Annual Report 2007 - Glebe District Hockey Club

Men’s Senior Grades Captain’s Report
I would like to start off my report by thanking my fellow club captain Graeme Brown. Graeme
and I spent many hours during the year trying to select, reselect and re- reselect the teams each
week, due to so many players being out, or pulling out late.
Also, I would like to thank both the 1 st and 2 nd grade coaches Geoff Paterson and Rob
McDonald for their efforts during the year along with Peter Busch in his role as captain/coach of
3rds. But, let’s not forget our team managers John Nilan and Steve Howard (1 st and 2 nd grade).
Your efforts were greatly appreciated by all. Special mention must also go to Harry Wark who
each week starred as ball boy for our 1 st grade side. Thank you H.
We certainly are facing many challenges with the way the competition is structured and the
amount of players who are out each week. It seems the days of players not missing a game,
except for representative duty, are gone. Each week we have anywhere between 10-20 players
out and this makes it difficult for all concerned to get the best performance from each team.
Combinations are hard to build along with a sense of this is “my team” when so many players
continually filter through several sides during the season. I’m sure we are not the only club, but, I
know it certainly impacts on our results and makes it very difficult at finals time.
Whether we need in the future to look at squads of 13/14 per team, I don’t know. But it is
certainly something we might have to consider. At least this way, if people are out we are not
disadvantaging the whole club with wholesale changes week to week. This would also allow
managers and coaches to manage their teams better and have some continuity. The old
chestnut of course is that players want to play a full game – and don’t we all - but times change
and maybe this will solve some of the problems we currently experience.
That said, the year was another great one despite not winning a senior title. Players again
doubled-up, trained hard and gave their all on game day and that’s all we can ask. 1sts won the
minor premiership, the Allan Yates Cup and all teams except for 2 nd grade made the semis. That
in itself is a great result.
In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all club members a merry Christmas and a
happy new year in 2008.
Danny O’Brien
Glebe District Hockey Club 77th Annual Report Page 23