Latest / The PCR Sports Show / The PCR Sports Show - Friday 29th August 2025 - Talking hockey with Dave Simpson and Hope Elkins from City of Peterborough Hockey Club.

Transcript

The PCR Sports Show - Friday 29th August 2025 - Talking hockey with Dave Simpson and Hope Elkins from City of Peterborough Hockey Club. · The PCR Sports Show

0:00
Well, good evening and welcome to another edition of PCR Sports
0:04
here on PCR FM and start to get another sporting weekend.
0:09
And I think this might be a bit of a a wetter one than we've had
0:13
recently, but still loads of sport going on.
0:16
And we're going to kick off the show this week as we always do
0:19
with the headlines. And this week, it's Dibham.
0:21
Thank you, Nigel. Hope you're well and good
0:23
evening everyone. Starting with cricket in the
0:25
headlines, Peterborough Town kept up the pressure at the top
0:28
of top with A5 wicket away win at Kettering last weekend, while
0:31
Oundle Town slipped to A7 wicket defeat at Stony Stratford.
0:35
Champions Find and showed their strength once again, cruising to
0:38
a dominant 192 run victory at home to Desborough Town.
0:42
With four matches remaining Find and lead the table on 275 points
0:45
with Peterborough in second on 243 and NDOL third on 210.
0:51
This weekend's fixture sees Peterborough travel to Old
0:53
Northamptonians, Houndall at home to Rushton and Higham Town
0:57
and leaders find in making the trip to Stony Stratford.
1:00
In ice hockey, Peterborough Phantoms have appointed Nathan
1:03
Pollard as assistant coach to the new head coach Ashley Tate.
1:06
Pollard who has made 363 appearances for the club sits
1:10
8th in the all time appearances list and on the ice Phantoms the
1:13
strength of their roster with the addition of teenage
1:16
defencemen Preston Toombs and forward Flynn Massey both
1:19
joining on A2 on two way contracts with Invicta Dynamos
1:23
and Widnes Wilde respectively. Meanwhile teenage defenceman
1:27
Matthew Savile has departed to join Leeds night seconds after
1:32
securing a place at York University.
1:34
The Phantoms begin their pre season campaign next weekend
1:37
with competitive fixtures starting on the 26th of
1:40
September. In athletics Max Hall struck
1:43
gold at the British Masters Pentathlon Championships in
1:46
Nuneaton winning the over 30 fives title while representing
1:49
Peterborough and Neen Valley Athletics Club.
1:51
Hall produced a dominant display claiming victory in three of the
1:54
five events, the long jump, javelin and discus, while also
1:57
finishing runner up in both the 200m and the 1500 meter runs.
2:03
In triathlon pack track athlete and friend of the show Steve
2:06
Hope will be will represent Great Britain for the 7th time
2:09
at next year's Triathlon Spring Championships in Spain.
2:12
Hope secured his latest international call up with the
2:15
at the weekend, competing in the Barry Island Triathlon in South
2:18
Wales, a major national event that doubled as one of the three
2:22
qualifying races for the GBH Group team.
2:25
He finished third in his age group, claiming one of the four
2:27
places on offer from the race to book his spot in Poole.
2:32
Local pool ace Mark Gray's incredible 29 game-winning
2:35
streak came to an end at the Seniors UK Pool Masters in Ausit
2:39
Wakefield. The defending champion and
2:41
tournament favorite, having won won his last three events, bowed
2:45
out in the quarter finals after defeat to Leicester legend Tommy
2:48
Donlon in Tennis City of Peterborough Tennis Club members
2:51
have enjoyed plenty of success at the popular Hunstanton
2:54
Tournament. Lisa McDonough.
2:57
McDonough and Lucy Lee came through a tough women's
3:00
restricted Double S final, fighting back to win three in
3:03
three sets after dropping the overner top seas.
3:05
George Green and Fiona Frost also tasted victory, taking the
3:09
restricted mixed Double S title in a straight sets win over club
3:12
mates Alex Parker and Emma Jane Gavigan.
3:15
There are there are also further successes in the restricted
3:17
men's double s where Hadley Osbourne and Oliver Collett came
3:20
out on top after a thrilling 3 set battle, edging it 467575 in
3:27
swimming. Plans for an Olympics grade
3:29
swimming pool in Peterborough could win government back in
3:32
before Christmas. Before Christmas.
3:34
A detailed business case for the multi £1,000,000 complex
3:37
featuring a new indoor pool and leisure facilities on the land
3:40
near the Anglia Ruskin University Peterborough off
3:42
Bishop Rd. is close to completion is expected to submit
3:46
is expected to be submitted to ministers within the coming
3:49
weeks and PCR Sports will of course keep you up to date with
3:52
any developments and the reaction and finishing off with
3:55
football. Peterborough United remain
3:57
without a win after 5 league matches this season but picked
4:00
up their first point with A11 draw with Bradford City.
4:04
Kean Haynes scored an injury time equaliser for the Posh to
4:06
cancel out Bradford's opener in the 55th minute.
4:09
The Posh are away Exeter for their next league game tomorrow
4:12
and host Leyton Orient at the Western Home Stadium on Tuesday
4:15
evening in the group stage of the EFL Trophy as the club side
4:19
begins to begins the defence of the Cup Beef United Women.
