Surrey Spartans Ladies 1st XI went undefeated last year to claim the Surrey Division 6 title and will be looking to continue their great run of form in their new league next year. Under the guidance of head coach Taj Dogra and captain fantastic Lezanne Denton, the team had their best ever season, winning 14 games and drawing the other four. Lezanne put the team’s success down to “Having a great bunch of ladies that enjoy having fun together. It does help to have a few players who have a great eye for goal though!”
They certainly did have an eye for goal as the team notched up a staggering 93 goals in the 18 matches played. Becky Davidson led the way with 19 goals, but Anna Fisher and Amanda Alkema were determined not to let Becky have all the fun by notching up 18 and 16 goals respectively. At the other end of the pitch, a miserly defence ended the season after conceding just 15 goals.
The performance of the ladies was even more impressive considering that half of the squad were new to the club this year. Hannah Lea, one of the new members, said “It wasn’t a surprise that it didn’t take us long to find our feet as the group were so friendly. They made me feel like part of the team straight away. The ladies section of the club has seen a huge transformation over the past few seasons, doubling in size and winning two league titles and promotions in the process, so I have joined at a really exciting time.”
The growth of the club and the ladies section in particular, is testament to the hard work that the club has put in to creating an accessible, friendly and affordable place for players of all abilities to play hockey. Novice players have been able to transition seamlessly from dedicated ‘back to hockey’ sessions into the men’s and ladies development sides, whilst more experienced players have been encouraged to push themselves in the first XIs.
The Spartan’s heavy involvement with hockey engagement activities over the past four years at the University of Surrey and Guildford College has also been key to their success. They have seen an increase in the number of 18-25’s playing hockey in the area and this large group of young members has also provided the club with bags of energy, both on and off the pitch (much to the relief of those who don’t quite have the legs anymore!).
The club chairman, Lowell Lewis, has made it clear that the club is still looking to develop even more. “It’s been great to see so many people take up hockey, but there is still a lot for us to do. There are still very few schools offering hockey in Guildford and many people are still priced out of the sport or feel they can’t commit to playing every week. We will carry on trying to tackle this and make hockey more accessible.”
The domestic hockey leagues may be taking a well-earned break but it is far from quiet at Spartans HQ this summer! The Surrey Spartans Hockey Club is hard at work pulling together plans for the season ahead as the Guildford-based club looks to build on a promising 2013/14 season.
The club is running open pay&play sessions at the Surrey Sports Park throughout July and August to allow people to take part in the sport without the commitment of joining a club. The club are even providing all the equipment so there has never been a better opportunity to give hockey a go.
The club is also working hard this summer to find ways of providing the support needed for their five teams to build on last year’s achievements, whilst still maintaining their focus on the community engagement activities. Surrey Spartans are therefore reaching out to local companies who may be able to support them as they look to grow the participation in the sport even further. To find out about the many ways in which you can support the club please contact the club Chairs, Charlotte Pennels and Lowell Lewis ([email protected]) or download the Sponsorship Proposal Pack from their website HERE.
Good luck Spartan’s for next season!