This year’s squad is largely unchanged but welcomes back Audrey Buttle to the fray after a season’s rest.
The team hopes to retain the Channel Islands Championship, the Division I league title and the Upton Trophy but also aims to complete the set by winning the Cup competition – a tall order but one which this very capable squad is more than able to pull off.
RWB also look forward to the extra league competition to be faced in the newly formed Caesareans and Veterans sides.Once again RWB will be captained by Raydene Stracy and coached by Nina Woods.
Matthew Banahan has agreed to act as the team’s umpire for the season.
Jersey Ladies Hockey Club: The club have been encouraged by the numbers turning up for pre-season training and hope to improve on their third place in the league and look forward to a long cup run.They welcome back Felicity Mason, Jenna Mitchell and Fliss McHugh who have returned to hockey with renewed enthusiasm while experienced players such as Jenny Pryke (GK) and Lisa Phillips bring a new dimension to the game.Island player Louise Hotton takes on the first-team captaincy this season.
The club have several new juniors who show great potential and, with the right coaching, will soon be pushing for first-team places.Paul Marshallsay has been involved in pre-season coaching and hopes to devote time to the 1st XI; his knowledge and coaching ideas are sure to reap dividends.E & Y Quackers, supported once again by Ernst & Young, look forward to the new season where they will field teams in Divisions I and II as well as providing coaching and mini hockey opportunities for their large group of juniors.The first team squad, winners of last season’s cup competition and runners-up in the league and CI Championship, will be missing sisters Jamey and Beckie Herbert as and when they represent the West of England.Megan Langlois has the opportunity to establish herself as 1st XI goalkeeper as club stalwart Sam Barnard is taking more of a back seat this season.
Veteran Sarah Anderson opts to support the development of young players in the Second XI while daughter Emma has the opportunity to establish herself as a first team regular.
Quackers welcome the return from university of Sarah Kerly whose versatility will be an asset to the side.Crusaders Ladies Hockey Club managed to field a team last year despite injury and family commitments.
Although they finished last they did win the cup Plate competition.This year sees the departure of two of their strongest defenders, Verity Simone and Nicky Quénault, to university, and the retirement of Yvette Le Lièvre.However, they have Janet Masterman back from university, a player who started her hockey career as a Crusaders Junior.The Crusaders Junior Development Section fared rather better than the Ladies last year, winning their division.
The team, ably led by Willie Webbe, consists mainly of boys aged between seven and 14 years and they displayed fantastic talent and will be a credit to the sport in the future.With the rules-change in the Development Division, and the inclusion of a boys’ team in the women’s league, Webbe will lose his older players, but will soon recruit more youngsters to take their place.
