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15th December 2021

 

Dear Club Members,

                                    I am writing to you to extend both my festive wishes and those of the Club to you and your families. We know that the last 18 months have been difficult for us all including the lack of hockey played. We have all found times difficult in our own way but it has been great to see you all again playing hockey, enjoying the sport we love, embracing everything this Club has to offer, and enjoying time on the field and winning games!

I would like to start off by welcoming some returning members to our Club: Anthony Truelove who retired back in 2019, Ian who joined us late in 2020 and Ashraf who returns to the club after many years. As well as returning members, this season we have welcomed new members who have joined us: Ibrar Abbasi and his sons Ismaeel and Ibrahim, David, Matthew K, Ben and Andrew. Not only have they all settled in well with the club, but all have had a great start to the season, keeping clean sheets, creating chances and in many cases scoring vital goals. The CoBHC family wishes you a warm welcome.

On another positive note, I would like us to extend our congratulations and best wishes to Troy and Sadeka who welcomed their baby girl Arya into their lives just over a month ago. As well as this, warmest congratulations to our members that have recently got engaged, or had positive news in their personal lives.

The first half of the season has started off well, with the Men’s 1stXI firmly placed in 2nd and the Men’s 2ndXI in the hunt for a top 4 finish. Both teams have played some fantastic hockey as the Club starts to implement a style of play and DNA, as well as showing the right attitude off the pitch. The Badgers too have started off their campaign, ending 2021 with a win and we hope to grow this from strength to strength into the new year. 2022 sees that challenge raised, to maintain our league positions and dominance in games and chase down promotion.

The Club has been ambitious since post-lockdown with lots being done behind the scenes. I would like you to join me in thanking the Management Team for their efforts in keeping this club moving forward, opening to ideas and projects and importantly, ensuring hockey could return for us all. The team will be continuing its work in supporting all members and focusing on priority projects, not least the Club’s 90th Birthday which we celebrate in 2022. Each member of the management committee has played a pivotal role in helping the club secure 2 Men's Teams as well as ensuring we have the foundations in place to grow our Youth Academy. Without their time and effort, the long Monday evening meetings (and various online meetings throughout the week where necessary) we would not be in as strong a position as we are in now. There is a genuine belief that the club can now push on to greater aspirations, carefully and measured to return us to our former heights, both playing on the field and its outreach off the field.

Finally, I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for trusting us, being patient with us and playing for the club we all love. Every time I enter the arena, that is the hockey pitch, I am always filled with a sense of belief that there are no limits to what we are capable of together. We all play this sport because we love it, we all chose this club because we believe in its values and we all get along with one another because that’s who we are. We are in one of our strongest positions that we have been certainly during my era, the camaraderie, the positivity, the sense of family. Whether you have played, coached, umpired, spectated in person or from afar, or helped drive players to games, THANK YOU!

Whilst we now relax, recuperate and enjoy what we can during this festive period, I would like to extend the happiest and warmest of festive wishes to you and your families. I hope that you all remain safe, peaceful and happy. As ever, the Club and I are here for you if you need us. Enjoy the time with your family, however you chose to spend the Christmas and New Year and a genuine thanks from me on behalf of the Club for playing a key role in our journey in 2021. 2022 will bring more challenges, excitement and opportunities so rest up and I hope to see you all in early 2022.

 

Merry Christmas and a most prosperous New Year to you all.

 

Yours in Hockey,

Jeevan Chagger

Chairman of City of Birmingham Hockey Club (Men’s and Junior Sections)