Featured

Now that the reguar season is almost over, its time to start thinking about indoor hockey. For the juniors, teams are being considered for U11, U13, U15, U17 competitions available depending on the level of interest. Where there is not enough boys/girls for a team there are mixed competitions. We are also looking for coaches for these teams.

Senior men and women interested in playing indoor need to contact their respective president, Don Larter or Danita Eastman.

Teams will be finalised and entered this Friday the 3rd September so you need to think quickly and register your interest.

More information, enquiries and registration of interest can about indoor hockey can be made to Brian Maddock via email at indoor@waverleyhc.org.au.

WHC Strategic Planning Day for 2010-2015.
Sunday 29th August 9am-12pm

Open to all interested club mens, women, juniors and minkey parents, vets and life members.

The aim is to celebrate the strengths of the club, identify areas where we can improve and set common goals. To develop startegies to improve these areas and achieve our goals over the next 5 years.

Complimentary breakfast will be served from 8.30am – 9am and morning tea later.

RSVP to b_maddock@hotmail.com for catering purposes.

The annual Waverley Hockey Club $1000 Club Day is upon us once again and is shaping up to be a great day around the club. WHC looks forward to playing five exciting games against Doncaster HC, hosting a luncheon for our current sponsors as well as socialising with a number of council members: local, state and federal.

WHEN – Saturday 31st July from 11PM.

TICKETS – $30 ticket for entry into the $1000 draw, two drinks of your choice and a sausage.

TARGET 1000 – Let’s aim for 1000 people to come through those gates on Saturday to show the proud and dominant force that Waverley HC is.

The day kicks off strongly with our two impressive under 9’s teams taking the field against Doncaster’s best under 9’s. The Under 9 Panthers will be looking to cement their 1st and 2nd places on the ladder – The next generation look strong! The club encourages parents and their kids to stay on for the day – We are supplying two jumping castles and have a Cub Card available for purchase on the day.

Cub Cards – $5 will get the kids one soft drink, a sausage and unlimited time on our two jumping castles.

Following will be an 120 strong minkey brigade taking the field to showcase the future of the club. Club members from State League 1, Pennant A and B will be down to help out coaching the minkeys program from 10:30am. Doncaster minkeys are also making the trek to Waverley HC to join in the fun. Again the club encourages the minkeys to stick around and to make use of the Cub Card!

WHC will welcome sponsors, supporters and council members at 12:00 noon to the club for a great day of socialising, food and hockey!

The third placed Pennant A Men will be looking for a win against the fourth placed Doncaster at 12:30pm – A win could potentially boost the team to first place!

2:00pm will showcase the clubs best Men’s talent with the State League 1 taking the field against Doncaster. The boy’s are coming off a strong win against Greensborough at home. They will ensure a fast paced, skillful and exciting game for the the home crowd to enjoy.

3:00pm Will see the $1000 draw begin, make sure you have tickets (ONLY $30!).

3:30pm the third placed Women’s Pennant A team will take on second placed Doncaster in what should be a well fought match to cement a finals spot!

5:00pm will showcase the final match of the day with the Pennant D Women looking to knock off a lowly PEGS to ensure a finals berth coming into the business end of the season.

Remember to show your support by getting down for the day to ensure we reach TARGET 1000.

Look forward to seeing you there

Friday night was a fantastic turn out to hear the story of one of the greats of hockey in Australia.

An enjoyable night that saw an insight into the life of Ric and a sharing of his knowledge and opinions from hockey through to politics. An insight that you rarely get into elite sport in Australia. Thanks to Ric for coming and being a wonderful guest speaker. Not only did he answer share his words with the audience, but stuck around to answer questions and entertain the guests with photos and conversations post event.  A great ambassador for the game.

Lastly thanks to those from the club that supported tonight but also a special thank you to members from other clubs that came along and enjoyed the night, a memorable experience for all that were there.

Photos of the night are available here courtesy of Brian Maddock:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=173124&id=519068343&ref=nf

Thanks for your support

Waverley Social Committee

Waverley Hockey Club have been very fortunate to obtain the services of Ric Charlesworth for a public guest speaking appearance while he is over from Perth.

So Waverley Hockey Club would like to invite all hockey fans to join us in what promises to be a very educating and entertaining night.

This is a wonderful opportunity to hear Ric speak on many hockey subjects, especially in the lead up to Commonwealth Games.

Also a social occasion in which to catch up with friends from other hockey clubs.

Why not make it a team social night?

