The Final Countdown
As the season comes to a close (sad), there are still some big matches to play for teams facing regulation and the L1 whose fight for promotion has come down to the last game of the season. Read on as we look ahead to more hockey over the summer!
EOSD award nominations - deadline 8th April
Hopefully everyone has purchased their ticket and is excited for EOSD on Saturday 20th April. It is time to get club-wide award nominations for the season. Each section is optional but try to submit as many as possible to give the Exec a full picture. Please submit nominations via the link below by Monday 8th April.
Submission link: https://forms.gle/v2PugNb3Jurino7f6
CAWHL player sign up
It's that time of year again where we invite you all to sign up to be part of a Wapping team taking part in the City and Wharf Summer league. This year we will have 4 Wapping teams; Wapping Mutineers, Wapping Highwaymen, Wapping Husseys and Wapping Privateers!
Please use this form to sign up for a summer of hockey fun! 🏑☀🍻
https://forms.gle/cdZrTtPsN7N6Gjpk9
Back to hockey is back
Back to hockey will be returning every Thursday from 7-8:30pm from the 25th April with the amazing Kiran as coach at John Orwell Sports Centre. It’s a great session to signpost friends and family to get them back into hockey. Sticks and shinpads will be provided if needed!
A Few reminders:
Don’t forget to get your EOS raffle tickets to be in with the chance of winning a stunning Simon Wright gold and natural fancy cognac diamond bracelet. Even if you can’t attend the End of Season Dinner you can still be in with a chance to win, so share that link with all your pals and get your tickets now!
All team kit must be handed back at the end of the season so if you’ve got any shirts, balls or masks lying around, make sure you get them back to your captains this week. Any items lost will need replacing from your squad kitty, which means less cash for EOS drinks!
Still thinking about umpiring? Well good news! Now is the time to give it a go as CAWHL is the perfect opportunity for some easy going first games. Wapping can book and pay for your online level 1 umpiring course in exchange for booking in your first two CAWHL games. Reach out to Rogers if interested.
As it stands:
Last week in a line: WLDDLWWLLWWWWL
Fixtures this week:
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
Coach Wapping
Last weekend saw a dominant 5-0 win for the L1 as they edge nearer to promotion, good wins for the M4 (3-1) and L7 (2-1) and a 6-1 win for the L6 who continue to smash it.
This weekend there are some big matches at Lee Valley for the L1 in their fight for promotion (14:30) and a derby for the M1 v East London at 11:30. There is also an East London derby for the L6 at 2pm in John Orwell - come down and support these games if you can!
Coaching opportunities
Hopefully you have already seen the fab instagram reel the press team put out this week about coaching opportunities for the 2024/5 season (if not, make sure you give @wappinghc a follow!).
One of the club’s main focuses for next season is improving the support and development of our coaching team, so please share our ‘Opportunities’ page with any coaches (or experienced players interested in coaching) you know - it’s a great opportunity to make an impact and help shape the future of the club.
Alternatively, if you’ve thought about coaching, we are running coaching development over summer to train up new coaches for anyone who would like to give it a go. If you’re interested, send Lizzie an email (wappingvcp@gmail.com).
Quick reminders
The deadline to buy your End of Season Dinner tickets is the 31st March, buy them from the Wapping shop - make sure you don’t miss out. Make sure you buy your raffle tickets whilst you're there, to be in with a chance to win a Simon Wright diamond bracelet.
Please fill in the anonymised club-wide coaching feedback form here
If your company would like to sign up to the city and wharf hockey league please email cityandwharfhockeyleague@gmail.com
Kidds’ updates
It’s been a busy end to the season for our Kidds’ teams, with lots of fixtures and tournaments in the last weeks with some great hockey on show to finish up with.
Last weekend the U8s were dominant at Honor Oak, with the A team winning 5 out of 7 matches and the B team winning 3 out of 6, with great spirits in the pouring rain. A special mention to Benjamin, who at 4 years old is our youngest ever Wapping player!
The U10 boys had a very damp afternoon in Catford. Wapping B had a solid afternoon with 2 wins and 1 draw in the group to come 2nd. They then went on to with the final 2-1, a shout out goes to Arthur for his sensational goalkeeping. Wapping A also had a great afternoon including a dominant performance in their final match. The U10 also had a strong weekend, finishing 5th in their tournament.
The U12 boys also had a good win at their cup tournament, with 2 draws and 4 narrow losses. Meanwhile the U14 girls have gone from strength to strength, with a super 3-1 win at Brom Becks a recent update.
A huge thank you to all the parents, kids, coaches, umpires and managers for trekking to various (and sometimes multiple) locations and for all those admin-ing behind the scenes!
As it stands:
Last week in a line: LDLWDLLWLLLLWW
Fixtures this week:
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
Don’t miss out!
With only a few games left the L1 and L5 have must win matches in their pushes for promotion and there is a tasty M7 derby against East London 6. Looking forward to the end of the season there’s a link to EOSD tickets, a chance to give feedback on coaching and a shoutout to the City and Wharf Hockey League that will kick off in April.
End of Season Dinner tickets
A note that End of Season Dinner tickets are now for sale on the Wapping webshop here. Early birds of the club have already snapped up the discounted tickets, so make sure you get your hands on one (and a raffle ticket to be in with a chance to win a piece of Simon Wright Jewellery) before they sell out or it reaches the deadline - 31st March.
Event details below:
Date: Saturday 20th April
Location: The Great Hall, Leyton - 1A Adelaide Road, London, E10 5NN
Time: 6pm arrival for a 7pm start
Dresscode: Black Tie
Dinner: 3 course Indian meal
Coaching feedback
With only a few weeks left of the 23/24 Season, the Exec are looking to the horizon and the first signs of 24/25. No rest for the wicked 😉
To help us make informed decisions, please can you fill out our anonymised player feedback form:
https://forms.gle/zf9xBUQeD97KzvKu7
Any player from any team can submit. The more thoughts and opinions we can get the better! So please share with your teams!
The Passing of the Sponsorship baton
As the season nears its end, I’m sad to say it’s likely we’ll be saying a (hopefully temporary) goodbye to one of our most impactful volunteers, Irini Kounoupias. Irini only joined Wapping a couple of years ago, having never played before, but in her time has not only become a cracking ladies and mixed player but also one of our most dedicated, and much loved, volunteers.
Irini took on the revived role of Sponsorship Sec and has knocked fundraising out of the park. I could wax lyrical about her efforts all day but a small roundup of some of her hard work, and testament to her efforts, is below.
Secured a £4k+ grant from Sport England to help take our junior goalkeepers to the next level
Won Wapping Kidds a tidy £1k from Tesco
Secured funding for loadsa new balls and the kit room refurb (thanks to Swike and Chambers)
Along with our main Kit Sec, Rob, helped secure a fab partnership with Salmon hockey who provided shirts for our dev team
Nurtured our existing relationships with much loved sponsors Simon Wright, Feeneys and The Moretown Belle.
Set up two fab social partnerships with Leyton Orient and El Tab
And brought in a whole lot of dosh. Money without which we wouldn’t have been able to do half as much as we have this year.
In true Irini style, she has prepared a thorough handover, including pitch deck and templates, and is ‘happy to offer loads of support’ for whoever can take this role on, so if you’d like to get involved or have a chat through what being 'Wapping’s Sponsorship Sec’ might entail, please drop her an email.