4:24
Fantastic start of the season continued with a thumping 8 nil
4:27
victory at home at home to Lincoln.
4:29
The result keeps Posh top of the National League Division One.
4:32
After two matches they returned. They returned to action on
4:35
Sunday with a trip to Sutton Coldfield Town for their next
4:38
league fixture. And finally Peter of Sports.
4:40
Tough start to the season showed no sign of easing with
4:42
back-to-back defeats over the Bank holiday.
4:45
A three one or loss away at Scarborough on Saturday was
4:47
followed by a narrow one nil home defeat to Worksop Town on
4:50
Monday. The Turbines remain routed to
4:52
the bottom of the National League N table with just a
4:54
single point from the opening 5 fixtures.
4:57
Their search for a win continues on the road with a long trip to
5:00
Marine tomorrow before a Tuesday night clash at AFC Telford.
5:05
And Nigel, some breaking news from Peter Sports.
5:08
Well, just now basically, isn't it?
5:10
There is indeed, yeah, announced at 6:00 PM this evening that
5:13
they've signed Theo Williams from local rivals King's Lynn
5:18
Town. So Theo is a young forward and
5:25
desperately what they need at the moment.
5:27
You can't even buy gold at the moment Sports.
5:29
So and of course this is on the back of the long term injuries
5:34
to Kane, Felix and Shaq Coulter. And Mark Jones of course was on
5:41
that list until the weekend when he did make a return and it was
5:45
great to see him back on the pitch.
5:47
But yeah, so the club have got that is the three month loan.
5:50
So that's until the end of November.
5:54
He will be available to play tomorrow against Marine on
5:58
Merseyside and we'll wear the number 29 shirt and we'll get
6:03
his interview tomorrow and put it out on our socials on on
6:06
Sunday. So yeah, welcome, Welcome, Theo.
6:08
Let's hope you can find the net for the sports and get them off
6:11
the bottom of the table. Absolutely.
6:12
You follow the fortunes of sports closely, obviously travel
6:15
to the matches, you do the media work in partnership with them as
6:19
well. And I mean the the injuries have
6:23
really kind of affected them as you know, as every complain we
6:26
see from the results in their league position.
6:27
So any news on the long term injuries in terms of how long
6:30
those players will be out? No, it's still bad news.
6:35
Shaq Coulterst and Kane Felix are are long term.
6:39
I would say it's going to be probably mid season before we we
6:41
see them again. And that that is a real a real
6:45
hit for sports because it's their their two best players,
6:50
you could say most effective players.
6:52
So and, and you know, a lot of the goals were going to come
6:55
from them. So it's no, it's no surprise
6:58
that they've struggled for goals.
6:59
But you know, the football injuries happen.
7:01
There's only so long you can go on about injuries.
7:05
And it's great to see some new blood at the club.
7:09
I think a lot of fans wanted to see that earlier than it has
7:12
happened, but it's happened now and gives a bit of impetus into
7:17
tomorrow's game. Like you say, a long trip over
7:19
to Merseyside to play Marine, but definitely a winnable A
7:23
winnable game and let's hope Theo gets off the blocks
7:27
quickly. Pass off in style and get some
7:29
points for sports on the board. Indeed, indeed.
7:32
Thank you. Good fun.
7:33
Yeah. Great headlines again, lots
7:35
going on as normal. OK this week.
7:38
Then we've got Dave Simpson and Hope Elkins to talk hockey.
7:43
They're from the City of Peterborough Hockey Club.
7:46
We'll be back with them right after the break.
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9:54
Welcome back then to PCR Sports Show, the start to your sporting
9:58
weekend. And we're here this week with
10:01
Dave Simpson and Hope Elkins from the City of Peterborough
10:04
Hockey Club. We're going to be talking hockey
10:07
in the city of Peterborough and to get their success, a very,
10:12
very good, successful season last year.
10:14
So that's done. Hope, straight to the guys.
10:16
Dave, Hope, welcome to the show. Start with you Dave.
10:21
Just tell me a little bit about your role at the club and and
10:23
what you get involved in. Hi Nigel, thanks for having us.
10:27
Always lovely to be able to pop in.
10:29
I'm the chair of the junior section so and I've been there I
10:33
think for four, maybe five years now.
10:36
Still got a few left in me if you talk to few people, but we
10:41
say my main role is looking after junior development from
10:44
outside of entry level 5 year olds that come in on a Sunday
10:48
morning and then trying to get them up through the age groups
10:52
and in to under eights and 10's and twelves.
10:54
We have festivals and and tournaments that they travel to
10:58
and then in the fourteens and sixteens we look at sort of more
11:02
competitive leagues and and cup fixtures as well and then
11:06
getting them into the outer hockey as well.
11:09
So yeah, it covers a fair scope and but it's very enjoyable and
11:14
rewarding and yeah, something that we're continuing to improve
11:18
on and develop. Excellent.
11:21
We'll, we'll, we'll come back to you.
11:22
One of the things this CEO really does advocate is junior
11:27
sport. So loving that conversation and
11:30
can't wait to hear from you. So hope, yeah, what do you get
11:33
involved with? So my main role is sponsorship
11:36
secretary. So our hockey facilities are are
11:40
brilliant and we're part of the city Peterborough Sports Club,
11:43
which has got you know, it's a multi sport venue, got our own
11:46
pitch and clubhouse on site, which is is a is a little bit
11:51
rare now. A lot of a lot of teams will now
11:53
use school pitches and stuff like that.