Here’s the deal:

• Tickets $45.00 per head
• Finger food platters served to tables.
• Drinks at Bar Prices.
• Ric will speak for 30 – 40 mins and then there will be a question time.

Why not take advantage of our club Packages

Buy 10 tickets and get one free ticket (11 tickets).

Buy 20 tickets and we’ll rebate $100 back to your club and you get one free ticket (21 tickets). (You may also decide to sell this ticket and so raise $145 in total)

Tickets are limited. There is sure to be a lot of hockey fans who will take up this opportunity so please get in quick!

Don’t procrastinate, as the night is just 2 weeks away.

More details are on the attached flyer

Some additional info-

There will be a small auction, items will include a Beijing Hockey T Shirt, Collingwood and Carlton Guerseys, and some other hockey memorabillia.

Seating will be in tables of 10-11.

We are working on a fantastic MC so watch this space!

Hockey World are having another sale, this time on all hockey bags and grips. For more information check out the flyer.

In conjunction with Camberwell Hockey Club, we have organised an umpires training seminar to be held at 11.15 am on 16 May at Waverley Hockey Club’s ground in Winbirra Parade, Ashwood, just off High Street.  The aim of the seminar is to provide training for players, parents and spectators who are keen to learn more about hockey umpiring and to provide the theoretical base for those wishing to obtain HV/HA umpire accreditation.  The session is suitable for all standards but is aimed at those looking to obtain HV accreditation and should last around 90 minutes.

The seminar will follow the theoretical training program as established by Hockey Australia for the “Beginner Umpire Program” which includes an assessment to ensure successful completion.  Following completion of this training and assessment, and registration with HV/HA, interested umpires can seek practical assessment (under match conditions) to obtain umpires accreditation, that is, under old HV language, badging.

Jim Unkles, current SL1 umpire and Camberwell player, together with both Roger Andrews (Waverley) and Simon Day (Camberwell) will facilitate the session.  There is no cost for attending the seminar, but please note that there is a HA registration fee of $50 should you wish to be registered after the event.  (Waverley will provide some rebate to all members to this cost . A final decision on this rebate will be made following the seminar.)  For those already registered with HA please let us know on the day.

Could you please confirm your attendance via email: sday@canterburyhill.com.au.

After the toughest game of the season, the Waverley Pennant E team has emerged from the grand final with the premiership, winning 2-1 in extra time . With the two regular season matches against Doncaster ending in draws and Waverley winning the semi final in extra time, the game was expected to be close.

Nick D'Onofrio takes on Doncaster

After a fairly even start Doncaster were able to find an opening in Waverley’s defence to score the opening goal. Despite several strong attempts from both teams, including one Doncaster shot hitting the post, the score remained this way until a final surge from the Waverley forwards resulted in a pently corner after the final whistle. In the last throw of the dice, the corner variation to the left side was put in the back of the net to draw the game level and force the game to extra time.

Once again Waverley found themselves in extra time in this finals series. Both teams had opportunities up forward, with Doncaster having one attempt disallowed. Once again Waverley responded in the final seconds, with Rudi able to slip a pass through Doncaster’s defense to Chris Castle who slotted the ball past the sliding keeper to win the match and secure the premiership.

Zane Holloway watches Chris Castle score the winning goal

Thanks to the big crowd that turned out to support both the Pennant E and Metro 3 teams.

Waverley celebrates the win

More celebrations

Premiers 2009

Big weekend of GRAND FINALS  coming up, so get out and support your club.

Start off on Friday 18th  at S2 to see the U13 Shield team take on TEM at 6.15 pm

or alternatively go down to Monash  watch two games, the U13 North play Doncaster at 7.00pm followed at 8.30 pm when the U15 East take on Knox.

On Saturday 19th  you can start the day by popping into

H2 at 8.30 am to see the U11 North take on Box Hill for the flag.

So that may be a bit early for some of you. If so then make your way to Monash where at

12 noon Men’s PE take on Doncaster

followed at

2.00 pm when the Mens Metro 3 East take on MCC.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL WHO ARE PLAYING

This weekend, please support the TEM Breast Cancer Awareness Round on Saturday 29th August by purchasing a wrist band, sausage or simply a cupcake. All profits from the day will be going towards the McGrath Foundation.