The role in brief:
sourcing new sponsors
agreeing deals and making sure all the the commitments are upheld
acting as a point of contact and promoting them over the season
applying for grants
it’d suit a people-person especially someone with marketing/sales background but not essential
City and Wharf Hockey League
If you’re already devastated about hockey coming to an end then hopefully the first Back Post notice about the CAWHL can ease that pain. For those who didn’t play last year, the City and Wharf Hockey league (CAWHL) is an East London mixed social hockey league that Wapping run every summer to raise funds for club initiatives like Back2Hockey which help towards our mission of access and inclusion. It runs from April to August, is loads of fun, a great way to keep fit over the summer, and culminates in a fantastic end of season social.
Games are held at the John Orwell Sports Centre (Wapping, E1W 2QD) and the Mile End Leisure Centre (Bow, E3 4HL). Teams are a combination of corporate London hockey teams and social collectives!
If you/your company are thinking about entering a mixed hockey team please email cityandwharfhockeyleague@gmail.com for more info. The more the merrier!
More details to follow on how to get involved if you’re not part of a corporate team, follow @citywharfhockey on Instagram to be the first to hear any news.
As it stands:
Last week in a line: LLLLLWDWDDDLWLDWL
Fixtures this week:
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
International Women’s Day
A quick note to say a huge congratulations to the Ladies 6s and Mens 8s who both secured promotion last week! There are still multiple teams fighting in promotion and relegation battles so make sure to come down and support at Lee Valley and John Orwell when you can.
International Women’s Day
As it’s International Women’s Day we would like to spend most of this Back Post celebrating 10 amazing women in the club who have been nominated by various club members for all of their fab work.
Tara Feeney - The only adult team female coach in the club, Tara, despite injury, is coaching and captaining the L5s like a hero. Not only is she an exceptionally good coach who understands the needs of her players and team, she works with other captains and coaches to help and assist other ladies' teams. There's no better woman to lead the charge for female coaching.
Helen Rogers - with a huge number of nominations, of course no club is complete without our Club Chair Rogers on this list. Applauded for her inspiring ambition and creativity, hard graft, warmth, grace, diplomacy, and for being an absolute boss, no amount of adjectives could capture the amazing work Rogers does on and off the hockey pitch at Wapping. A huge inspiration to women across the club.
Jenna Maclaren - particularly for the Strong Girls' Group that Jenna masterminded over the summer, completely off her own back. This has helped to create a community on the ladies' side from the 1s-7s both out of and during the season. And as someone who cares not only for the performance and integration of the higher teams, but inclusivity in the lower teams, the effort she puts in is absolutely exceptional.
Benji Avro - LCC and club legend, Benji is an inspiration week on week. ‘Whenever I want to boss a situation I think “What would Benji do”’. Her incredible capacity for strategic thought, calm level headedness and clarity in the messiest of situations brings inner calm and reassurance at the most trying times. She is a voice of reason, a social VIBE, her personal style is 🔥 and is someone who makes the most, and best, of every day, always striving for better but with grace and ease. Be more Benji.
Lizzie Reffell - an absolute icon of the Ladies 7s, Lizzie has stepped up as vice-captain this year and done such a fantastic job on and off the hockey pitch. Carrying out team admin, always turning up to socials and encouraging teammates - Lizzie is absolutely integral to the L7. Always looking to improve her game, on top of this Lizzie is a frequent Back to Hockey attendee where she has just as much as a positive impact on those at training.
Babs Lo Giudice - Wapping stalwart and Italian stallion Babs is the glue in every team she plays in. Babs keeps everyone positive and motivated, and is always the loudest voice cheering on her teammates in games and at training. She encourages us to work together and enjoy hockey, as well as making sure everyone feels part of the team.
Pippa Jones - as well as supporting countless children as a therapist, Pippa has brought her expertise into the L1, supporting and helping the team in countless ways with her empathy and support as the girls push for promotion. It goes without saying that Pippa is also an incredible hockey player and an inspiration for any aspiring forward in the club, scoring goals, skilling every defender in London Prem and always working hard for the team <3
Jane O-Rourke - As well as being a new umpire, Jane is single-handedly making sure we have umpires every week to facilitate games. She spends hours ensuring slots are filled, and also works with the Kidds and UDOs to develop new umpires. Umpires are something we all take for granted, and without a dedicated ULO none of us would be able to play - thank you Jane!
Gigi Barbuto - For being an incredible friend on and off the pitch, a solid team mate and even greater friend who always has her teammates’ backs. She makes everyone in the team feel included and always makes training a brighter place. Gigi is a strong woman who always build others up, hyping up her teammates and encouraging them non-stop. We need more Gigis in this world!
Lizzie Salmon - even the darkest of training days can be brightened by Lizzie, the badger, who is an absolute ray of sunshine. Never have I seen someone take so much joy from playing hockey, and spread so much joy to others whilst running around with a stick and ball. On top of this, Lizzie has driven Wapping forward with some amazing work as head of performance, showing great emotional intelligence, strategic thinking and creativity.
End of Season Dinner tickets
A note that End of Season Dinner tickets are now for sale on the Wapping webshop here. Early birds of the club have already snapped up the discounted tickets, so make sure you get your hands on one before they sell out or it reaches the deadline - 31st March. Event details below:
Date: Saturday 20th April
Location: The Great Hall, Leyton - 1A Adelaide Road, London, E10 5NN
Time: 6pm arrival for a 7pm start
Dresscode: Black Tie
Dinner: 3 course Indian meal
Your chance to win!
Simon Wright, the club's jeweller to the stars (that's all of you!), has made this stunning gold and natural fancy cognac diamond bracelet for us to raffle at the End of Season Dinner. Last year he contributed a hockey stick themed tie clip which generated lots of envious excitement (and funds for the club), so this year he's decided to make something for the ladies. Get your raffle tickets here or as an add-on when buying your dinner ticket. All raffle ticket purchasers welcome so feel free to share with all your pals.
L1/M1 fundraiser
A huge thank you to everyone who came to the L1/M1 fundraiser last Saturday at The Dog. The total raised is still TBC but thank you to all who entered the quiz, bought a bucket hat or raffle tickets. Congratulations to the M8 who topped off their promotion party with a quiz win.
For those who didn’t manage to grab a Wapping bucket hat, the L1 will be down at JO on Saturday to sell bucket hats to those who would like one ahead of festival season!
As it stands:
Last week in a line: LWLDLDLWLLDDDLWWL
Fixtures this week:
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
Let’s get quizzical
This weekend there are four (!) East London derbies for the M4, M9, L3 and L7 and a hugely important game for the L1 against second in the league Barnes. Read ahead for information about the M1/L1 fundraiser taking place tomorrow and some exciting sponsor updates.
M1/L1 fundraiser social
Join us tomorrow for the annual club M1/L1 fundraiser at The Dog. It's guaranteed to be loads of fun and will feature a quiz, mini-games and a raffle. Plus, the unveiling of the much anticipated club bucket hats which will be available for purchase 🫶🏻
Top prizes include:
💫 Bar tabs at The Dog
💫 A piece of Simon Wright bespoke jewellery
💫 Records from Finders Keepers Records
💫 Plenty of hockey stash from the likes of Crow, Array and more
💫 Class packs from Metabolic and Orangetheory
💫 Other swag including trainers, vouchers for Crate Brewery and much more
The fundraiser is taking place at The Dog (E1 1LX) with drinks from 7pm and quiz kick-off at 8pm.
If you’re unable to make the event, or would like to buy your raffle tickets in advance, you can buy strips of raffle tickets here.
