Holcombe Hockey Club Saturday 3rd October 2020 4pm Holcombe Ladies vs Wimbledon Ladies 6pm Holcombe Men vs Wimbledon Men 2 19 Welcome We extend a warm welcome to our visitors Wimbledon HC and their travelling supporters today and we thank you for restricting your support today to help us manage numbers during these challenging times. We also welcome our officials; for the Ladies game at 4pm umpires Rebecca Woodcock and David Howell and at 6pm umpires Will Champness and Martin Twist. For both games our Match Official is Stephen Mason. We ask all spectators to wear a face covering today unless seated in the Clubhouse, and please be mindful of the volunteers on duty today directing you to the safest spots to spectate. Across the country there has been an enormous effort to get hockey up and running again but with escalating cases being reported daily in the past fortnight we must ‘raise the bar’ to do our utmost to protect you and keep the sport we love ticking over. In the ladies match visitors Wimbledon made a great start to the season at home against Swansea before losing on the road to ‘seasoned opposition’ in the form of Clifton Robinson. Holcombe started with a loss to Loughborough Students who confirmed their early season promise with a draw against Surbiton last weekend. Holcombe responded last weekend with a good win again Swansea. Two very strong squads coming up against each other today. In the men’s match, Wimbledon continue to recruit high quality players year on year rd to add to an already impressive squad that saw them finish 3 last year – losing Ed Horler was a big blow but they will fancy their chances to be in the mix come the end of the season. Holcombe have been in terrific form pre-season and have built on this to make a great start to the league with wins against Old Georgians and Oxted. The weather might be a little miserable today, but the hockey promises to be anything but that. Have a great day. Kindest regards Brian Field Chairman – Men’s Hockey, Holcombe Hockey Club 18 3 Oxted v Holcombe Men's Premier Division 2020/21 Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Surbiton 2 2 0 0 13 3 10 6 2 East Grinstead 2 2 0 0 8 3 5 6 3 Holcombe 2 2 0 0 6 3 3 6 4 Wimbledon 2 1 1 0 7 4 3 4 5 Old Georgians 2 1 0 1 10 3 7 3 6 Hampstead & Westminster 1 1 0 0 5 3 2 3 7 Beeston 2 0 1 1 5 8 -3 1 8 Oxted 2 0 0 2 2 5 -3 0 9 University of Exeter 2 0 0 2 5 11 -6 0 10 University of Durham 1 0 0 1 0 8 -8 0 11 Brooklands MU 2 0 0 2 2 12 -10 0 New players Sam Hooper (No5) and GK Ollie Payne in the thick of the action last weekend Women's Premier Division 2020/21 Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 East Grinstead 2 2 0 0 5 1 4 6 2 Surbiton 2 1 1 0 3 0 3 4 3 Loughborough Students 2 1 1 0 1 0 1 4 4 Holcombe 2 1 0 1 5 1 4 3 5 Wimbledon 2 1 0 1 5 3 2 3 6 Hampstead & Westminster 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 3 7 Clifton Robinsons 2 1 0 1 4 3 1 3 8 Buckingham 2 1 0 1 3 5 -2 3 9 University of Birmingham 1 0 0 1 2 3 -1 0 10 Beeston 2 0 0 2 0 5 -5 0 11 Swansea 2 0 0 2 0 9 -9 0 4 17 Credit: Theresa Waight Our American Girl By Lucas Ball Corey Mayer signed for Holcombe over the summer, joining Kevin Johnson’s ambitious re-build along side a number of foreign talents including Italian international Ivanna Pessina. Mayer graduated from the James Madison University at the end of the last season, having impressed in her final season - earning a place in the First-Team All CAA and being called up to the US National Development Squad in January. Clearly a talented player, she has aspirations to step up to play senior hockey for her country but, for now, is excited to have joined Holcombe at an exciting time for the club. She said: “I think what makes it an easier transition is the place that I’m at right now. When I was looking, throughout the process of deciding what country and then what club, I really gravitated towards what Holcombe stands for and what Coach Johnson wants to be and play like - so not only good players and good athletes but also good people off the field. Having the experience in the US of being at a university that stood for the same thing made me realise it would be an easier transition. “To be honest, I didn’t know a lot about what happened last season so I can’t really speak on that but I think it’s exciting when you have a group of people coming together who are just excited for the possibilities. That excitement has grown into us really being able to push each other and work hard for each other on and off the field. It’s been exciting working through pre-season together, learning what everyone’s strengths and weaknesses are and working together to create the most connected game we can. “It helps [having more players around for pre-season training] us all to learn the lessons from each game and being able to see both the short-term lessons and the big picture. Even if we lose, if we can take the lessons from that and still grow then it’s still a positive rather than just seeing it as a bad thing. We have to look at the positives from each game but also what we can improve on. “It’s super fun [mixing different styles of hockey with the array of nationalities in the squad] and one of the reasons I wanted to play abroad was to play with players at the highest level from across the world and it’s exciting to learn from different people’s experiences and their knowledge of the game. It shows on the field that we have that different experience to come together and play a fluid style of hockey.” Holcombe’s start to the season has comprised of one win and one loss in two matches, with their most recent fixture an emphatic 5-0 victory over Swansea. Johnson’s side were much improved last weekend from their defeat against Loughborough, with Mayer putting that down to turning their hard work into quality. This weekend they face Wimbledon in a double header, a side who have won one and lost one so far in their debut Premier Division season. “I think we turned our hard work into quality. Against Loughborough, we all gave 100% effort until the very last minute but against Swansea, we turned that effort into quality play. We worked smart against Swansea instead of just working hard and that showed with the 5-0 scoreline. It was about turning that hard work into good passes and working together rather than individually. “We’re focusing on our own game. We want to play solid, poised defence but we’ve got to be strong on the counter attack. We have a number of attacking threats and have to finish our opportunities. We need to capitalise with our options at corners. It’s about doing our best to control our hockey and play our own game.” The season as a whole is about progression for Holcombe, but the squad and Johnson know there will be bumps along the road as they re-build, but hard work is the minimum Mayer expects of herself and those around her. “I just want to see us work together as a team. If I can put everything out on the field and do as much as I can for the team, then that’s what I’m looking for. It’s all about the team’s success. It’s not only about Please wear a face covering at all times on site today unless playing or working for myself but working for the people to the left and right of me and being a part of something bigger than myself. I’ve always loved that, working for others and not only myself. seated in the clubhouse “Playing at the highest possible level has always been my dream as an athlete and to be the best player that I can be. If I can play with players who have played at that level [European hockey] then I’ll be very HANDS – FACE – SPACE happy. I’d love for us to get back to that level as a team.” 16 5 Action from Swansea HC v Holcombe HC Men's 1X1 - League Fixtures Saturday 10/10/2020 League Brooklands MU Brooklands HC 16:00 Sunday 18/10/2020 League University of Durham Graham SC P1 13:00 Saturday 24/10/2020 League Hampstead & Westminster Holcombe Park Pitch 1 18:00 Sunday 08/11/2020 League Beeston Holcombe Park Pitch 1 14:00 Sunday 29/11/2020 League East Grinstead East Grinstead HC 14:00 Sunday 06/12/2020 League University of Exeter Holcombe Park Pitch 1 14:00 Sunday 13/12/2020 League Surbiton Surbiton HC 14:00 Credit: Irfon Bennett.