The top Waverley teams will be taking on TEMs so come down to Hawthorn on Saturday to support your club and a great cause. Games times are:

• 2pm Women’s Pennant A TEM vs Waverley
• 15:30 Men’s State League 1 TEM vs Waverley
• 17:00 Men’s Pennant A TEM vs Waverley

Our Story

I started playing hockey when I was 10. First, it was Minkey. We played on grass, at Lords Reserve opposite the Caulfield swimming pool. After I graduated from Minkey I joined the big kids in under 11 mixed, and then it was on to U13 girls. Somewhere around U15s the club left the grass fields and funny shaped clubroom at Lords Reserve and moved to its current home in Hawthorn. At about the same time I started playing senior hockey as well as junior hockey. Then, I was too old for juniors all together. The years had somehow flown past and playing Minkey on grass, in footy boots, on a Saturday morning felt like a million years ago.

Now, I am in my early thirties and still playing hockey at the same club. I am lucky. The club is like home to me. The people are my family. Of course over the years many people have come and gone, moved in and out of this large extended circle, but there are some who have quite simply always been there. They are part of my hockey memories. When I think back to those early years they are there – teaching us how to hold a stick, how to hit, how to trap. It was them who made us line up to collect our sunnyboys and iceypoles after a hard hour of minkey. They are all through my memories. They are on the sidelines reminding us to run, to keep trying, telling us we were doing well. I can see them standing on the field next to me when I played my first game of senior hockey as a teeny, tiny, terrified junior. I can see them at presentation nights, barbeques, social functions, club meetings and carnivals. They are everywhere.

My experience is not unique. If you could somehow look into the hockey memories of most people who have come into contact with TEM over the years you would no doubt see many different hockey experiences. But you would also see this core group of people. You couldn’t not. They are integral to our club – to its past, to its present and to its future.

This year two of the people who figure so prominently in my hockey memories were diagnosed with breast cancer. The first time the news ripped through the club – it was quite literally shocking. This sort of thing just doesn’t happen to us. We are fit. We are healthy – sport and being active is a way of life for us. This can’t be happening, and it certainly can’t be happening to her. She is a life member, a club stalwart. But it was happening. To her, to her family and therefore, to us.

Then, a few weeks ago it happened again. Another diagnosis. Another life member who is part of the very fabric of our club was told that she had breast cancer. Surgery was scheduled immediately. The thoughts and reactions were similar – disbelief, shock, confusion, and mostly, just wishing that it simply wasn’t true.

In both cases our initial reactions of shock and disbelief gave way to the desire to help and support. To do something practical. Send flowers, visit, cook meals, talk, distract, and just generally be there to help. Then, a player in one of our men’s top sides made a suggestion to a player in one of our women’s top sides – why don’t we all buy and use the Gray’s pink stick grips that have been made to raise money for breast cancer research? It was suggested at training two Thursdays ago. Support was unanimous. All felt that the suggestion was brilliant. Not only would we be raising money, but with two men’s teams and two women’s teams all playing with pink stick grips, we would be making a clear statement for all to see. We would be making people stop and think about breast cancer.

Then, two of our women’s players were talking after training that Thursday. Wouldn’t it be great if we also made pink gingerbread women and sold them, along with wrist bands from the McGrath foundation? Proceeds, would again go to the same cause; Breast cancer research and awareness. A third player got in on the conversation – how about t-shirts? In fact, how about we dedicate the round, the final round of the home and away season to breast cancer awareness?

And so it grew. The energy that began to generate was infectious. Everyone had a suggestion, wanted to donate something, wanted to be involved, men and women alike. In just over two weeks the TEM Hockey Club Breast Cancer Awareness Round has been organised. There have been donations of all forms – time, money, effort, products, food, decorations. It has been a phenomenal process. Other clubs have pledged their support of the event and have circulated information about it to all their players. The hockey community has united to support this important and worthy cause.

Our gourmet barbeque this weekend won’t make breast cancer disappear. The fact that there will be pink stick grips, custom made t-shirts, pink hockey merchandise for sale, pink ribbons and wrist bands sold and worn won’t make breast cancer or any other cancer any less painful to those who have suffered or who continue to struggle against it. What our Breast Cancer Awareness Round will do is help raise much needed funds for Breast Cancer research. In addition, it will also raise awareness in our sporting community. It will help send the message that although we are fit, although we are active, although we live generally healthy lives, we need to be aware. We need to perform those health checks regularly and thoroughly because these things can happen to any and all of us. Especially to those who we can’t imagine our lives without, because they have quite simply, always been there.

So please support Breast Cancer Awareness and the McGrath Foundation on Saturday 29th August.