❤️ Huge thanks to all our generous donors ❤️
Tesco competition update
Thank you to everyone who voted in the Tesco blue token competition, Wapping came second in East London, receiving £1,000 towards the Wapping Kidds foundation which will go a long way in supporting all the great work that is happening with Wapping Kidds already.
Sponsor Alert: Savills Wapping
Thank you to our latest sponsor signing, Savills Wapping, who will be supporting the M5 next season. As always, showing them some love can help the club out down the line so for any real estate needs be sure to check them out.
Sponsor notice: Sharp Movement
A reminder, particularly with marathon season coming up, that Sharp Movement, the sports massage and injury clinic offers 10% off treatment and 10% club kickback when you tell them you are a Wapping member. A former ironwoman pro athlete has joined their team so for endurance injuries especially go and check them out!
As it stands:
Last week in a line: DLWLWLWLLWLWWWW
Fixtures this week:
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
Back in action
I hope everyone had some effective rest and recovery over slip week as this weekend all teams are back in action as the final quarter of the season begins. Matches include a M5 v M6 derby and some crunchy matches against rivals THD and East London.
M1/L1 fundraiser
Next week the M1/L1 quiz and raffle fundraiser will be taking place at The Dog in Whitechapel (E1 1LX). Building on last year’s success this year’s fundraiser will be bigger and better with a quiz, raffle and mini-games to keep you entertained for the evening. Tickets will cost £5 per person and there will be the chance to buy raffle tickets on the night. It’s a great event to bring family and friends to and a chance to prove your team is the smartest at Wapping!
Ben’s London Marathon
Ben Leppard from the M6 is running the London Marathon on Sunday 21st April in aid of RNLI. If you would like to support to Ben’s marathon effort you can donate via the link below:
Kidds results!
Some recent updates from the Kidds teams who are having fantastic seasons!
U12B A: 2 wins, 2 draws, 9 goals for, only 2 goals against
U12B B: 2 wins, 2 losses, including some great team goals
U12G: Won 2-1, Lost 1-2 against Brom Becks
U10G: 4 wins, 1 draw
U10B: 2 wins, 1 draw, scoring 8 goals, only conceded 2
As it stands:
Last week in a line: LLLLLLLWLDLLWWWL
Fixtures this week:
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
Pushing for Promotion
Last week a huge 1-0 win for the M8 over East London saw them become the 4th Wapping team at the top of their respective tables pushing for promotion as we come to the business end of the season joining the M1, L1 and L6 who are all in tightly contested fights for the top spot.
Read on to find out how you can raise recognition for some fab women across the club, some dates for your calendar and an update from one of our team sponsor’s.
Sponsor update - Feeney’s
The L5’s sponsor, Feeney’s, have opened a new venue, The Dog, in Aldgate. Not only will this be the location for the L1/M1 quiz fundraiser in a few weeks time, but it is also showing Six Nations matches for all the rugby fans who fancy great vibes and great drinks.
If you prefer to stick to what you know, the OG Feeney’s is open Monday-Saturday and they are hosting a week of St Patrick’s Day events 13th-20th March - a great option for a team social.
International Women’s Day nominations:
In celebration of International Women’s Day in March we want to give recognition to some of the brilliant women of Wapping who inspire us everyday. Whether on the field or off, this is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on women across the club.
We’re asking you to send in your nominations of those who embody the spirit of Wapping. Send in the name of the nomination and the reason why you are nominating them by Sunday 11th February to wappinghcpress@gmail.com.
Back 2 Hockey
A reminder that Back 2 Hockey is taking place every Tuesday 8:30-10:00pm at John Orwell. Sessions are free and led by the Ladies 1s. It’s a great session for those who haven’t played hockey before or are looking to get back into the sport. It is also a great way of getting people to know the club, so do reach out to any friends, family or colleagues who may be interested in coming along.
Save the date (if you haven’t already):
Saturday 10th February: 6 Nations social at the Moretown Belle from 4pm
Saturday 2nd March: L1/M1 quiz night fundraiser at The Dog, timings tbc
Saturday 20th April: End of Season Dinner
As it stands:
Last week in a line: WLLLWWLWWDWLLWWD
Fixtures this week:
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
Let’s hear it for the girls
As January finalllyyy comes to an end the second half of the season is in full swing and there are some tight battles underway for promotion/regulation - particularly for the M1/L1 who are in tightly contested battles for promotion to National League. There’s a big derby on the cards this week for the M8 v East London 8, and the Printers Mixed team are also traveling to Cheam on Sunday for their next cup game.
International Women’s Day: nominations open!
With International Women’s Day fast approaching on Friday 8th March, nominations are open to recognise some of the strong women across Wapping. There are so many great women across the club scoring hattricks, umpiring every week, coaching across the club and generally bringing great vibes.
Please send the name of the person you are nominating and why to the press team by email: wappinghcpress@gmail.com
Save the date(s)
The social team have been hustling away to get social dates for the second half of the season in the diary - make sure you don’t miss out!
Saturday 10th February: 6 nations Social @ the Mooretown Belle from 4pm
Saturday 2nd March: L1/M1 quiz night Fundraiser - details tbc
Saturday 20th April: End of Season Dinner - details tbc
Make sure you are following us on insta to be the first to hear further details!
Sporting wellness
Our welfare team have approached Sporting Wellness about their mental health services and would like to get an understanding of whether this is something our club members would like access to. Please complete this quick, anonymous questionnaire to help us plan ahead.
Sponsor update: NuSmile
It's been great to see so many people getting their pearly whites polished at NuSmile - they're still offering 20% off all treatments including fillings, Invisalign and composite bonding. Please note this doesn't cover diagnostics like check ups and hygienist but does cover any treatments they recommend.
Who says keepers are unfit?
Ben from the Men's 6s is running the London Marathon in April in aid of the RNLI. With just under 12 weeks to go, the realisation of what's ahead is now setting in but the excitement is building at the same time!
If you would like to support Ben's marathon effort, you can donate here.
Results update:
Fixtures this week:
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
Tour Tour Tour
This Back Post has some great deals from a couple of our sponsors and information about the Pirates tour to Reading in July.
There were some great results last week for the Kidds as well as a 4-2 win for the M1, a 4-0 win for the L5, a 4-3 win against East London for the Dev team and wins for the L6 and M8 in Wapping Derbies.This week there are more East London derbies for the M7, M8 and M9 - get down and watch if you can!
This Back Post has some great deals from a couple of our sponsors and information about the Pirates tour to Reading in July.
Sponsor deals!
Custom carbon sticks
Our Dev team sponsor, Salmon Hockey, has delivered us some banging custom carbon sticks available at a bargain price of £50 on the Wapping Shop. Limited run, get them while they last!
Leyton Orient
The club has partnered with Leyton Orient who have provided a block of seats at their game on Feb 13th (7:45pm vs Northampton Town) for a discounted rate of £15 - with half of that coming back to the club! It’s great to see so many people coming along, if anyone else would like to join, you can pick up a ticket here.
CAWHL Summer League Update
Calling all volunteers! We're looking to make this year's Summer League bigger and better than ever. If you're interested in contributing or wish to learn more about available roles, please reach out to us at wappingvcc@gmail.com.
Tour alert!
The pirates team are going on tour and you don’t want to be missing out:
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
Whitechapel Clothes Donation
Thank you to those who have already donated! You can continue to drop off your contributions at either the LV reception or JO Store cupboard.
