

If you have any issues or questions about payments please get in touch with treasurer James Partington at treasurer@whitchurchhockeyclub.com as we are willing to support wherever possible to help people play.

I find myself coming to role in 23-24 after Alex’s strong tender. I’d like to thank him for all his work and support for the club, his commitment through coaching both the Adult and Junior sections as well as chairman cannot have been a small commitment. Alex remains on the committee as Secretary and will continue to coach the squads as we move in to the 23/24 season.

I’ve been around Whitchurch Hockey Club for 8 years now since moving to the area and have always been made feel welcome. It’s a place I consider myself at home and I hope that’s the same for all our members.

I started playing hockey aged 16 in my hometown of Sheffield. When I went to Uni I played at Manchester Met. Following uni I moved to Sandbach and played for the next 4 years at Deeside Ramblers hockey club before taking up rugby and playing/captaining Sandbach 2^nd XV for many years, whilst also teaching PE at Brine Leas in Nantwich.

After 8 years of teaching, I took a new opportunity and moved into the IT sector taking a role in London but with 3 children still in Aston sport took a back seat for some time as I commuted to and from on practically a weekly basis.

After doing this for 5 years I’d had enough of the big smoke and moved to Whitchurch with my now wife and children to try and live life a little more. This is when my journey with WHC began. I’ve played in both men’s teams depending on my ability to commit time over the years. I now have 5 children ranging from 16 to 4, time can be of a premium but last season I was finally able to find a good balance and committed to 90% of the season with the 1^st team. Something I hope to be able to repeat this year (if of course required)!

I joined the committee early last year taking on the vacant secretary role and have enjoyed being able to steer some of the fine work this club does. I’m looking forward to doing more over this year, with the Ladies 1’s promotion last season there are challenging on pitch times ahead as some players move on to Uni and new opportunities, we hope the solid ladies’ section can step up and show strength in depth.

The Men’s sides remain relatively unchanged (a few of the boys moving off to Uni) however, with the return of a few of the old faces to the club and we will look to drive us forwards.

The Academy goes from strength to strength and the support of the likes of Barbora, Billy, John, Pete and Lisa are having a real impact on the future for our club. Thank you to all those who provide on and off pitch support to make these opportunities for the children.

Off the pitch I still work in the IT sector as a Senior International Service Manager and spend much of my time at my office in Belgium and on site with my customers there. Thankfully I am well supported at home, and I enjoy the travel but coming home is always the best bit.

Outside of the hockey and 5 children there’s not much time for anything else but I enjoy cooking and like to travel with my wife when I can and sport in almost any capacity always plays an important part in my life.

Martin