Meet the Club 2021: Clwb Hoci Caernarfon

1 When was Clwb Hoci Caernarfon founded and by whom?

The club was established in 1978 by a group of friends who had husbands and partners playing rugby for Caernarfon every Saturday.

They set up the hockey club and kept the same colours for their kit as that of the rugby club (maroon and yellow).

Initial ties with the rugby club were very strong with both teams using the club house on Lon Gas and later at Y Morfa.

Many of the founding ladies of the club are still very much involved with the club. Only this year they held a special Eisteddfod and raised a lot of money for the club.

2 How many teams do you currently run?

Currently one ladies team and junior teams working through the age groups.

3 At what level does your women’s team play? and the same with your junior teams….

The ladies won promotion to the First Division of the North Wales Women’s League last season. Luckily we had more or less completed most of our season before Covid hit.

The junior teams play in organised tournaments about once a month against local teams. Currently there isn’t a league for the Juniors, but the tournaments work well.

4 Tell us about your coaches – what experience do they bring to the club ?

Anyone with any experience of the grassroots game knows that at this level things only happen because of volunteers. As a club we have such a hard working and dedicated group of volunteers. This year especially, has highlighted how amazing they all are.

Admin has gone through the roof due to Covid and our hard-working volunteers have stepped up to the plate and ensured that training continued when allowed.

All our coaches are highly qualified coaches and experienced in delivering fun, inclusive sessions where everyone can enjoy playing and improving their hockey. They bring a love and enthusiasm for the game.

This year we are glad to have a new Senior Coach who has just added another bucket load of fun and enthusiasm (not to mention cut throat competitiveness) to the coaching team.

5 What has been the club’s biggest achievement? any major cups/titles?

Our biggest achievement is the current strength in our junior teams. We take great pride in knowing that we have over a 100 (mainly girls) playing and enjoying hockey because of the club.

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of physical fitness and community sport to us all and knowing that we are getting kids engaged in grassroots hockey is really rewarding.

Hopefully we will continue to see these young players develop and who knows what silverware will bestow them in the future.

6 Have any of your players played international or representative hockey?

Yes, but as of yet no major tournament medals.

7 How has the coronavirus pandemic affected your club?

We now have a Covid Officer who ensures that the club follows covid rules.

We have a covid questionnaire which must be completed by all 24 hours before training.

No competition as of yet, and unfortunately as things continue to get worst with regard to the pandemic the start of the season looks further and further away but when we are allowed to play competitively again the squad will be ready and raring to go.

8 What does the sport of hockey offer young sportsmen and women?

Hockey is an excellent team game. Similar structure and tactics to football but much lighter on the knees with less play acting.

9 What plans do you have for the future?

Regrettably we had to go down to one team about a decade ago having fielded two teams for years. We hope to return to fielding two competitive senior teams and with the strength of our junior section this should be an attainable target in the coming seasons.

Also, having had such a long break from competition, we are looking forward to restarting competitive matches once again with a strong squad in the first division.

We are seeing a number of our junior players stepping up to the senior level game and developing into excellent first team players. Which should bode well for our next stint in the top division.

10 Anything else you wish to publicise or add?

We would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. A massive shout out to our sponsors Meithrinfa Plant Parciau, Caernarfon and Padarn Lake Hotel, Llanberis.

We are looking forward to a fair few socials next year for when it is allowed.

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i’n holl chwaraewyr, cefnogwyr, cyn-chwaraewyr a’r gymuned sy’n parhau i’n cefnogi. Cadwch yn saff.