Results update:
Kidds: The U12 entered four teams into a tournament to take on THD and Honor Oak. Wapping Girls won their tournament convincingly and Wapping Boys remain unbeaten this season - winning their tournament without conceding a goal.
Last week in a line: WDDWLDLWLWWLLLWWL
Fixtures this Saturday:
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
Derbies for days
This Back Post contains some updates about this weekend’s derbies, an exciting shout out to one of our umpires, a plug for support and some dates for your diary.
As the weather (finally) looks to be turning in hockey’s favour, there is a weekend of tasty derbies to be looking forward to. Hopefully the M1’s satisfying win over East London last week has left you craving more derby victories as this week the M3, L4 and Dockers all take on East London at home (scroll down for timings). Additionally, if that wasn’t spicy enough, there are two inter-Wapping derbies taking place: the M8 v M9 at 14:00 at JO followed directly after by a L6 v L7 match at 15:30 so plan for a full day of sideline fun and games.
Plugging some support
The M3 and L2 are back-to-back at LV this weekend (Pitch 1, 13:00 and 14:30) and could do with some vocal support, so if your team is at LV too please consider wrapping up (Wapping blankets can be found in our locker), grabbing yourself a tipple, and exercising your lungs to help them secure those 6 points.
Dates for the diary:
As dry/damp January comes to the end, socials are creeping back and there are a couple key dates to get in your diary:
Saturday 10th February: social secs have booked the club space at the Moretown Belle from 4pm for the England v Wales 6 Nations game
Saturday 2nd March: L1/M1 quiz raffle fundraiser, after the success of last year this fundraiser night is back - so keep the date free in your diary!
Woo go Phil:
Massive congrats to Phil O'Hagan for passing his Level 3 indoor umpiring assessment, making him Wapping HC’s first ever NPUA Indoor umpire. He’s also been selected for the World Masters indoor cup, taking place at the end of March in Nottingham. We wish him all the best!
Leave a Google review:
If you’ve got a spare five minutes this week why not help improve the club’s SEO rankings and give Wapping a Google review?
3 reasons why you should leave a review:
Another quick and easy way of showing appreciation for the club, shoutout your fave coach, a supportive team member, Lee Valley’s jacket potatoes - go wild
We want to hear from you! Any feedback, positive or negative is great to hear and means the exec can work to make changes that benefit members across the club
You’ll be one step closer to becoming a google review local legend
Results update:
Last week in a line: WWDDWWWWLLLLWL
Fixtures this Saturday:
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
We’re back baby
This Back Post contains some updates today about the M1 derby this evening, some exciting new stash and how to watch some England hockey from the comfort of your sofa!
Whilst the weather unfortunately continues trying to stop us from playing hockey, the festive break is well and truly over and this weekend teams are (weather dependent) back in action.
Some updates today about the M1 derby this evening, some exciting new stash and how to watch some England hockey from the comfort of your sofa!
M1 derby:
A reminder that the M1 are kicking off the second half of the season with a derby match against East London under the lights at Lee Valley this evening. With the M1 only 2 points off the top of London Prem it would be great to get as many supporters down as possible. Push back is 8:30pm on pitch 1.
sTash alert!
A shout-out to all women in the club who would like a pair of Wapping shorts. They are now available to order via the link below: https://www.hawkinsport.co.uk/products/wapping-hc-womens-short
While you’re at it feel free to pick up other bits and bobs from the Wapping shop!
Hockey on the BBC
If you still feel you need more hockey in your life then the BBC have come to your rescue and are showing all GB Olympic qualifying matches, taking place between the 13th and 21st January, live on BBC sport. Details on match timings below:
GB Women
V Canada: Saturday 13th September , PB 8:30am
V Spain: Sunday 14th September, PB 10:45am
V Malaysia: Tuesday 16th September, PB 13:15pm
GB Men
V Pakistan: Monday 15th September, PB 16:45pm
V Malaysia: Tuesday 16th September, PB 16:45pm
V China: Thursday 18th September, PB 14:30pm
England Hockey have worked really hard with the BBC since the Commonwealth Games to get them to televise hockey on free to air channels. The BBC’s argument is that when televised historically, hockey didn't get the 50K threshold of viewers that it has as a baseline for televising specific sports. It would be great to smash that number and show that hockey players are also watchers so please spread the message and see if we can get eyeballs on the games.
Results update:
Fixtures this Saturday:
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
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year all
And just like that it’s 2024 and we’re half way through the season. A big congratulations to the L1s and L7s, who sit top of their leagues and have won 10/10 and 8/9 respectively, with multiple other teams not far behind in their pushes for promotion.
Before we start again, here’s a couple of action points, a few thanks, some reflections from the committee, and a note on where our Chair will be focusing efforts in 2024.
Action points
If you have any feedback/suggestions for next season please let someone on the Exec know before our 24/25 planning session on the 1st of Feb. We can only change things we know about so all feedback will help us help you.
Continue showing love for your umpires. As well as unequivocal in game respect, please remember to welcome them when they arrive, offer them a drink, and include them at teas. Often they will have travelled a significant way or given up their own post-game fun to ensure your match can be played.
If you have a medical issue please ensure someone on your team knows (ideally your captain) so they can provide appropriate help if required.
Thank yous
Firstly, a massive thanks from our alumni for all your support when we lost Wonders in November. Wonders was a huge personality and in honour of everything she brought to Wapping we’re introducing a personality of the year award at this year’s end of season, ‘The Wapping Wonder’.
Secondly, a big thanks from Kidds to everyone who’s helping out including the 2s and 3s whose support at the Friday night sessions has been brilliant. The youth section is going from strength to strength and being able to support and inspire our young players together is something really special.
Finally, a massive thanks from us to you. This half season has been wildly better than last year’s in almost every way, and that is solely down to you all. Having oversight on the many conversations happening constantly across the club really highlights how brilliant people at Wapping are.
Committee Reflections
OFFICIATING:
Thanks to the amazing Jane we’ve filled every umpire slot this half season but, as ever, having more umpires would make everything easier. For the second half of the season we’re changing how we manage umpires, with teams being allocated slots they’ll need to fill, so if you haven’t already, make sure you take the online Level 1 Umpire course over the break so you can support your team with this.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank all our umpires for their support and all those who have encouraged umpires old and new this season. The London League are short of umpires currently and without people from the club willing to officiate we simply wouldn’t be allowed to compete.
If anyone is considering trying umpiring - this is your year - as we have three incredible umpire Development Officers who want to help so do reach out to them. We also have a number of new umpires this season, including some fabulous women, who would be happy to talk with anyone who’s interested.
SPONSORSHIP:
Following an overhaul of our sponsorships this season we were pleased to onboard loads of new sponsors. Before the season began Chambers Timber kindly donated the materials for the storeroom renovation and Simon Wright Jewellery renewed his position as the go-to man for all Wapping engagements.
Salmon Hockey has joined us as sponsor of the Dev Squad and is providing carbon sticks and shin pads at hugely discounted rates over at the Wapping Shop. NuSmile Dentists became L3 sponsors and are offering a mega 20% off all their treatments, a possible saving of hundreds of pounds if anyone you know is looking for Invisalign or whitening. They also do general dentistry so a good chance to get a check up at a similar price to the NHS.
The M3 brewed their "DoD beer" at Tap East which will be available in the New Year: Wapping members get 10% off everything in the bar. Finally, the mighty Feeney's Irish Pub came on board to sponsor the L5, stay tuned in the new year for news of their new venue.
