Midland Regional Hockey Association

Presidential Message from:

Norman Stott

Looking ahead to any new job brings a mixture of emotions starting with enthusiasm, moving on to awareness of the challenges, and probably ending in sheer terror about the size of responsibilities involved. It is therefore with some considerable diffidence that I take over as the new Midlands President, conscious in particular of the issues which are likely to need addressing during the next two years.

There is no doubt that the Midlands is one of the stronger regions, not just in terms of the number of Midlands clubs playing in the EH National Leagues or the number of players from Midlands clubs representing their country at all ages, but also in the commitment shown by volunteers at every level. Hockey is a sport which could not survive without volunteers, and I see one of  my primary responsibilities as making sure that the work they do is given due recognition.

By definition, volunteers do not give their services with any financial benefit in mind, but rather what they feel they can offer to the game. Having given that initial commitment, they then often find that the more they offer, the more enjoyment and satisfaction they receive!

At first sight, this would seem to be an ideal situation, but the reality is that the pool of volunteers is getting smaller each year, with the average age creeping inexorably upwards.

We need a new generation of volunteers who can learn from their more experienced colleagues, then take over and do the job themselves with the enthusiasm of youth.

At risk of being accused of  sounding almost evangelical, friendships which  last a lifetime can be built up from the most mundane of starts, provided people are prepared to say “Yes, I will do that next year.” 

The challenges facing us in the Midlands are many and varied. The single system is now up and running with all it potentially offers our more talented players, but we cannot ignore the significant demands placed on the players, coaches and administrators involved. We must also recognise that while the opportunities for

competitive hockey are better than ever before, nothing can work if there are not enough umpires to control the games.

How then do we solve the problem of a decreasing number of umpires, but an increasing number of games requiring their services? In the longer term, we need more umpires to come forward, but the immediate priority has to be to reduce the attrition rate and give umpires the respect they deserve. That in turn means cutting out indiscipline and a recognition that captains and senior players must lead by example. In relative terms, discipline in the Midlands is probably no worse than in the other regions, but this is not something from which anyone can really draw comfort.

The bottom line is that any incident of indiscipline is one too many, and risks being the tipping point so far as that umpire is concerned between carrying on or giving up.

Finally, I must pay tribute to the work done by Alison Glazier during her presidency.  Her contribution during the last two years has been nothing short of immense.

I am very concious of the honor which comes with the post and can only assure everyone that I will do my best to live up to the trust it represents.

Norman Stott