End of Season - 07-Apr-2001
Hailsham Hockey Club got together on Saturday evening to celebrate a tremendous year for the club. Players and officers of the club and partners enjoyed a splendid buffet at the Hailsham Football Clubhouse before trophies were presented by Eastbourne Herald's sports editor Ken McEwan.
Master of Ceremonies for the night Martin Headey emphasised how the club was at an important stage in its one hundred year history. After several years of playing home games outside the town the club is poised to return to Hailsham to play on the eagerly awaited Hailsham Community College astro and the prospects of developing a youth squad and attracting new players are promising.
Looking back on this year there was much to celebrate. The men's first team in the Sussex Open Division One finished a very respectable fifth with outstanding performances from players at opposite ends of the pitch. Keeper Dave Hathaway was in superb form all season whilst Ian Johnson kept thumping in goals from all angles all season.
The Club took the bold step of reviving the second eleven this year and it really paid off. Under the excellent guidance of captain Henry Drake and Player Coach Frank Rallings the side finished mid table in Division 4 with some stirring performances.
The performance of the ladies eleven this season was perhaps particularly impressive. Gaining promotion last year they came within a whisker of going up again and a successful semi final appearance in the Vase the morning after the awards evening shows what a talented side skipper Mary Major has put together. The ladies will now appear in the final of the Vase on May 13th against Mid Sussex.
The mixed eleven playing on Sundays also produced some excellent performances especially in tournaments where they competed well with teams from higher divisions.
In his closing comments Martin Headey drew attention to the great spirit in the club at present and stressed that with further hard work and dedication the club can continue to go from strength to strength.
Players receiving awards as follows:
The Cooper Cup for services to the Club:
- Geoff Farnes
Young Player of the Year (Men's):
- William Martin
Players' Player of the Year:
- Men's First Eleven - David Hathaway
- Men's Second Eleven - Henry Drake
- Ladies (The Chewter Cup) Helen Major
Helen Brian Davis Trophy (Mixed Players' Player of the Year):
- Toni Hobden
Leading Goalscorer Trophies:
- Men's First Eleven - Ian Johnson
- Men's Second Eleven - Simon Barden
Most Improved Player Awards -(Presented by the Hailsham Caged Bird Society)
- Men's - James Clarke
- Ladies - Lucy Smith