We are now looking towards CAWHL sponsorships, if you know of anyone who may be keen to get involved, please do email wappingsponsorship@gmail.com
COMMUNITY:
We're thrilled by the fantastic start to this season, witnessing the club grow stronger with each passing week. From a community perspective, we've recently welcomed Emma Thorne to the welfare team, representing the ladies' side of the club. Emma is doing a stellar job, contributing content to ensure Wapping remains an outstanding club for all members. Expect more exciting updates from the welfare team in January! For any welfare-related concerns or suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact us at wappinghcwelfare@gmail.com or utilise the form.
CAWHL Summer League Update: Calling all volunteers! We're looking to make this year's Summer League bigger and better than ever. If you're interested in contributing or wish to learn more about available roles, please reach out to us at wappingvcc@gmail.com.
Whitechapel Clothes Donation: Thanks to those who have already donated! You can continue to drop off your contributions at either the LV reception or JO Store cupboard. We're extending the closing date into the new year to accommodate more donations.
If you have any suggestions or ideas to enhance our community initiatives, please get in touch! Your input is invaluable in shaping our community outreach.
Areas of Focus for 2024
Being blessed with a hugely dedicated committee means it’s full steam ahead across all areas of the club at all times, but as Chair there are two areas I’ll be championing for the remainder of the season.
Continued momentum for Kidds. We’re creating more formal alignment structures with the adult side of the club and there’s been a lot of work with the newly formed Kidds’ committee to support operations. Thanks to an incredible bunch of coaches the talent being fostered is unreal and to bolster that we’re considering appointing a new Kidds Head Coach to help pull the areas together and support growth.
Support for the 2s. Despite plenty of hard work, and some very promising games, the results for our 2nd teams haven’t fallen in their favour. And, in order to attract, maintain, and transition players at the club, it’s important we maintain divisional closeness between our top teams. As such, I urge everyone to support our 2s in any way they can, whether that be flagging players that could be playing higher, or cheering them on from the sidelines on a Saturday.
Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy 2024 - Rogers x
tips to prep for 2024 hockey!
Set a fun New Year’s Resolution: think big, why not resolve to score a hattrick in every hockey game you play in
Dive into the sales: if the above fails why not treat yourself in the boxing day sales
Analyse: if you’re sick of festive films and your team has used the club’s VEO camera, relive the highs of the first half of the season from the comfort of your sofa
Try and get off the sofa: try and at least do some light exercise inbetween the leftover mince pies and yorkshire puddings…
Social media never sleeps
Whilst hockey rests for some a little longer, please do continue to post on your team social media and like and save posts on the main @wappinghc instagram account. The engagement is making a real difference to the club in attracting players and sponsors. So drop us some likes or even a cheeky comment over the break xoxo
Results update:
Fixtures this week:
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
Countdown to Christmas
This Back Post contains a reflection on Saturday’s social, a suggested christmas gift and an update on TOTY points
Whilst lots of teams didn’t get to have fun on the pitch last week due to the wintery temperatures (booo), the club certainly had a great time at the Christmas social. As we roll into the last week of league matches let’s keep our fingers crossed for slightly milder weather and some big wins!
Festive vibes!
A massive thank you to the social secs for another great evening on Saturday night at the Wapping Christmas social. There were turtle doves, the Spice Girls, reindeer, Greggs items, a Shrek squad and a Christmas boyband amongst others.
Best dressed went to: Ladies 3s who were dressed as Xmas #1s earning 50 big points towards their team of the year total (see below).
Team of the year
As we come to the midpoint of the season that also means we are half way through the team of the year competition. Points can be collected all over the place from performance on the pitch and helping out the club (umpiring, kidds, coaching etc.) to social media posts and even fancy dress at club socials.
Top 10 teams so far:
M8
L3
M3
M2
L5
L1
L4
L7
L2
M4
Some explanation on how these teams have risen to the top:
The judges: M8 and L5 have done tonnes of umpiring, making up the bulk of their points
The party animals: L7 are getting a great turnout at socials
The jacks of all trades: L3 and M3 are getting solid points across the board including umpiring, kidds coaching, fundraising and coaching
The workhorse: shoutout to Smithy who apparently is ‘carrying’ the M4s on points
Give the gift of sparkly teeth this Xmas 🎄🦷
A reminder that NuSmile dentists are giving Wapping players (and their loved ones) an amazing 20% off all general and cosmetic dentistry. If you, or anyone you know, is considering Invisalign / whitening etc, now’s the chance to invest to save hundreds of pounds 😁
Results update:
Last week in a line: WWLLL
Fixtures this week
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
Discounted club trip to Leyton Orient on February 13th 2024
It’s getting chilly
This Back Post contains an update on our newly qualified umpires, a match report for the Printers, and a reminder on making your Whitechapel Mission donations.
With temperatures dropping who knows how many hockey matches will be played this weekend. There’s a big M1 v East London 1 derby on the cards so let’s pray for sunshine!
However, whatever the weather we still have the Christmas social to look forward to on Saturday. Bring your best team outfits to Forge from 7:30pm for some fun festive vibes.
Umpire assessments:
A big congratulations to three of our Wapping umpires who all successfully passed their Level 1 assessments this month. Isabel Ringrose, JJ Littlemore and Brad Quinn were all passed by Phil O’Hagan.
If you are interested in getting involved in umpiring, please do reach out to our ULO Jane by emailing wappingulo@gmail.com. Not only is it a great way to give back to the club, but you will also receive £15 for every game you umpire.
Movember update:
As Movember ends here are some final pics of the M3’s Movember attempt!
Please do continue to donate here.
Whitechapel Mission
A box is now at LV and there will be one at JO from tomorrow evening so please do donate any items you can. As a reminder the mission are in need of:
Clothes, Toiletries and Linen. More info on this here: https://whitechapel.org.uk/supporting-us
We will be looking to make the donation to Whitechapel Mission on the 18th December.
Printers match report - 3-0 Win
Last Sunday the Printers mixed team took on Havering in the first round of the England Hockey mixed club at Lee Valley. Despite some weary legs and even wearier heads, the team managed to arrive on time and even get out for a warm up, a rare occurrence for a mixed match.
Wapping held good possession and pinged the ball around, resulting in a corner that was converted by Jenna Maclaren despite the routine being slightly ‘unique’. Shears spent the first half running miles in the midfield and Smithy in goal had little to do. 1-0 at half time and my ears could hardly believe it when Matt Bowen said ‘we were doing well’ and ‘playing some nice hockey’. Not the half time talks I’m used to.
Into the second half and some great individual skill from Sam was converted by Dom into a second goal for Wapping. Katie and Gigi continued to press hard and Shears was still running circles around Havering mids. Matt was busy in the middle denying, delaying and dictating play as usual. DV sealed the game with a lovely hit to make it 3-0 to Wapping.
MOM to Shears for relentless running and great ambition.
Results update:
Last week in a line: LLWLWLDLDLL
Fixtures this week
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
Discounted club trip to Leyton Orient on February 13th 2024
Giving and receiving
This Back Post contains an update on how we’ll be organising umpires in 2024, a shout-out for Whitechapel Mission donations, and a reminder on how to raise funds for the club over Black Friday.
Shoutouts last weekend to the M8 who put 8 goals past THD in an 8-1 win, the L1 who make it 8 in 8, maintaining their perfect start to the season and top of the league position, and the L7 for getting their first win of the season against East London. As we push towards Christmas there are lots of big games this weekend including the M7 and M9 who have derbies against East London.