11:55
So we are very fortunate, but facilities like that cost a lot.
11:58
So sort of my my job to get money through the door from
12:03
businesses and, and other sources so that we don't have to
12:07
keep asking our members for more money and, and stuff like that.
12:10
So yeah, I'll have a shout out with some sponsors later on.
12:15
I guess around all that you guys play some hockey as well, I
12:17
would have thought. Yeah, we do.
12:19
Yeah, it's a definite hope. Plays a better level than I know
12:24
she is in the women's ones or coming back into it this year
12:28
after having a year out due to having a bub last year.
12:33
But yeah, I've sort of knocked around in the anything from our
12:36
16 to our eights in the in the last 15 + a probably a little
12:42
bit more than that actually. So yeah, yeah, it's a great
12:46
sport. You can find your level and you
12:49
know, and again, we can talk a little bit later around the age
12:51
ranges in a different teams as well and it's a great sport for
12:56
youngsters coming in. But others we've got a lot
12:58
coming back from who have been out for a little while due to
13:00
different reasons and getting back in as well.
13:03
So yeah, we're team players as well as committee members.
13:07
Fabulous, fabulous. So how long has it club been
13:09
around then? Oh, you're testing us so I can I
13:13
can tell you after doing maths here.
13:18
So I and I'm going to be talking out loud, which will be boring
13:21
listeners, the think thought process, but the pretty sure it
13:26
was 2006 was my first year, 2005 six.
13:31
So then, and we were Peter Baton Hockey club at that point and
13:36
then we merged the following season then with Peter Athletic
13:41
and became City of Peterborough Hockey Club.
13:43
And no doubt a lot of people screaming at the radio saying
13:46
I've got that wrong, but I'm pretty, I'm pretty confident
13:48
with that. And then the the ladies were a
13:52
women's section were separate when I first joined in 2006, but
13:56
we sort of merged that. So we're all part of that one
13:59
club and then having various committee members focusing on
14:03
different sections and, and coaches and, and those sorts of
14:06
things. So, yeah, that's that's us in
14:10
the most recent feature. It goes back a long way and
14:16
we've got players still, committee members, social
14:19
members involved to back play in the the 80s and and even a
14:23
little bit before that I think. So it's yeah, got a got a lot of
14:27
history to it. And as I said there a lot of
14:30
members do stick around and and keep coming back and involved as
14:34
a as they can be being other supporters, committee members,
14:37
officials. So it's, yeah, it's a really
14:40
great club to be a part of. Excellent.
14:42
So you mentioned it previously, Peterborough Town Hockey Club.
14:46
So listeners that are from Peterborough will immediately
14:50
associate that with Bretton Gate.
14:52
That's still home, is it? It is, yeah, absolutely.
14:55
So that's, that's been at home for some time now.
14:58
And yeah, that we play the majority of home fishers there
15:01
due the amount of teams we have, which is 13 adult teams.
15:05
Sometimes we have to outsource and get playoff site as well.
15:09
But yeah, that's that's a home. And when Hope was talking about
15:12
the clubhouse and and pitch on site, yeah, we're very lucky to
15:16
have the Britain Gate Fortress. Britain Gate as we call it.
15:21
To Spengate, I love it. So hope then that sponsorship
15:26
role that you, you hold down and, and we were talking before
15:30
we came on air that all hockey these play these days is played
15:33
on Astroturf. So I, I guess that's a big part
15:36
of the sponsorship that that just adds cost to clubs, doesn't
15:40
it, to provide those facilities. Absolutely.
15:42
See, you kind of have quite big facilities now like like the
15:47
Hockey Centre in Nottingham that's home to quite a few
15:50
clubs, Cambridge University also now there's quite a few clubs
15:54
that play on that one site and they have multiple pitches.
15:58
We got our new, new pitch laid just before the 2019 season and
16:05
we fundraised that, got a grant as well from Mcgeorge, which was
16:09
very helpful and, and I think a huge part of how we were
16:12
actually able to afford to, to update the pitch.
16:17
We're looking at probably 8 to 10 years on the current pitch
16:21
before we have to replace it again.
16:23
And that will involve not just the surface, but the shock pads
16:28
underneath, probably the fence as well, like everything, all
16:32
the groundwork. So with a bit of inflation,
16:35
we're probably looking at close to half £1,000,000 project,
16:38
which is huge. We have kicked off the
16:41
fundraising obviously, because you can't do that in a couple of
16:44
years. So we've had a lot of
16:47
fundraising events our end of season do that.
16:50
Actually. Me and Dave hosted Shock.
16:54
We had sort of out, it kicked off up and raising.
16:58
We had a big raffle with a lot of prizes donated from local
17:02
businesses, which was brilliant. There's too many, too many
17:04
prizes to shout them all out. But yeah, I think we raised
17:07
about 1300 lbs just from that. So that was huge from our
17:10
members. But the sponsorship side of The
17:13
thing is where we need the big deals in and, and we do have
17:16
some brilliant sponsors that came on board last year.
