Archive for July, 2008

President Report

Thursday, July 17th, 2008

$1,340,000 IN THE KITTY

New GroundsOn Wednesday July 9th 2.30pm at FHC, the State Government’s Sports Minister James Merlino attended the McIvor Reserve Pavilion to announce a grant of $275,000 towards the cost of re-surfacing both of our grounds over the next 15 months. The announcement by towards our grounds refurbishment project has topped up our kitty to a total of $1,340,000 to pay for – this September: a new carpet and shockpad on the ‘sand’ ground, and a fantastic new junior training / hit-up area to the north of the changerooms, and (next September) a new shockpad and carpet on the existing wet ground.

Both grounds and the junior training area will feature the most advanced hybrid syn. turf carpets, maintaining one ‘wet’ pitch and one ‘dry’ pitch, but with the ability to utilise the ‘wet’ pitch as a ‘dry’ pitch when so desired. Our junior training area will be line marked to replicate an indoor hockey court, and will be ideal for 6 X 6 games, goalie training, specialist skills development, etc. Practice of penalty corners on full-size goal circles will also be possible. It is hoped that this area will be floodlit from day 1 of its availability.

This is a great outcome for FHC and we were well represented at the announcement with over 60 members attending in club colours. Hopefully some press photos and articles will be published in our local papers in the coming weeks.

THANK YOU!

A terrific big thank-you to all of those that volunteered some time to the Club through our June ‘Tournament’ season. Many hands made the workload much more achievable. Funds raised from running these carnivals so successfully will enable us to add some vital extra’s to this September’s major capital works program.

Ladies Report

Thursday, July 17th, 2008

State League are finding this season tough and challenging, with a young inexperienced side. The girls have it the halfway mark of the season, currently sitting in tenth sport on the ladder with 1 win,1 draw & 8 Loss’s. However they continue to persevere. This second half of the season, they will focus on getting the points they need, by converting more in attack.

PB 5th after 3 win 2 loss’s and 5 draws, the ladder is extremely close in this competition. There is currently one point difference between the 5th & 4th spots. A few more wins should see them in the top four and in finals contention.

M1N 4th after some exciting wins, this team has really come together. A very close competition for the bottom half of the ladder. With 1 &2 points separating the 4th,15 & 6th Spots. Keep up the good work !!!

M2N 5th after 4 wins 5 draw and 1 loss. Playing consistently well. Keep up the good work girls!

M3N Still sitting 1st, and have held this position for the first half of the season. Well done keep up the good work!!!

M4 Red & Blue M4N Blue 5th, M4N Red 4th. These two teams continue to have sufficient players (especially when players give me enough notice to replace them!) and their success is due to the consistent squads on players and the great coaching assistance they are receiving! Well done girls keep up the Fantastic Work!!!

Men's Report

Thursday, July 17th, 2008
SL2 9th Position (relegation zone)
PC 1st Position (looking for promotion)
PD 10th Position (relegation zone)
M2W 9th Position (relegation zone)
M3W 8th Position (5 points clear of relegation)
M3N 4th Position (2 points clear of 5th spot)

As you can see, we have quite a bit of work to do in the rest of the year. We can’t change what has happened but we have the ability to turn this half of the year around. How do we do it? From the SL2 team all the way down to the Metro 3 teams we have to fight and put in the hard work. It doesn’t matter what team you are in, when you turn up to your game you are playing for your team and the club, and from now to the end of the year there are NO INDIVIDUALS!!!! To the teams pushing for top spots and the finals, you too will have to work harder as you will become the teams the rest of the competition want to beat. To the teams fighting relegation, I repeat what I said earlier, we have to fight our butts from the 1st minute of the game to the 70th minute, even if down 11-0 you don’t stop fighting. These teams have to come together and work as a unit, don’t live on past performances or live on potential, hit the training track and work hard and DON’T MAKE EXCUSES!!!! So from now to the end of the year, support your team mates, get to training, make the effort to go and support the other teams at the club and let’s make this half of the year a good one.

Get Well Soon
Our thoughts continue to be with Betts in hospital, and also to Benny Stephens who is currently
recovering in hospital. Get well soon.

Welcom back
Welcome back Tommy Griffen from his time in England, we look forward to seeing what the Poms have taught him, other than increase his waist line.

Congratulations
To Jason Lord on his engagement to his long time girlfriend.

Junior News

Thursday, July 17th, 2008

Junior State Championships (JSC)
Congratulations to Amy Scott (U13), Angus Robinson (U13), and Sarah Breen (U15) who have been selected to represent Victoria following outstanding performances in last week’s Junior State C’Ships! Amy will be wearing her first Victorian shirt, whilst Angus and Sarah are returning to State selection. Congratulations also to Sheridan Corless, Caitlin Duggan and Ellen Druce who have made a 30 person U14 Girls ‘Development Squad’ after their fine C’Ships performances. Several other FHC players have been very unlucky to just miss State / Squad selection, particularly U15 players Emma Ruyg and Jake Bailey who made it to the final trial but just missed out.