It’s festive season!
It’s time to start getting in the festive spirit (if you haven’t already) with our club Christmas social which is taking place next Saturday the 2nd December at Forge (near Bank) from 7:30pm. Time to get your outfits, dance moves and best chat ready for what will be a great night to kick off the festive period!
New Year New Umpire system
A huge thanks to all those who have umpired this year/got trained up/been assessed. You guys rock 🤘 We're in a better place than last year but we've still a way to go, so now the teams have settled, we're switching up how we allocate umpires.
Starting January 13th, our ULO, Jane, will update the number of slots that need covering as normal but each slot will also have a team allocated to it based on level and timing of other games. If by Wednesday there has not been an offer to cover the slot, the team that has been allocated it MUST provide an umpire. Slots will be allocated well in advance so there will be plenty of notice for your team to organise who helps out.
So what do YOU need to do before then?
1. If you aren't already an umpire, take the online umpire course (click on the 'BOOK HERE England Hockey' box under the 'Level 1 Umpiring Course, select a date, register an account, and book your course. Please note that once taken our UDOs can support you with as much on pitch help as you need. If the cost (£30) is prohibitive please reach out in confidence to our treasurer.
2. If you're already an umpire, encourage your teammates to get trained up and consider reaching out to our Development Officers, James, Phil and DC should you like any development support.
Whitechapel Mission
Since 1876, The Whitechapel Mission has been called to serve the men and women caught in the cycles of poverty, hopelessness and dependencies of many kinds, and to see their lives transformed to hope, joy and lasting productivity.
Winter is a difficult time for many people, but especially for those sleeping rough. The weather is changeable, and the nights are longer. At the peak of winter, it will be dark by 4pm. We all know our summer is over and the cold is here. And they know it too.
How can we support?
1. Donating Clothes, Toiletries and Linen. More info on this here: https://whitechapel.org.uk/supporting-us
So maybe it's time to do a winter clear out to create space for those new clothes you've bought in the recent sales or gifts you receive over this festive period!
Or
2. Financial donations, which can be made here https://whitechapel.org.uk/winterappeal
There will be donation bags/boxes at both LV and JO storage rooms for you to drop off your amazing donations!
We will be looking to make the donation to Whitechapel Mission on the 18th December.
It’s Black FriYay
If you still haven’t downloaded EasyFundraising, today is literally the perfect day to do so before you make any Black Friday purchases! EasyFundraising partners with over 7,000 brands who will donate part of what you spend to a cause of your choice. It won't cost you any extra. The cost is covered by the brand.
Our cause is Wapping Hockey Club and we’ve already raised £2.7k for club for purchases from easyFundraising.
Additionally, Club member Iain Davidson has increased the donation payments for Three Mobile if you go via https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/retailer/three-mobile/ with donations going up to £50.00 per purchase, as well as some great Black Friday deals on phones, SIM only contracts and broadband.
And if you don’t need to change your phone contract, have a look at great offers from loads of retailers such as Amazon, Adidas, Apple, Expedia, JustEat and more – all who will donate money to Wapping when you purchase!
Results update:
Last week in a line: DLWLLLWDLWLLWDW
Fixtures this week
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
Discounted club trip to Leyton Orient on February 13th 2024
Be Prepared!
This Back Post contains an update on socks, the Xmas social, Movember progress, and how to raise funds for the club over Black Friday.
Some great results last week mean that there are now three Wapping teams topping their respective leagues (L1, L6, M4) with the M1 and M8 close behind in second place in their leagues. This weekend all of our adult teams are once again back in action and there are some key tips on getting prepped for Black Friday and the Christmas Social.
CHRISTMAS SOCIAL
There are only 2, yes that’s right, 2 weeks to go until the Wapping Christmas Social on Saturday 2nd December.
It will take place at Forge (near Bank) from 7:30pm to 2am. Tickets will cost £10 and will be available to buy through your team social sec.
After the successful Halloween outfits on show a couple of weeks ago I am expecting equally as impressive outfits at this Christmas social so get planning, crafting and organising now!
Back to Hockey
A reminder that if you have any friends, housemates or family who are looking to get into, or get back into, hockey, please do point them towards our ‘Back to Hockey’ sessions that happen every Tuesday evening 8:30-10pm at John Orwell.
The sessions are fun but also give everyone a chance to have a run around, meet new people and improve their hockey skills.
‘As the Vice Chair of Performance, I am thrilled to witness the transformative impact of our ‘Back to Hockey’ sessions. The commitment of our ladies first team players as coaches not only elevates the quality of instruction but also extends the opportunity for growth into the competitive season. This initiative epitomizes our dedication to making hockey inclusive, ensuring that the joy of the game is experienced by all’ - Lizzie Salmon, VIce Chair Performance
Easy Fundraising
With Black Friday coming up, there is literally no better time in the year for you to sign up to EasyFundraising.
EasyFundraising partners with over 7,000 brands who will donate part of what you spend to a cause of your choice. It won't cost you any extra. The cost is covered by the brand.
Our cause is Wapping Hockey Club and we’ve already raised £2.7k for club for purchases from EasyFundraising.
As we approach Black Friday and all the sales – this is a great time to check easyFundraising or use their Donation Reminder browser extension to see if your purchases can raise money for Wapping.
Club member Iain Davidson has increased the donation payments for Three Mobile if you go via https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/retailer/three-mobile/ with donations going up to £50.00 per purchase, as well as some great Black Friday deals on phones, SIM only contracts and broadband.
And if you don’t need to change your phone contract, have a look at great offers from loads of retailers such as Amazon, Adidas, Apple, Expedia, JustEat and more – all who will donate money to Wapping when you purchase!
Socks are back!
Wapping hockey socks are back in stock 🎉
They’ll be available for pick up from JO or LV from MONDAY next week.
Apologies to anyone who’s ordered socks for the delay.
Movember
The M3 are almost half way through Movember with varying levels of facial hair growing success (see below).
Please do continue to donate here.
A Time to say goodbye
A Tribute to Vicki Wonders will be held at Northallerton Methodist Church, 73 High St, Northallerton DL7 8EG on Saturday, 25 November 2023 at 1.30pm. Those who wish to can join us afterwards at Romanby Golf and Country Club,Yafforth Rd, Northallerton DL7 0PE.
We hope that this will give Vicki's many friends an opportunity to reflect on her zest for life & to share their memories of our beautiful girl.
We hope to live stream the Tribute Ceremony for those who cannot attend in person (details will be posted on Facebook).
There is no dress code but you may want to remember Vicki's love of the colour purple & Newcastle United ❤️
With thanks for your many messages & love from all of Vicki's family.
Results update:
Last week in a line: WLLWDWWDLLWLWLDWL
Fixtures this week
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
Discounted club trip to Leyton Orient on February 13th 2024
Ready, Set, MO
This Back Post contains a sad update on a much loved former member, info on our NEXT social, Women in Officiating, Movember, this week’s fixtures and last week’s results.
Last weekend saw great results both on the pitch and on the Halloween dance floor. A shoutout to the Ladies 3s who not only got a big 3-1 win against Eastcote but also emerged victorious as Halloween fancy dress dinners. This Saturday all 17 of our adult teams are in action including derbies against East London for the L3, M4 and M7 and big home matches for the L1 and M1 against promotion rivals.
Vicki Wonders
Last week we learned of the devastating news that former Wapping member Vicki Wonders has passed away. Wapping HC sends its heartfelt condolences to all Vicki’s friends and family.