17:19
D Force is one of them. They they've done a couple of
17:21
team shirt sponsors because as well as our facilities, we also
17:25
need our our playing kit to look smart.
17:27
And I'm a firm believer. And if you look the part, you
17:30
feel the part and you you play, you play the part as well.
17:34
So, yeah, so that was D Force Moor Farm, a huge sport of our
17:38
women's section fuelled by more farm is our sort of tagline for
17:43
the women's ones. And I know that they they
17:46
support a lot of business, a lot of teams in in Peterborough as
17:49
well. And then Alessandro, the moving
17:52
mentor has also across the men's and women's sections supported a
17:56
few, few teams as well. So it's it's anything from
18:00
player sponsorships, which is small amounts of money to shirt
18:04
sponsorships to putting pitch shy banners up and and bigger
18:08
donations. So there really is something for
18:10
everyone. So we, we have lots of of clubs
18:14
and different sports on the show and we always end up talking
18:16
about funding because every club needs it these days.
18:20
But that half £1,000,000 project then how much of that would be
18:24
available through grants and stuff and how much of that you
18:28
you got to raise yourselves? It's it's a tough one because it
18:32
because it's so far in advance. It's hard to apply for stuff now
18:36
because they want the full plans and and proposals.
18:39
So it's there's very early stages of, of fundraising I
18:42
guess at the moment and we'll look in it in a few years time,
18:46
we'll we'll have a proper proposal done and put forward
18:49
and then we'll know what funding we can actually access.
18:53
But yeah, England hockey don't have have much as a national, as
18:59
a governing body, they don't have many funds to tap into.
19:02
So it would be Sport England and then local funding that we can
19:06
get as well. We had Bill skied on on the show
19:09
last week and, and he's from the Tennis Club, which obviously is
19:12
sister club to, to where you are at the City of Peter Sports
19:14
Club. And he was talking about there
19:18
indoor tennis court. And that was a hefty amount of
19:21
money as well, which is a combination of grant fundraising
19:24
and all that sort of wonderful stuff.
19:25
But I think the point I'm trying to make is that at the the City
19:29
of Peter Sports Club, the clubs within it are run so well and
19:33
the organization is so good. And, and, and the way you guys
19:35
are all set up, you know, grants and sponsors come to you.
19:39
I'm not going to say easily because obviously you do a heck
19:42
of a lot of effort, but there's there's a good enticement for
19:44
grants and sponsors to to be attracted by the way you're set
19:47
up and what you and the good work that you do.
19:49
Yeah. I mean, we do get good football,
19:51
as you say, from all those sports and there's a lot of
19:56
cross crossover for people playing those different sports
19:59
as well. So yeah, I think we're
20:01
absolutely. A very attractive club, the
20:06
whole Sports Club, but particularly the hockey club as
20:08
well to to get behind. And yeah, it doesn't mean, I
20:11
mean, hope does a pair of work along with other volunteers at
20:16
the club as well to try and keep pushing that.
20:18
And but yeah, I think we, as you say, we we're a big club and
20:24
great facilities for hockey, but other sports as well.
20:27
So hopefully that helps attract sponsors in.
20:31
And what about the social side of the club then?
20:33
Are you? Are you a social club?
20:37
Yeah, Oh, Dave's pointing at me to answer this one.
20:41
Yeah, so every Saturday we have at least 5 fixtures at Bretton
20:46
Gate, and everyone who's played away tends to come back and try
20:50
and catch the 4:00 PM 5/30 slot as well.
20:54
It's always busy and there's always, yeah, someone in the bar
20:59
to chat to. There's also obviously during
21:02
our pre season we overlap with cricket a little bit and then
21:06
tennis and and racquetball as well.
21:07
So yeah, there's always what's going on.
21:10
And then the men's first team have been promoted back to
21:12
National League, so they will be back playing their home games
21:15
mostly on a Sunday, which take place after our mini hockey
21:19
session. So there's lots in terms of all
21:23
weekend. The hockey pitches is buzzing.
21:27
And then we have socials throughout the year which are
21:29
not just open for members. So we have an Oktoberfest,
21:32
usually Christmas parties and then our summer social events
21:36
which which we have a lot of other teams.
21:39
So with Beach, Spalding, etcetera, Bourne, Deeping, we'll
21:42
all enter teams into our summer leagues as well, which is
21:45
brilliant because it's other hockey clubs supporting us,
21:49
which is really nice to see. Fabulous.
21:51
Well that was that's Dave Simpson and Hope Elkins then
21:54
talking about the City of Peterborough Hockey Club.
21:57
We're gonna take another break and gonna come back and continue
22:01
the conversation. It was quite a successful season
22:04
for the club last year, so we're gonna come back and talk about
22:08
some of that success in just a few minutes.
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25:36
OK, we're back with Dave Simpson and Hope Elkins.
25:39
Then we'll come to you first, Dave, because we could talk a
25:42
little bit about last year because it wasn't a bad season
25:44
at all last year, was it? Yeah, we had some great
25:46
successes and and we had two promotions.
25:50
So from the men's sections. So one was the men's sevens that
25:56
took out Division 6 NW. They they won quite
26:00
comprehensively in the end with a little bit of breathing space
26:04
and had a had a really good year.
26:06
Captain Simon Leon took it on for the first season and had
26:10
that immediate success which was brilliant for his hard work and
26:14
that of the team. Also in the men's section.
