Newport Hockey Club celebrate awards success!

The club was founded in 2017 with the aim of bringing hockey to people of all ages and abilities to the town. Fast forward 7 years and the club now has over 220 active members, 4 Men’s teams, 2 ladies teams, an over 50s SAGA team and a thriving junior section with teams at U8s, U10s, U12s, U16s, Beavers and Badgers.

Also celebrating is club member Glyn Thomas who was crowned with the Lifetime Achievement Award! Glyn was unable to attend on the night, as was representing Wales over 75s in goal at a tournament in Ireland!

Glyn first got into hockey aged 13, when he was persuaded to play in goal when the team were short, he didn’t keep a clean sheet but did enjoy it! Now, aged 83, he is still playing several times a week.

He is the Men’s 5th team GK at Newport, represents his country (wales) at age 65+, 70+ and 75+ and volunteers his time as an assistant coach for the ladies section at Newport. He also helped launch the junior section in 2021 and umpires across the club weekly, including the Men’s 1st XI.

Glyn's love for the game is unrivalled and he is loved and respected across the club and in the wider hockey world, as he also umpires for several universities!

A Newport Hockey Club spokesperson said: “We are so proud of everything that is being achieved at Newport. The success on the pitch speaks for itself but it is the work behind the scenes and the impact we are able to have back on the local community which really stands out for me. We want to keep going and ensure everyone is given the chance to access the sport!

“Glyn is so deserving of the Lifetime Achievement Award. His commitment to the sport is phenomenal. He is a true gent and always puts others first. The number of hours he commits to volunteering coaching at ladies training and umpiring each week is incredible. He is a role model for all who know him and a quality goalkeeper too.”

A Growing Club

Newport Hocky Club is continuing to grow as it introduces a Men’s 5th team and Ladies 3rd team into the league next season to ensure everyone is catered for.

This success does not happen by accident – there have been years of hard work and dedication from a team of volunteers who are committed to providing sport for all!

Over the past year, the junior section has doubled in size with 65 juniors in school years 2 – 9 attending two weekly training sessions and representing the club across the junior teams.

Each summer the club run free to attend ‘Give it a Go’ taster sessions to bring new juniors on board and give them a taste of hockey for the first time. All equipment is provided, and everyone is welcome. These will be running again this year on Tuesday 25 June and Tuesday 2 July with the aim of increasing the junior section to over 100 players.

The clubs membership now ranges from ages 6 – 83. Throughout this journey, since the club was founded in 2017, the vision has always been to provide hockey for all regardless of age, background, or experience.

There has been continued success on the pitch, with the Men’s 1st and 2nd teams having just achieved their 5th and 2nd successive promotions. The U12 boys were crowned Shropshire county champions in 2023 and placed 7th in the Midlands at the IN2 finals days and the U10 girls have just finished 10th in the Midlands in their first ever year playing together!

Active in the Local Community

The club also plays an active role in the local community and volunteered with the Newport Shropshire Rotary Club on their annual Christmas sleigh ride, which helped raise a total of over £8000, which will be used to support local good causes.

The club is also in its fourth year of fundraising for Severn Hospice, having raised over £5,000 for the charity through events such as club days, a Newport2Naples virtual running challenge and entering a team into their annual dragon boat race. The total will reach £6,000+ by September.

To find out more about Newport Hockey Club visit their website.