Please do send any pictures and fond memories through to wappingchair@gmail.com so we can include them in a memorial post.
Socials
Thank you to our wonderful social secs who organised a great night for the Halloween social last Saturday. My personal highlights included hogging the ‘dancing’ stage upstairs and sending a few too many song requests to the DJ, who very kindly played all my fave bangers.
There were some great outfits on show including Harry Potter characters, lots of Barbenheimer energy, 118 men, and at least one lobster. However, it was the Ladies 3s who emerged victorious as fancy dress winners for their Baby Guinness outfits - congrats!
There’s no time for rest in the Wapping social calendar as teams can now look forward to the Wapping Christmas social - please share the details below with your teams:
Date: Saturday 2nd December
Venue: Forge
Time: 7:30pm-2am
Attire: team favourite festive fancy dress
Tickets: tickets will cost £10 (includes Christmas nibbles) and will be available to buy through your team social sec
Women in Hockey Officiating workshop
As mentioned a few weeks ago, Women in Hockey Officiating are hosting a virtual workshop that is open to all women umpiring hockey in England, regardless of umpiring level. The agenda is as follows:
Part 1: answering pre-asked question on umpiring topics including positioning (particularly at corners, flicks and shuffles), obstruction rules and working with umpiring colleagues
Part 2: a series of scenarios to work through in small groups in a supportive atmosphere with guidance form experienced female umpires
Movember is back!
Another November has rolled around which means men across the country and Wapping will be growing, or attempting to grow, more facial hair for Movember. Movember are a great charity who raise awareness and look to tackle male suicide and mental health as well as testicular cancer.
The M3s have a Movember fundraising page up and running so please do donate here.
If any other teams/individual fundraising pages up and running please do get in touch to share! Keep your eye out on the backpost this month for facial hair updates…
Grubby deal!
Wapping member and Grubby founder Martin has kindly supplied Wapping members with an amazing deal. Grubby delivers meal kits to your home, providing you with pre-portioned ingredients and a choice of 20 recipes a week to choose from and follow. Their meals are filling, have a minimum of 2 fruit or veg in every portion and are quick and easy to make. Additionally, Grubby donate a meal to a child in poverty for every box sold.
Discount details: enter the discount code WAPPINGHC to get an exclusive 50% off your first box (including free delivery) and then 30% off for the rest of your first month.
Salmon Hockey order
We are delighted to welcome Salmon Hockey as sponsor of the Wapping Dev team and provider of Wapping Kidds clothing. They are passionate about making hockey accessible and are offering equipment for all at affordable prices. If you’d like to order a Wapping Kidds shirt (£15), a pair of shin pads (£18) or a carbon stick (£50), please do so from the Wapping Shop, we’ll be placing an order next week.
Moretown belle quiz
One of our lovely sponsors, the Moretown Belle are celebrating their 5th Birthday with a Fancy Dress Quiz on Monday 20th November 2023. Details below:
Time: arrive from 6pm, quiz starts at 7pm
Prizes: for 1st, 2nd and best fancy dress
Team size: 8 people
Please do keep an eye on social media for more details and start getting your team together!
Results update:
Last week in a line: DLLWLWWWWLWDWLDW
Fixtures this week
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
50% off first box + free delivery, 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
Discounted club trip to Leyton Orient on February 13th 2024
Spooky season
This Back Post lets you know how you can get ready for Wapping Halloween, shouts out to a couple of new sponsors, and includes an intro to our lovely welfare team.
It’s Wapping Halloween! Last week saw some teams busy battling for points, particularly the M2 who fought hard for a 5-4 win, other teams took the chance to relax in a well-earned slip week, and undoubtedly many teams spent the weekend busy prepping their squad’s Halloween costumes for one of the biggest nights of the year - tomorrow’s Halloween social. This Back Post lets you know how you can get ready for Wapping Halloween, shouts out to a couple of new sponsors, and includes an intro to our lovely welfare team.
10 ways to make sure you are treated not tricked this Wapping Halloween:
Make sure you’ve paid your £2 entry through your team social secs
Get your costume ready - have I been silly and left it until now to get my costume sorted? Yes. Does this mean I’ll be racing through Walworth charity shops at 9:30 on Saturday morning? Yes. Hopefully you haven’t left it as late as me and your costume is ready to go
Win your game - start the good vibes early
Hydrate and eat post game - don’t be the fool who skips this step and doesn’t make it past 6pm
Assemble your team - there are big team of the year points up for grabs for best dressed and higher numbers = higher impact. Gather your team early to prevent people snaking away home. Why not grab a pint as a team at our new M3 sponsor - Tap East 👀
Get some spooky tunes on - personal faves include Disturbia (Rihanna), She Wolf (Shakira) and I’m in love with a monster (Fifth Harmony)
Snap some content - make sure your team Instagram is popping off throughout the night, remember to tag @wappinghc in posts and stories
Add the final details to your outfits - there is no such thing as too much, I’m thinking fake blood, fake contacts, glitter, slime etc.
Get the details right - 7:30pm, The Castle
Look out for each other and have a great time!
New sponsors alert!
Firstly, we are proud to welcome Salmon Hockey as the sponsor of our Development Team. Salmon Hockey share our passion for making hockey a more inclusive and accessible sport. As part of this they are very kindly offering hockey equipment at bargain prices. Haven’t washed your shinpads for 10 years? Me neither. Why not grab a new pair for £15?! Does your stick make concerning sounds when you shake it? Same. Get a brand new Salmon stick for only £50! Purchase through the wapping shop here: https://www.wappinghockey.club/shop
We also welcome Tap East as the new sponsors of the mighty M3. For those not familiar with Tap East, it is a microbrewery based right next to Stratford station - an ideal post-match pre-social location! To celebrate their 12th birthday this Saturday they will have 12 craft beers on tap - so make sure to slot Tap East into your team’s Saturday schedule this week if you can!
Our wonderful welfare team
This year we have a dedicated welfare and safeguarding team in place to support all of our club members and associates and keep everyone happy, healthy and safe.
The team is made up of:
Alex Corrie (Men’s Section)
Emma Thorne (Women’s Section)
Sandra Akinbolu and Barbara Lo Giudice (Wapping Kidds)
All of us can be contacted at wappinghcwelfare@gmail.com, where any concerns, questions, or issues will be treated with dignity, respect, and confidentiality. You can also find all of our policies and guidance (including our reporting forms) on our website Wapping Hockey Club. No matter how small you believe the issue to be, if something doesn’t sit right with you, or makes your time on or off the pitch uncomfortable, reach out to us.
It is all of our responsibilities to keep each other safe and happy, and we want to hear from you. In order to make our club a better and safer space for all, we want to hear what you have to say, including any suggestions you may have for us. If you have a spare minute, please consider filling out this feedback/suggestion form to aid us in leading welfare at the club .
Please also take the time to familiarise yourself with the Club Code of Ethics and Behaviour (Wapping HC's Code of Ethics and Behaviour - Google Docs) which outlines how we should all work together to make the club a safe and inclusive space for all.
With the Halloween Social coming up, we would like to remind everyone that OUR CLUB LOOKS AFTER EACH OTHER. Stay safe, have fun, and enjoy our wonderful sport!
