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About Hertford Hockey Club |
Hertford Hockey Club began life as a hockey offshoot of the long-established and successful Hertford Cricket Club, born out of the desire of some cricketers to keep fit over the winter season. Some of the original founder members still play, and others are active in the management of the club. By 1987 the playing strength was such that the casual hockey section was constituted into a full Hockey Club playing in the East Men's League.
A degree of civilisation was introduced by the launch of Ladies hockey shortly afterwards, and the first Hertford Ladies team soon joined the Five Counties League and achieved promotion every year, reaching the Premier Division in 1999. After a pause for breath in 2000, the Ladies Firsts achieved promotion to the East Women's League in 2001.
The Club currently has five Men's teams playing in the East Men's League, with the First team performing consistently well in Division 3SW. There are also four Ladies teams, with the Firsts in the East Women's League Division 2SW and the other three teams in the Five Counties League.
Our clubhouse is located in Mangrove Road, Hertford, immediately next to Simon Balle School (see link to map at top of page). Pavilion facilities are shared with Hertford Cricket Club. The clubhouse is not the most elegant of buildings but it is practical and houses a very friendly club. We have a well-run bar with excellent real beers, and there are plenty of social functions that are well attended by the members and their friends. We play on an astro at Simon Balle School, which is immediately next door to the Clubhouse. The Club was a key partner in gaining consent and funding for the astro, and is represented on the Management Committee that administers the pitch for Community use.
Training and coaching nights on the astro are Tuesdays and Thursdays for seniors and Saturday mornings for juniors, and anyone interested in joining us is very welcome to come along. (Details of current training start times etc can be found on the home page).
Hockey through the season proper is of course based almost exclusively on Regional Leagues, but the Club manages to preserve some of the spirit of friendly hockey during the summer when hockey is played in summer leagues - where teams are a mixture drawn from all teams in the Club. There are also festivals to be visited from year to year, the occasional late summer Club Day, and other excuses to hit the bar and recount previous exploits that have grown ever more amazing with the passage of time ........
If you are interested in meeting or joining us, go to the Contacts page for telephone numbers and email addresses.
The Club's indefatigable Chairman, Steve Bailes, is a good starting point for advice and further contacts.
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