MARLOW HOCKEY CLUB                   

A proud history; an exciting future

This year the seniors and juniors of Marlow Hockey Club will wear the Club’s crest on their shirts knowing that its 100 years since the Club was formed in November 1909 in the George and Dragon. Whilst it was formed for Men’s and Ladies hockey, as the attached photo of the Marlow Colts in the 1950s shows, it has always put an emphasis on providing hockey opportunities for the youngsters of the Town and surrounding area.

At no time is that more evident then today when the Club boasts around 200 juniors between the ages of 7 and 16 being coached and playing hockey.  There was a huge rise in numbers after the successful Sport England grant in 2001.

A trip down to Bisham on a Saturday morning will see boys and girls up to the age of 11 being trained by several of the clubs own players and the Community Hockey Coach. These boys and girls, as well as being coached, get a taste for competition by playing in structured tournaments run between several Clubs in the area.  Children come from many of the primary schools of the area.

As they move into secondary school the Club provides coaching for girls under 14s and under 16s on a Tuesday night at Bisham and boys under 14 on Wednesday. Boys and Girls under 14 and under 16 teams play in Colts league matches on a Sunday.

All in all the Club runs 14 teams for youngsters from under 9s through to under 16s.

Last year the junior teams were very successful. The under 11 Boys are County champions and the two pictures show the successful Boys and girls under 13 teams who won through the County round to represent Bucks at the South of England tournament. The Boys won this, became South of England champions and went on to accredit Marlow well at the National championship.

Anyone interested in joining our junior section should see the details on the website www.marlowhc.co.uk

Whilst the Club is rightly proud of its juniors it also has a flourishing senior Men’s and Ladies sections. There are 8 league sides and a great social environment. The Club welcomes players of all abilities. So whatever that might be get in touch with us through Margot Nicholls on 01628  521830, get to our website at www.marlowhc.co.uk or come down to training on Tuesday nights at Bisham at 7.30pm starting on September 1^st and give it a go.

We will be celebrating our 100 years with a birthday party at the Sports Club on November 28^th when with past and present players and guests we will also be launching a book of the first 100 years of the Club and will mark the end of this important season with a festival of Hockey on April 24^th 2010 followed by a Dinner dance at the Crown Plaza.

We can start our next 100 years with further strength if the Sports Club’s development plan of purchasing the ground from Whitbread and successfully obtaining planning permission and building an all weather hockey pitch with Sir William Borlase School gives us the birthday present we desperately need.

Marlow Hockey Club A proud history; an exciting future

Marlow Hockey Club boasts a proud history and has been a major influence on local, county and international hockey. Founded in 1909 the Club originally played on the Pound Lane Sports Ground but for many years led a nomadic life. Leaving behind Pound Lane the Club went to Gossmore for some seasons, then onto Spinfield Park and Higginson Park before returing to Pound Lane in 1949 where the Club now has its excellent clubhouse. In that year the Marlow Sports Club was formed along with the then Cricket and Rugby sections.

In 1972 hockey was started at Sir William Borlase School in Marlow and there began a long and successful relationship between the school and the Club. That relationship has produced and is continuing to produce many county, divisional and international players. 7 full internationals started their hockey in Marlow colours and over 20 have played at junior international level. Add to that a huge number who have played for county, divisional level and 4 Oxbridge Blues and the Club and school can be rightly proud of its legacy. The most successful time for the Mens section was in the mid to late 1980s when the 1st team was playing in the Premier Division of the League it joined in 1974.

At the end of the 1999/2000 season the Club celebrated its 90th birthday with a ‘Stars of the 80s’ taking on the then current first team at Bisham Abbey

The Ladies and Mens sections formally amalgamated in 1998 to form one Marlow Hockey Club and a junior coaching programme for the under 14 and under 11 was initiated in 2001 with an Awards for All Lottery Grant.

The Ladies first team have gained two promotions in 2002 and 2003 and the Mens first team was promoted in 2004.

The Club is now in its 100th season and for details of the celebration events ago to the Centenary section of this site.

The Club is building on the integration of the Mens and Ladies sections and the junior coaching programme. The Club runs 22 teams (8 senior sides and 14 junior teams at U16, U14, U13, U12, U11 and U9 level). Over 200 boys and girls are being coached on a weekly basis in the programme.

Add to this a great social life around the Club and you can see why we boast that we have a proud history; an exciting future