End of Season Review by Captain Mark Darlington Royal Navy, Chairman RNHA

At the end of a very successful season, I would like to say a huge thank you to all the captains, players, coaches, managers, and officials, as well as all those that in some way helped support our Club this year. On everyone’s behalf, I would also like to say a very special thank you to Alan Walker whose tireless commitment to RN hockey keeps the whole show on the road.

This year has been outstanding. The men’s senior team achieved the outdoor and indoor Inter Service double, the men’s Vets team won their first Inter Service in years, the U23’s have made great strides forward including an excellent weekend at Milton Keynes, and the ladies have performed brilliantly with much more still to come as we look forward to next season.

I can’t mention everyone or everything but there were some other notable highs:

· The Inter Service indoor wins by the women’s and the U23 men’s teams over the RAF.

· The Inter Service outdoor win by the U23 men against the RAF.

· A superb fight back by the ladies to draw with the RAF in the Inter Service outdoor.

· For the fourth year in a row, a Naval Command Team (RM in 06) achieved at least a semi-final place in the West of England Club Finals (one step away from the National Hockey League Indoor play offs!).

· HMS Nelson men’s team second successive win of the Navy Cup and then winning the Tri-Service ‘John Gawley’ Cup.

· HMS Nelson womens’ team winning the Navy Cup.

· A brilliant first mixed tri-Service seven a-side competition sponsored and run by the RN Women’s Team.

· Two fabulous Veterans events, the regular Past v Present event and the first ever Inter Command Vets competition, bringing together serving and non serving members.

· The first ever Women’s Veteran matches at the outdoor Inter Services.

· A new mixed ‘ Freshers’ Inter Unit event, part supported by the RN & RM Sports Lottery, featuring over 80 new players many of whom have gone on to greater things.

· Matty Wesson’s Sport Official of the Year award.

· Major tours to Australia (Plymouth Command), Argentina (RN senior men’s team), Barbados (RN women’s team).

All of this was achieved thanks to the hard work of many individuals and the willingness of line managers to find time for Navy sport at unit or Service level.

Looking ahead, the Inter Commands in June offer another great chance to enjoy a game of hockey and meet up with old mates. Please play if you can. The Centenary Season is in 2008/9 – only a year away! We have started to plan, but I need your ideas; what do you want to do? A Centenary Committee has been formed and details will be published on the web in the near future – please let the Committee members know what it is you want in the programme of events. The focus will be in promoting RN hockey both today and in the future – finding tomorrow’s star or top coach/official. We must also seek to link all our members together in a celebration of RN hockey which brings together both the past and the present. Together we can make it a great and memorable year.

Finally, if I have a concern, it is this – we don’t talk about our achievements enough!!!!! Please can you all make more use of our web site. I have asked that we put as much information as we can on the web: fixture lists, match reports, photos, Centenary news, manager’s end of season reports, and anything else we want to share. Whether it is unit, Command or Service level hockey – put a short dit/photo on the web and spread the news about our thriving Club. In doing so, we will raise awareness of RN hockey and its achievements, encouraging new players and new supporters to join our Club.