26:17
Our men's ones had a really successful year which was
26:20
brilliant and they won the league in cup Double S, so they
26:25
won the East Prem League which has now got them promoted into
26:30
National League, the Midlands Conference they'll be playing in
26:34
this year, which is which is brilliant.
26:35
They'd come down the year before and there's always that sort of
26:41
little bit of fine line that you know what's going to happen that
26:43
you'd hope that we're going to regather ourselves and and go
26:47
straight back up. But a lot of clubs don't.
26:49
So it was a really good effort for them.
26:51
They lost a few but also recruited smartly and and got
26:57
themselves straight back up which was brilliant and then
27:00
also won the England Hockey Tier 2 National Cup and and got to
27:06
play out the final. But it was 10:00 in the morning,
27:10
which was a little bit early for some of us heading down to the
27:14
National Hockey Centre and Stratford in in London at Lee
27:17
Valley there. But they played out a really
27:20
tight final against Boden for Manchester.
27:24
So to be fair, we had a shorter trip than Manchester a lot.
27:27
And yeah, they rather win that one nil, which is brilliant as
27:31
well. So yeah, capped off a really
27:34
good year for the men's session and just the fact that we we had
27:38
eight teams again that we've been able to maintain for a
27:41
number number of years and really strong numbers that squad
27:46
sizes of 1516, which as a former captain, that's a bit of a
27:50
nightmare at times, but a good one to have.
27:53
Like a lot better than scrapping around on a Friday night slash
27:55
Saturday morning to try and get player number 11 or 12.
27:58
So really positive from from that point of view.
28:02
And I hope we had success in the women's side of things as well,
28:06
didn't we? Yeah, absolutely.
28:08
So on the show last year I actually told Dip on that it
28:12
would be really nice if our women's fours got promoted and
28:16
they did exactly that. To be fair, I hadn't discussed
28:19
it with Lisa Andrew, the captain.
28:21
I just said it on air and said right there you go, you've.
28:23
Set the intention. Yeah, I'm holding you
28:25
accountable and and to be fair, they won or came second, came
28:30
second, sorry, but but top 2 got promoted so they did exactly
28:33
what we said and were brilliant all season.
28:37
We did unfortunately have a couple of relegations, so our
28:41
women's ones and twos have been hit hard with players in the
28:44
last sort of three seasons going to uni and moving to different
28:48
clubs. And there's always that gap in
28:52
the women's section of of sort of mid, mid 20s to mid 30s where
28:57
everyone goes off and has children and then comes back.
29:00
So we do have a bit of a gap and we've struggled for the last few
29:03
seasons but managed to stay in the leagues.
29:05
Unfortunately, this year we did, we did succumb to relegation,
29:09
but I haven't been back at training the last few weeks.
29:13
We've had an influx of of players and very strong players.
29:17
So we are hoping to follow in the men's footsteps and get
29:21
straight back into E Prem where we should be.
29:25
And yeah, I think I'm pretty confident that we can do it.
29:29
Women's threes ended up having a solid season and, and, and it
29:35
was good because of the fallout from the from the twos and and
29:39
having to take so many players up it, it was a really tough
29:43
season for them, but they managed to stay in the league,
29:45
which is great. And then the women's fives, who
29:48
I think this is their 4th onto their fourth year that we've had
29:51
a a fifth women's team. So we're still growing is they
29:55
had probably their best season yet and and finished top half of
29:59
the table. And again, the the juniors that
30:02
have filled that team this year have been brilliant.
30:05
And I expect to see a lot of them moving up the ranks pretty
30:07
quickly. And yeah, I'm excited to see
30:11
what this season brings for them.
30:12
Any more cornets you want to throw down for this season for
30:14
the teams that are listening? I will say the women's ones, I'm
30:18
going to put it out there to get promoted.
30:20
That's that's what I hope to be announcing when I come back next
30:23
year. I take on that next year you
30:25
will be. Congratulations to the women's
30:27
force. This could have been a whole
30:28
different interview if they didn't.
30:30
If they didn't bring home the in the good, he mentioned that he
30:35
said, I'm looking forward to getting hope back on you.
30:38
So that's pretty. We've talked talked about the
30:40
success you've had and and we're going to talk about the the
30:43
junior end of the club at the moment.
30:45
But let's just spend a few minutes talking about the the
30:47
elite end of the club. If you like, you've talked about
30:50
your your women's ones that that hope you're coming back into
30:54
this year and the men's ones as well.
30:56
What sort of standard is at that is and is there some some
30:59
players at the club who you've got high hopes for?
31:04
Yeah, from a men's point of view, so they're in the Midlands
31:09
National conference and there is 3 I think conference, national
31:15
conferences, 4, I think there's four.
31:19
And then you go into Division One, North and South and then
31:23
into the national Prem. So they and.
31:28
The national Prem is is that the professional league or well?
31:32
They some of them will be professionals and others will be
31:35
semi semi professionals, but that's where you're feeding into
31:38
the England, England squad. That's the top league in the in
31:41
the country. Yeah.
31:42
So we're getting in that National League cycle and and
31:47
within there is really important to to attract players and to to
31:52
get. We we are a club as you know in
31:56
terms of the university is quite new.