Victorian Representatives
The JSC provided a clear demonstration of Footscray HC’s rise in the Hockey Victoria junior ranks with FHC jumping from sixth (2007) to third (2008) best represented club at the JSC’s (jumping above TEM, Greensborough and Essendon). The best represented club’s were: Camberwell 37, Doncaster 34, FOOTSCRAY 31, TEM 27, Greens 26, Yarra Valley and Essendon (mens and ladies combined) – 25, P.House 22, Sth’n United 21, Haw and Altona 15. It’s interesting to note that we dominate female representation, with the best represented girls programs being: FOOTS. 24, Donc 20, C’Well 16 and Yarra 12. Our position near the top of this tree should be maintained in coming years as players from our outstanding U11 teams start to flow into the JSC program. Whilst at this time the spotlight is fixed on our representative kids, spare a thought for the fantastic array of coaches that have got our kids program to this high level. Our current group of 22 coaches would rank with the best in Victoria.

Wildcats Coaches
We also pass on our thanks to the commitment shown by Les McAlinden and Mel Fimmel in coaching the U/14 girls, Hernie Isorena and Mark Wiseman for coaching the U/15 boys and also Linda Breen, Lynda Thomas and Wayne Bailey for managing their teams.

FHC to coordinate wildcats
This year ends Altona Hockey Clubs rotational commitment in co-ordinating the Western Wildcats. Footscray will now have the responsibility of the co-ordination for the next two years. We will be looking for people to volunteer in a number of roles next year both off the field and as selectors, coaches and managers. If you are interested in assisting in any way, please contact either Brendan Sheehan, Heather Shaw or Mark White.

Vet's Report

Thursday, July 17th, 2008
Played Won Lost Drawn Position
Vets A Grade 12 3 5 4 5th
Vets D West Grade 12 8 1 3 2nd
Vets E Grade 11 7 1 3 3rd
SuperVets A 12 10 1 1 1st
SuperVets B 10 5 4 1 4th
Womens B Grade 7 4 2 1 4th

Congratulations

Thursday, July 17th, 2008

Rico & Nicole Virtuoso on the safe arrival of Chiara Anna Virtuoso, 10th July 2008, 8pd 12oz 3.98kg.

Trivia Night 2008

Thursday, July 17th, 2008

The tallies are in, the count is final. FHC members who supported the Trivia Night 2008 have contributed to the biggest ever fundraiser held at our club. This was due to every section of the club supporting the one event. The prize pool was the largest gathered and I would like to thank all the fundraising donors and members who donated to the Family Fun Day and the Trivia Night.

Trivia Night Total Profit: $5163.40

This brings our total Sponsorship Profits to over $5640.00 and our total Fundraising profits to over $7662.55. Total Fundraising + Sponsorship is $13,302.55. This is by far the biggest year we have ever had. These much needed funds will contribute to the $1,340,000 grounds project to commence at the end of this season.

Code of Conduct

Thursday, July 17th, 2008

Recently Hockey Victoria sent out the code of conduct to remind members of the hockey community how they are expected to behave. Please take the time to read it.

As a Team Official you must meet the following requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held or sanctioned by Hockey Victoria/ Hockey Australia and in any role you hold within Hockey Victoria.

The Tournament Director / Umpire Manager and/or Event Coordinator are responsible for ensuring that the Code of Conduct is met at all times. If, in their opinion, there is a serious breach of the Code of Conduct the team official may be suspended from the tournament/competition and/ sent home.
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New Ground Grant Presentation

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

Hockey GroundIt hasn’t been officially announced yet, but next Wednesday (July 9th) at 2.30 pm, the State Government’s Sports Minister James Merlino will be at the McIvor Reserve Pavilion to announce a grant of $275,000 towards the cost of re-surfacing both of our grounds over the next 15 months (sand ground this September – as well as the new junior training area being built outside the pavilion changerooms), and the wet ground being re-surfaced next September (2009). Added to the previously announced $25,000 State Govt contribution to our junior training area, it takes the total State Govt input to $300,000 towards $1,340,000 worth of works about to happen to our facilities!

This is a great outcome for FHC and we need to be well represented at the announcement Wednesday week. We would love to have lots of seniors and juniors there, so please mark your calendar now and be there on the day. Club colours would be appreciated and could lead to your selection for press photos, etc.

Many of the Club’s Board members will be away at the Aussie Vets Champoinships, or on holidays, or having babies!!, so anyone that can help the event run smoothly on the day would be appreciated also. Let me know if you can be there to assist.

It's love all at the hockey (The Age)

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

Footscray Couples

The Age

The score of “love” doesn’t exist in hockey. But it does here at Footscray Hockey Club. As our photograph would seem to indicate, love is rampant, literally. At last count, not only did 12 of the club’s married couples meet at FHC but between them, they have produced 14 children, who no doubt will provide a new generation of hockey players. But there’s more. Four other couples who met at the club are engaged and four others are dating. “In terms of sports, it’s quite unique. In all, about 24 couples are FHC members,” said the club’s junior division secretary Brendan Sheehan, who didn’t actually meet his wife Julie-Anne at the club but eventually persuaded her to join (and she has now played 400-odd games there, 50 fewer than he has). In fact, the love-all policy at Footscray extends even further, with a number of past members who have left the club having also since married.

This article was sourced from theage.com.com