Despite the ongoing rainy weather, Grafton Hockey Association managed to host two sessions of our “come & try” days for new and returning junior players.
Under the experienced guidance of our HNSW Regional Coaching Coordinator Rick Sampson, there were lots of happy children running around and learning some new skills. A big thank you to all the volunteers from the junior clubs who aided at these sessions.
The first round of the new Saturday morning Junior League will be held on Saturday April 2. This first session will also be open for children to “come & try” before having to register for the season. This gives children the chance to see if hockey is for them, before having to register and pay fees, so why not come, and give it a go?
Junior League 1 will be at 9.30am and is for boys and girls aged 8 & under, Junior League 2 is at 12.30, for boys and girls aged 10 & under. Minkey Hockey, for children aged 2.5-6 years of age, will be looking to start after the school holidays. Stay tuned for more information on our littlest hockey stars!
The junior girl’s competition will also start on Saturday April 2. Div 2 is for players in Years 5/6, Div 1 for girls in Years 7/8. The U16 mixed competition will commence on Wednesday April 6. Once the Brent Livermore field is back in action, this age group will move back to its regular Thursday night spot. Thursday April 7 will see the junior boys 11 and under, and 13 and under competitions hit off. If you are not sure what competition your child should be signing up for, please get in touch with GHA for advice.
GHA is happy to announce that all new junior players, once registered, will receive a $30 gift voucher for the hockey shop, located at the hockey complex, to put towards a new stick, ball, mouth guard or shinnies. Make sure you pop in and see Barry Livermore at the hockey shop for all your new season hockey supplies.
Flood will not halt hockey
With the last two hockey seasons affected by COVID, hockey players of the Clarence have been waiting with fingers crossed that the hockey season would start on schedule in 2022. The recent inundation of the Brent Livermore synthetic surface and the grass fields looked poised to disrupt plans, but GHA were happy to announce the 2022 season will start this weekend, as planned. The competition has been modified slightly to accommodate the temporary closure of Brent Livermore field. This will hopefully be a short-term issue, as the professional assessors have reported that the synthetic surface is structurally sound and will be ok to play once professional cleaning takes place.
It is not too late for any returning players, or those wanting to give hockey a try for the first time, to sign up. There are plenty of teams, with players of all abilities, still looking to boost their numbers. Hockey is such a great sport for a good physical workout, a bit of fun, and a nice social atmosphere. For 2nd and 3rd Grade players, all games are located in one place, with no travel required, a bonus with the current fuel prices.
Barring extreme weather and floods, the synthetic surfaces mean games can be played in most conditions, giving good value for membership. For more information, contact Grafton Hockey Association (GHA) via their website or Facebook page.
Angie Day