31:58
So we have a lot of players that will read through the junior
32:03
system and get them to a point, but then they go off to uni and
32:05
we hope that we create that environment that if they come
32:10
back to Peterborough or surround the areas that they'll come and
32:13
and rejoin us, which a lot, a lot do.
32:15
But others obviously move on to the big smoke in London and
32:19
places and we don't see them again.
32:21
So actually being in National League, it does get people a
32:25
little bit further afield who are willing to to travel our
32:29
facilities that were spoken about an important draw card for
32:32
that as well. But providing that sort of
32:36
strong, strong coaching is important and the pathway from a
32:40
junior point of view again, try, you know, we do.
32:43
We've got a lot of local kids, but also ones that are
32:47
travelling a little bit further these days because we're able to
32:50
provide that structure and that pathway and we're hoping to to
32:55
get them in. And we have.
32:57
So I think I put in our notes before and we have an elite
33:05
junior summer training set up and that's kindly sponsored by
33:09
Frank Boston Lee. So shout out to him for
33:12
supporting with that, but and that we select the sort of top
33:18
1520 juniors ranging between sort of 14 to 17 and try and
33:24
give them a couple of years of intensive summer training where
33:29
they can start to think about nutrition, fitness as well as
33:34
the skills and the tactics and match play of hockey as well and
33:41
the guidance of the 11th. And from hockey for you and and
33:46
his coaching staff as well. So and that's been really good.
33:49
And we're now looking at the preseason for the women's.
33:53
We've got a lot of those girls training with the ones and two
33:56
squad and also quite a few lads sort of in there and around
34:02
around the mix at the moment, which is which is fantastic.
34:05
So yeah, I think and then just around the the women's side
34:10
there, they were in the East Bremen.
34:13
That's what we're hoping to get them back into this year.
34:15
But again, that we're trying to build that professionalism and
34:20
they've been working really hard.
34:21
There's been, I catch a bit of cricket over the summer as well,
34:25
but there's been a squad coming in doing fitness for quite a
34:28
long time now when I've been down there coaching on the
34:32
Monday. So, and a lot of behind the
34:35
scenes sort of planning and and prep around ethos and and the
34:42
focus that's going to be put into this year.
34:44
So yeah, lots of positive, positive stuff.
34:48
But if we can get ladies into E Bremen, even then, you know, the
34:53
dream is the the push and get them into the national
34:56
conference as well. It'd be amazing to have both the
34:59
men's and women's topsides in in there just to yeah, attract the
35:03
best players locally and and provide really good pathways to
35:08
to keep our best kids as well. So.
35:10
The facilities that are available at the club then would
35:12
they support any of your team getting to the to the highest
35:16
level nationally or would would there need to be any changes or
35:19
or like say outsourcing of of matches to other other venues
35:23
maybe? Yeah, I don't want to be
35:24
controversial here Dipam, because I am a dedicated
35:30
cricketer as well. But we're running out of room at
35:33
the club in terms of, I mean, the ideal would be for us to
35:36
have multiple pitches on the one side.
35:38
But that our site that we've got, which is fantastic.
35:40
We're not going to get a second pitch on there because we've got
35:43
a brilliant cricket ground and square that's you know as good
35:46
as any in the North Hands and Hampton Shire Cambridgeshire
35:51
region region. And then as you spoke about to
35:54
Bill last week, the fantastic and tennis facilities a bowl
35:58
screen that and all the local teams love and playing away and
36:03
then the glass back caught in the in the squash and
36:09
racquetball section as well. So with all those facilities,
36:13
yeah, we're, we're not going to, we're only going to ever have
36:16
one pitch on the side that we, but if we were to, to push and
36:23
progress, yeah, we, we might need to look to continue to, to
36:26
outsource. But as, as having the clubhouse.
36:30
And that's something that the Sports Club have been really
36:34
dedicated at in terms of we've had fixes to sort of, I mean,
36:39
it's a 1980s building. So that there's a lot of
36:43
maintenance and work that's going there and, and freshening
36:45
it up and keeping it and being a really sustainable fixture
36:51
because that's, yeah, that's really important.
36:54
So just I'm really interested in this want to touch back on that.
36:58
You, you mentioned the, the UNI effect, which lots of clubs
37:01
have, you know, it's not just hockey that that effects with
37:04
people going away to uni and that as the sort of university
37:08
activity ramps up in Peterborough.
37:11
Do you see the other thing? Do you see that happening the
37:13
other way around? Is there a time when you think
37:15
actually this is going to bring new players to the club who, who
37:18
are going to come and study in the city and, and you know, that
37:22
could be a benefit to you? Yeah, absolutely.
37:24
I think, I mean ideally, I know the setup of it at the moment is
37:28
more a university that people won't live in the city.
37:31
They'll they'll travel and and commute to.
37:34
And what we would hope is that it continues to develop.
37:39
Well, they've got residents on site in the city.
37:42
I mean, that'll be great for the local economy as well, of
37:45
course, and not just the sports clubs, but that would be a huge
37:51
plus if we've got keen young sports men and women come into
37:55
the city wanting to apply their trade and develop themselves
38:00
from a sporting point of view as well as academically.
38:03
Yeah. That that's, that's a dream
38:05
really, if we can get the uni continuing to grow.
