With a good couple of months’ worth of pre-season work behind them, Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club are very much looking forward to getting started with matches as the Ulster Hockey’s Senior League 4 league programme starts this weekend. The Hockettes kick off the 2012/13 season when they welcome Mossley to their adopted home pitch at Bangor Academy this Saturday (22nd September), pass back 1pm. Donaghadee and Mossley have enjoyed some keenly fought but fair encounters over the last few years, usually with not much to choose between them so it will be interesting to see how this game shapes up. A good start here would be great impetus for the girls heading to newly formed South Antrim the following week.
Numbers at pre-season have been improving week on week with all players enjoying the flat, tame surface of Bangor Academy’s astroturf and the fitness classes run in conjunction with the Workout Warehouse in Donaghadee. Without really having lost any players from last season, DLHC are delighted to welcome back to the fold Kerry Savage – Kerry played for Donaghadee before heading off to university in Scotland but now back in NI, it’s great to see her back in the red and green of the Dee. It’s also great to see several new faces appearing at training and keen to get some match time when the season kicks off.
It’s not only the Seniors who are enjoying really good numbers – the Juniors programme which started last week saw no fewer than 15 girls between the ages of 10 and 15 wanting to improve their hockey skills. Run by DLHC, the Juniors is open to all girls in this age bracket regardless of skill or experience and will culminate in a mini tournament on Friday 12th October when the girls will represent Donaghadee LHC against other local clubs.
Much to look forward to this year then, with good numbers at both Junior and Senior level. Final touches are being put on the social and fundraising calendars too, with ex-players and friends of DLHC warmly invited to come to support the team when they welcome near neighbours Holywood to Bangor Academy on 6th October with drinks and nibbles in Donaghadee Rugby Club after the match, a Night at the Races imminent, the Christmas dinner to finalise and the annual bus trip to be confirmed. To keep up to speed with everything that’s happening in the club over the coming weeks and months, visit www.donaghadeelhc.co.uk or find the club on Facebook.com/donaghadeelhc.
Donaghadee LHC 