Results update:
Last week in a line: WLWD
Fixtures this week
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
30% off Grubby meal kits for 4 weeks
2 weeks free trial of El Tab app giving members 4 free drinks in London nightly
20% off Sharp Movement
Discounted club trip to Leyton Orient on February 13th 2024
Slip week! (for some)
This Back Post contains a sign up for slip week’s social hockey, info on TOTY, reel of the season, women in officiating and a L1 match report
The Ladies’ side of the club had an unbelievable set of results last week with all seven teams picking up points, including a 5th win in a row for the L1 (match report below). With slip week coming up, lots of us will enjoy some hard-earned rest for recovery. However, whilst I will be sipping a cocktail on the beach on Saturday, there is unfortunately no rest for the M2, M8, M3 and L7 who all have matches this weekend, including a derby for the M8 against East London.
L’Ump month donation link: https://www.justgiving.com/page/lump-month-2023
Slip week hockey
Slip week social Saturday needs more players! 2pm @ John Orwell. Very friendly. Everyone welcome.
Register here: https://forms.gle/keghNB5e6wkKS9J78
The M3 are playing in the slot before at 12:30 and there will be a pub trip afterwards so why not make a day of it?
Team of the year
Team of the year is back! Each year we tot up points for all the things you do that make Wapping brilliant, and the team that gets the most points is awarded the very prestigious title of 'Team Of The Year'. Points range from performance, to social attendance and volunteering across the club. Some ideas to start boosting your team’s points below:
Get all your team at the Halloween social for attendance points (7:30pm, The Castle, 4th November)
Bonus points (and bragging rights) to the best dressed team!
Get winning - the team with the most wins each half of the season will get points
Volunteer: coaching, kidds sessions, umpiring, becoming a first aider = points
Post a team reel…. (more details below!)
Reel of the season
This is your chance to showcase your team's highlights, lowlights and everything in between - on and off the pitch!
Team of the year points are at stake:
50 for Best Ladies' and Best Men's Reel
15 points for entry (some of the easiest points going!)
All entries will be uploaded to the main club Instagram account with your team's account added as a collaborator.
Deadline – 1st March 2024. Voting via team Instas sent to the main club account by 5th April 2024 (You can't vote for your own team but you can vote for each category.)
Talk to your team's social media sec for full entry details and get scrolling on insta reels/tiktok to get your creative juices flowing!
Some inspo:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CriSHR9JGB4/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CjC--MfrWug/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-AVRXngFEs/
Women in umpiring
Following research and reports of the issues and barriers that Women face in umpiring, the Women in Hockey Officiating network have announced the date of an upcoming workshop where they are inviting london female umpires in particular to discuss.
Details: Tuesday 28th November 8pm
Sign up details to follow - keep an eye on @womeninhockeyofficiating on instagram for more information.
L1 match report
The Ladies’ 1 have gone top of London Prem with 5 wins out of 5 (including wins teams who were 1st, 3rd and 5th in the league last year). Last weekend they had a tight 4-3 win over Surbiton 3s…
On a partly rainy partly sunny day wapping L1 gave up another Saturday to travel into the depths of south west London to take on Surbiton. The addition of two new teammates with 8 legs between them and heartbreaking smiles kept spirits high in the lead up to our game.
To contrast with our usual expectations, our new coach Lou gave a positive and peppy pre match talk. This seemed to do wapping well as within 5 minutes of push back, tash fired the ball into the D and found Sarah on the back post for a deflection to put wapping in the lead. Unfortunately, Surbiton were awarded a flick and took their chance to equalise, 1-1.
Wapping kept strong attacking down the right and took a chance to win a corner. With space on the right post, Lucia deflected the ball into the back of the net, 2-1 wapping.
Feeling composed after half time Wapping won another corner which Pippa converted, sending Wapping 3-1 into the lead. Surbiton kept themselves in the game and looked threatening on the attack. However, Wapping continued to shift the ball around and a great cross from Ellie H found Shears on the back post who then found the goall.
From 4-1 up Surbiton clawed back another two goals (boring).High tensions on pitch but cool heads from Lou and Matt on the sidelines allowed wapping to finish the game 4-3 up and in high spirits. The winning streak has left wapping in a solid position at the top of the table going into slip week.
Mom went to our superstar new keeper Jenna BL for keeping us in the game.
Dod went to mum to be Liv Corry who will one day learn to sign her name properly.
Please do email your match report to wappingnewsletter@gmail.com if you would like it featured in the backpost!
Results update:
Last week in a line: WLLLDDLWWDWDWWWWD
Fixtures this week
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
30% off Grubby meal kits for 4 weeks
2 weeks free trial of El Tab app giving members 4 free drinks in London nightly
20% off Sharp Movement
Discounted club trip to Leyton Orient on February 13th 2024
Sliding into slip week
This Back Post contains a shout out for umpires, sign up for slip week’s social hockey, and info on how you could save a life.
And just like that we are almost at the first slip week of the season! However, we still have 16 teams in action this Saturday, including M9 and L6 derbies against East London. Make sure to stick around at JO and LV to support other Wapping teams that are in action.
Halloween
With just over 2 weeks to go until the Wapping halloween social on Saturday 4th November (@ The Castle, 7:30pm) I hope all teams are prepping their costumes. See some photos from last year for inspo below….
Slip week hockey
If you can no longer go a Saturday without putting on your astros or fancy a break from the stress of the London leagues then do not worry, you can sign up for social slip week hockey using the google form below. Depending on numbers a friendly mixed game or tournament will be organised with a trip to the pub after.
Register here: https://forms.gle/keghNB5e6wkKS9J78
Umpiring sign up
Those who are qualified as umpires (at any level) please do sign up for umpiring slots in the coming weeks. We are asking all umpires to sign up for four games across the season so shotgun the slots early that work best with your schedule - it also makes life much easier for our ULO, Jane.
If you are struggling to find a game you are qualified for or nervous about umpiring at all please do message Jane who can link you up with one of our dedicated Umpire Development Officers to help support and progress your umpiring across the season.
If you are not yet qualified but would like to be, please do sign up for an online Level 1 course using this link.
Benefits of doing so include:
£15 in your bank account for every game you umpire (that’s 2.5 free pints #girlmath)
The chance to meet more people across the club, including other umpires and those playing in other Wapping teams
The ability to develop a new skill and progress in your umpiring ability
L’ump month continues!
Thanks for all the donations so far! Please do continue to donate where you can here.
Some fun ways to get involved if you haven’t already:
Wear some pink as a team: socks, hair ribbons, laces…. the options are endless!
Post and re-post L’Ump month content on your team socials and personal Instagrams
Have a pink themed bake off at training or your Saturday match - post the winner on socials and get donating
Donate what you can to the JustGiving page
Save a life
There’s been a couple of cases in the hockey community recently where quick reactions from other players have saved lives. Both JO and LV have defibrillators so if ever someone collapses with a suspected cardiac arrest do not hesitate to run and ask for them. Defibrillator machines literally talk you through exactly what to do and will not shock the person unless there is no pulse, so no medical training is required to use them.
It has been announced that all underground/overground and some bus stations will have defibrillators and the London Ambulance Service are trying to train as many people on steps to take that will help save a life in the event of cardiac arrest. There is a 1min15 sec video everyone should watch and they are holding free training events across London.
If you are ever in the position where you need to know where your nearest defibrillator is - www.defibfinder.uk
Results update:
Last week in a line: WLLWWLDWLWWLLWWL
Fixtures this week
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
30% off Grubby meal kits for 4 weeks
2 weeks free trial of El Tab app giving members 4 free drinks in London nightly
20% off Sharp Movement
Discounted club trip to Leyton Orient on February 13th 2024