38:08
And I mean, that's, it's going to be a long term thing, isn't
38:11
it? It's not a quick fix, but yeah,
38:12
yeah. It's just interesting that it's
38:14
on your agenda, you know that, you know, that could be, could
38:16
be a real boon for for lots of of city sporting clubs, can't
38:20
it? Absolutely Fabulous.
38:22
So we're going to go for another break.
38:24
We're going to come back with Dave Simpson and Hope Elkin from
38:27
the City of Peterborough Hockey Club and we're going to talk a
38:31
little bit about the junior side of the club in just a minute or
38:34
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home. You're listening to PCR sports.
40:51
Welcome back then to the final part of this week's PCR Sports
40:55
Show. We're here with Dave Simpson and
40:57
Hope Elkins and we're talking hockey and the City of
41:00
Peterborough Hockey Club. So we've touched on the the
41:04
elite side of the of the club. Let's have a look at the junior
41:08
side now. How young do juniors come to
41:12
start playing hockey? We invite them down from 5.
41:16
We might get the odd 4 year old that sneaks in as well, but
41:18
usually those that have turned 5 in that sort of reception year
41:23
or or beyond. And so yeah, they come down from
41:27
10:50 on a Sunday morning and that session goes up to 13 year
41:33
olds as well. So we split the pitch we can.
41:36
We've had, I think our record might be 100 and eight.
41:39
I reckon it is on, on the pitch at one time, which is slightly
41:43
hectic for good job. I've gotten out here because I'd
41:46
be turning it out. But it's a brilliant buzz when
41:51
you get that many down. And we set up those stations and
41:54
put them in ability and age-related groups and they have
41:58
a an adult volunteer that supports them with the activity.
42:03
And we get a lot of junior volunteers, which is brilliant.
42:05
Those that are sort of have gone through it themselves and want
42:09
to come back and give you that. So that's yeah.
42:11
And. What, what does what does that
42:13
look like for a 5 year old playing hockey like rugby, they
42:17
play the tag, rugby and stuff like that.
42:19
Is there a format for them? Yeah.
42:21
So in terms of when we set up the sessions, we modify and try
42:26
and get the activities obviously not as complicated as those for
42:29
the older ones. And then when they eventually
42:32
get in to match play, it's smaller pitch.
42:34
There's either 4 or sometimes we have 5A side on a smaller pitch,
42:40
smaller goals, no goalkeepers, reasonably fluid in terms of if
42:47
it it's someone's fault and they're not literally trying to
42:50
kick it in the goal. It's play on rather than when
42:54
you get higher up. Obviously you a bit more rigid
42:57
with the rules and trying to get them in the right habits.
43:00
It's all about enjoying it at that age, isn't it?
43:01
And just getting out in the fresh air and, and, and playing
43:04
sport, That's what it's all about.
43:05
So that's five years at the lower end, then what about the
43:10
other end? So we just had a chat about this
43:13
offer. I'm not going to name any names,
43:15
but I think our oldest senior player would be around the 6065
43:19
mark. And, and that is what I say is
43:22
one of the, the joys of our sport and one of the amazing
43:27
elements to it that I've, I captain the men's aids team for,
43:32
for a long time. And, and I'd have 13 year olds,
43:36
which is the entry level for adult hockey so they can start
43:39
playing there. And that sort of worked well
43:41
from an adult point of view of from the men's because I sort of
43:46
did the juniors on the Sunday. I need the parents, I need the
43:50
boys and we're able to get them in and then Joe Bell's taken on
43:53
the women's fists and then a really similar role there of
43:56
getting the girls in as well. But beyond the has 13 year olds
43:59
on a hockey pitch and you know 60 plus year olds as well.
44:03
It, and it's a great, I mentioned a couple of times, but
44:06
finding a level and that's one thing that you're able to do
44:09
definitely in hockey. And obviously, yeah, at men's
44:13
eights that the pace isn't going to be anywhere near as quick and
44:18
the balls in and around like it does and, and the men's ones in
44:21
the National League. But they, and I mean, I've never
44:24
been blessed with pace at all. But you can use your experience
44:30
and you can read the game and you can use that to your
44:33
advantage, you know, and I'm only mid 40s at the moment, but
44:37
hope to be playing until I'm a lot older.
44:39
But yeah, those guys in their 60s, they've played a higher
44:44
level in the past. They and, and the ladies as
44:47
well, they know what they're doing.
44:48
So they can be really effective at at that level.
44:53
And yeah, so so. What So there's one thing we
44:59
like to talk on this show is accessibility and how easy it is
45:04
to get involved. So if somebody's listening out
45:05
there and it's either a parent who wants to get their children
45:09
involved or it's somebody who really fancies getting involved
45:11
with hockey but never played it before, how do they get involved
45:14
for your club? So if they visit City of
45:17
Peterborough Hockey Club website its.co.uk, there's a join us
45:24
link and you click on that and you enter your details or your
45:27
child's details and, and that will come through to our member
45:33
secretary and they often feed into other hopeful myself
45:38
depending on the age of the applicant.
