As the new season approaches, we wanted to share an update on everything that has been happening behind the scenes, celebrate our summer sporting achievements, and look ahead to our plans for the coming months.
It may not be immediately obvious, but our current floodlights have reached the end of their usable life. We have patched them up and made do for several years, but the time has finally come for a full upgrade. Quotes were gathered and the decision has been made to proceed with England Hockey's recommended supplier, Kingfisher Sports Lighting.
Additional structural testing is now being carried out on the lighting stanchions, and work is planned over the next couple of weeks to cut back the hedge line to improve access for the machinery. At approximately £30,000, this is a huge investment for the club. We expect it to secure our lighting needs for the next 10 to 15 years, with an estimated return on investment within 5 years thanks to significant electricity savings from modern LED technology. We are aiming for work to be completed ahead of our Club Open Day on Saturday 12 September.
Last season we brought in an external contractor for bi-monthly pitch maintenance. This not only improved the appearance of the facility by reducing weeds and litter, but will also help extend the lifespan of our playing surface. We will be continuing this arrangement into the new season.
To help protect the surface, we have secured Section 106 grant funding from the local council for new kickboards. As soon as the funds are released, the replacement and installation will be scheduled.
Alongside the planned hedge trimming, volunteers recently secured the wider perimeter fence behind the goal to keep unwanted visitors off the turf. A big thank you to everyone who pitched in. Work is also scheduled to secure the safety netting above the fence to protect the rear gardens along Pullman Close.
Speaking of volunteers, a massive thank you to the parents who took on litter picking and hedge trimming on Monday evenings while the Junior Rock Up and Play sessions were underway. Every little job helps enormously. This is our club, and the small contributions made by many make a massive difference.
Many of you will have seen our regular Monday evening Rock Up and Play sessions for both juniors and seniors. These have been great for introducing new players to the sport and giving existing members an informal run-around through the summer months.
For those wanting a competitive edge, we also fielded teams in the summer leagues.
Our ladies fielded a single team which provided a good opportunity for our younger developing players to build confidence and gain match experience alongside senior players.
The men's summer league campaign was supported by Damien Perry, with two Redditch sides enjoying brilliant campaigns.
- Redditch Kingfishers finished 3rd on goal difference, just two points off 1st place. A massive thank you to JB and the senior squad members who worked hard to ensure our junior players, George Brooks, Ethan Cook, Alex Gilmour, Ben Gilmour and CJ Perry, received plenty of game time and valuable experience.
- Redditch Springers finished top of their subdivision by 6 points and finished 2nd overall in their league, just two points behind Bournville & Kings Heath. It was a great squad effort, with senior players like Josh Checkley and Matt Grubb stepping in to guide the younger players, plus the welcome return of Dave Baker. Alongside the juniors already mentioned, it was great to see Ethan Ball and Jake Wilkins given opportunities to show what they can do.
As Josh neatly summed up: Pretty much all of the Springers are heading into the new season with a smile, which is massive after last year. Well done to everyone involved.
In addition to keeping everyone active, our summer sessions brought in some much-needed income. This leads nicely into the work being driven by Adrian Young, who has taken on our Sponsorship Lead role. Ade is on the lookout for fresh fundraising ideas and business sponsors, having already run successful sweepstakes for both the football and hockey World Cups. Thank you as always, Ade.
Finding qualified coaches for junior sessions on Wednesday evenings is always a challenge, so we are delighted to announce that our current Ladies coach, Neil Gaskin, will be supporting our Junior Coaching Programme on Wednesday evenings from the start of September. This is a fantastic addition to our junior setup.
Adult pre-season training is now in full swing on Wednesday evenings under the guidance of Wayne and Neil, supported by Jonny Styzaker running additional fitness sessions to get everyone match-sharp.
To launch the season, we will be hosting a full day of showcase fixtures as part of the wider sports club open day, welcoming prospective and returning members across all sports.
- 11:00 AM: Senior Ladies 1s and 2s mixed vs Old Halesonians Ladies.
- 12:30 PM: Junior Rock Up & Play session. Parents and visitors are encouraged to pick up a stick and give it a go.
- 1:30 PM onwards: Senior men's and ladies' fixtures.
- Off the pitch: speed-gun challenge, raffle, cake sale and clubhouse refreshments.
Please take a look at the event task on Spond to sign up and help. Days like this are great for the club, but our committee needs a few extra pairs of hands so that everyone can get involved and enjoy the day.
Here's to a great 2026/27 season ahead.
