WhatsApp?
Thanks to everyone who’s put themselves forward for a role on next year’s committee. The first voting round has been emailed to all members so please check your emails and get voting. This Back Post contains a call for an O40s team, ‘team of 2014’, and Sonning Festival ladies, info on our kit amnesty and move to ‘WhatsApp communities’, and some updated dates for your diary (note that Club Day has changed!).
[Updated] Dates for your Diary
23/06: LV 10 Year Anniversary ‘team of 2014’ game (sign up below)
w/c 28/07: Performance teams pre-season training begins
w/c 04/08: Pre-season training for all teams
UPDATED: 11/08: Trials/open session (coach facilitated sessions for current and prospective players)
17/08, 24/08: Pre-season games (provisional)
UPDATED: 31/08: Club Day (11am-6pm @ LV followed by social)
07/09, 14/09: Pre-season games (provisional)
CONFIRMED: 21/09: First league games for all (WEHL conference and London League)
Join Wapping’s O40 group and ‘team of 2014’
On the 23rd June 2024 Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre are marking the 10th Anniversary of the centre’s opening with a celebratory event. They’ve asked a Wapping “team of 2014” to play against one from East London (or it may now be a mini tournament with 20min games against Crostyx and Waltham Forest too. Details TBC).
If you would like to join in the fun please complete this form. Please note that anyone can attend the event but you will need to have played at Wapping in 2014 to be eligible for the game.
On a related note, Jane Blake of Old Loughts reached out enquiring about Wapping’s over 40s for some friendly mixed games/tournaments. If you’re interested in being looped in please reach out to Roche (wappingremains@gmail.com) who is liaising.
Ladies listen up!! Tour alert!
The mixed Pirates team are going on tour and you don’t want to be missing out. A big group of us will be taking on Sonning in July, but we need to even the playing field - so we’re currently asking specifically for more girls to join us!
Overview
Sonning Hockey Festival 2024: Friday 5th - Sunday 7th July. 11-a-side full pitch mixed hockey tournament. More details: https://www.sonninghockeyfestival.co.uk/
What is it?
Grass & Astro games
Semi-competitive or Social levels
Teams are capped at max. 25 players
Sonning Toybox fancy dress theme
Friday night is Disco night w/ DJ ‘Bomber’ Harris
Live music Saturday night
Camping
The £40 price will include:
Generous welcome drinks gift
Entrance wrist bands
Disco Friday night
Fancy dress party!
Live Band Saturday night
Free camping, free parking
Full marquee and bar!
Onsite facilities
..and of course plenty of hockey!"
How to sign up?
Either email wappinghcpirates@gmail.com or join the Pirates’ WhatsApp group
Kit amnesty
Having done a club wide collection of kit from captains, we’re currently missing a huge number of shirts which will need replacing before September if not found. The cost to replace those currently unaccounted for is £9,960 which could lead to increased membership fees. Please check all your cupboards, sports bags, washing baskets, back of the sofa etc and return any shirts, balls, masks or other kit you may have to either your captain, the JO storeroom or the LV lockers before the 6th of June. If you could also pop a message in your previous season’s team WhatsApp in case any previous Wappers have any lying about.
Move to WhatsApp community
Very shortly we’ll be setting up a Wapping ‘community’ on WhatApp (thanks to Doug Shipton for flagging and initiating this)
Why?
It should help us streamline our comms and improve visibility around what’s happening at the club and things you can get involved with. It should also make using WhatsApp for Wapping stuff less painful as all the chats you’re a member of will be together. You can read more about WhatsApp communities here but once up and running we’re hoping all club members will be a part of the community. At this point we’ll retire the ‘news and updates’ group and use the announcements functionality instead. There’ll be a period of transition whilst we work out how best to use it so please bear with us as we do so.
CAWHL results
Playing in the City and Wharf league but unsure how your team is faring? Check out the results page here: https://www.wappinghockey.club/cawhl-fixtures-results
REMINDER: Umpire and coaching Opportunities
umpire Development
Thanks to our three Umpire Development Officers (UDOs) we have a fab summer development program to help new umpires get started and existing umpires up-skill. If you’ve thought about trying umpiring now is the time to give it a go as Wapping will not only pay for your umpire course but also arrange two practice games with experienced (and very lovely) UDOs, assisted by our brand new radio sets to ensure you’re fully supported. It’s a fantastic opportunity so please reach out to VCC, Alex Corrie (wappingvcc@gmail.com), if interested.
Get into coaching
As well as our umpiring program, we have a summer development program for anyone keen to get into coaching.
Reach out to VCP, Lizzie, or Kidds’ Chair, Amy, to find out how to get started and the resources available (including our excellent Head Coach, Matt).
Member discounts:
Check out our Members' area (Password: whc1989) which has all of our available offers, including:
20% off NuSmile dentists
A free Psycle session
Grubby: 50% off + free delivery on 1st box, plus 30% off for the rest of the month
2 weeks free trial of El Tab app giving members 4 free drinks in London nightly
20% off Sharp Movement
10% off all beers at Tap East
Discounted club trip to Leyton Orient on February 13th 2024