45:41
And then we will reach out to them and provide them with the
45:45
details. I mean, juniors are welcome to
45:47
come down at 10:00 on a Sunday morning or 9:45 to get get
45:52
registered and get sorted. We have spare sticks and shin
45:56
pads and those sorts of things that get them started for their
45:59
first session. Those are looking and as at an
46:04
age of sort of 4040 plus the one session we've got going, well,
46:10
I'll say we some very dedicated vets that have put a lot of time
46:17
and effort into it. At 7:00 on a Tuesday, people can
46:20
come down to the club and that's really attracted a lot of those
46:23
people that have gone away through family commitments or
46:27
injury and those sorts of things or even moved away from the city
46:31
and then come back and and got back into hockey that way.
46:35
Again. It it's whoever turns out they
46:39
bit of warm up, knock about and then divvy for half the amount
46:44
of people that are there and and half pitched matches that that
46:48
sort of thing just and again, it's it's not at a rapid pace,
46:52
but it gets the skills going and there's a lot of good hockey
46:55
players on that pitch as well. And Hope So mentioned there that
47:00
there's spare kit available, sticks and stuff like that.
47:03
That's really important isn't it in this day and age because, you
47:06
know, not everybody can afford to go out and spend loads of
47:09
money on kit. It's good to see that the club's
47:13
helping people out and that shouldn't be a barrier to
47:15
anybody who wants to play. But think I haven't got a stick.
47:18
No, absolutely not. And if you don't fall into the
47:22
two brackets sort of that Dave outlined, then women come down
47:26
on a on a Wednesday night at 7:00 PM and that's our main club
47:29
session. And if you need to be in our
47:32
elite session, you'll get the details on the night and, and
47:34
you know, and we'll move you on. And, and the men is same on
47:38
Thursday, isn't it? Thursday at 7:00 PM.
47:40
So yeah, come down and get involved.
47:44
All the information is on the website.
47:46
I won't if we spill it off to you now, you won't remember it.
47:49
So go on and click that big Join Now button.
47:52
We've, we've had so many with our growing junior section, had
47:55
so many parents now pick up a stick and go, Oh well, if I'm
47:59
coming down to bring them to training, I might as well run
48:02
around as well. So that's sort of where our
48:04
women's section has has grown in the last few years certainly at
48:07
that at that entry level of of sort of our women's four women's
48:11
fives point. And you can encourage anyone to
48:13
come along, can't you? Because of the fact that we, as
48:14
we've spoken throughout the show, is that you've got
48:16
different numbers of teen teams under each male and female
48:19
category. Yeah.
48:20
That people you can stop people in whatever level they want to
48:23
play at or or are capable of playing at and whether they want
48:26
to aim for elite or they just want to do it as a weekend
48:28
hobby. Yeah.
48:29
And and you will be noticed if you are playing in the let's say
48:33
men's 6 for example, and you are too good for that level the if.
48:37
You're hustling. Fours or fives captain will will
48:40
notice you and and pull you up. So you will be pushed to play
48:44
the level that sort of you want to play, but also is your
48:47
highest level. And yeah, the the coaching set
48:50
up this year on on both sides is is brilliant.
48:53
We've had some new coaches, club coaches, but new to that role.
48:58
And yeah, I can speak from the women's side.
49:01
It's it's looking really promising.
49:04
The feedback that I've had from from the club session and the
49:07
elite session has has been brilliant so far.
49:09
So yeah. Amazing, amazing.
49:11
So look, the conversation has been brilliant tonight.
49:14
Unfortunately, we've just about run out of time, but we have got
49:17
time for you to mention those sponsors.
49:19
I know you've mentioned a few coming in, but you know,
49:21
mentioned your sponsors. They're, they're the guys that
49:24
they're making it happen for you, aren't they?
49:25
Yeah, so quite a long list. Let's start with D Force
49:30
Alessandro moving the moving Mentor Moor Farm 11 hockey.
49:36
Frank Bothamly was one from earlier.
49:38
Hockey for you Academy are a big part of our junior section.
49:43
Can't think of who else we've got.
49:45
Remark We've got Axio consultant Construct Safri based in
49:50
Lynchwood. Yeah, Mcgeorge.
49:53
Yeah, Can't forget them. Yeah.
49:56
And. This is always a dangerous thing
49:58
because you always forget someone.
50:00
Yeah, I'm thinking now the Ostrich in and Marlow Gardner
50:04
Cook and we've also got the Fame Clinic coming on board for this
50:08
season, which is a huge one in Peterborough, so.
50:12
Amazing, amazing. So I guess the message is out
50:14
there is if you fancy having a go at hockey then pop down and
50:19
have a go and just see whether you like it.
50:21
And if you're a business and you got to spare half £1,000,000 in
50:25
your pocket then speak to Hope when you're down there.
50:27
I think so that is that was Hope, fascinating.
50:30
Sorry Hope and Dave from the City of Peterborough Hockey
50:33
Club, fascinating conversation this evening.
50:36
Dear Pam, thank you very much for your help on the show
50:40
tonight. Next week, I believe, is rugby.
50:43
No Yaxley Bowling Club. Oh, is it?
50:45
Yes. Yaxley Bowling Club on next
50:47
week, so we'll be speaking to them.
50:49
They've got a nine year old champion and we're trying to get
50:53
her and one of her parents on the show and to to talk about
50:56
what she's achieved. Fabulous.
50:58
Thank you, Hope. Thank you, Dave.
50:59
Thank you everyone for listening.
51:00
Join us again next Friday at 6:00 PM.