Torbay Easter Hockey Festival

The NORMANS

Roll of Honour

Gavin Hetherington, Neil Toye, Glenn Sherard, Peter Milner, Jon Smith, Jacob Smith, Nigel Smith, ‘Doc’ Curtice, Liz Curtice, Paul Jarvis, Zach Jarvis, Rob McGuigan, Sarah Skidmore, John Skidmore, and Robin Stanley.

 GOOD FRIDAY 2^nd April 2010

1.00       NORMANS V PINK PANTHERS   lost 2-1                            3.30      NORMANS V ODDFELLOWS      lost 4-0

EASTER Saturday 3^rd April 2010

11.15      BLUEBOTTLES V NORMANS     lost3-1                                1.45       TORREADORS V NORMANS      lost 3-1

EASTER Sunday 4^th April 2010

11.15      NORMANS V ESANDARS          lost 9-1

Match Reports  

With fifteen teams competing from all over the country from various leagues, we came down to the English Riviera not knowing how strong our team was or how strong the opposition would be. We all made our different ways there determined to have fun.

We all met up together for the first time at the first match at Torbay Leisure Centre at One o’clock a little disorganised but all keen to start the tournament. During warm up Jon Smith quickly arranged our formation and positions and then we were off.

 The Normans first festival since 2003 was underway!

We lost all our games but our team came off the pitch after each match with heads held high as we were competitive in all but the last match. We roughly kept to our original team layout with just Glenn and Neil switching to striker mode to get a breather. We scored four goals in total but we hit the post on numerous occasions in all but the last game, and many near misses which kept our supporters entertained on the side-lines.

We never discussed Player of the Tournament, but it must have been a close contest between Liz and Zach who both played some excellent competitive play. Liz was a constant threat on right wing and Zach was a power house in midfield.

 Our back line played with solid confidence knowing that the other teams had to beat our excellent keeper Gavin. Gavin gained a lot of experience on this tour, saving more shots than the whole of last season for the Badgers. Jacob also a Badger player showed lots of talent even getting some shots at goal. This was noted by quite a few opposition players. The midfield showed a lot of composure thanks in the main to Sarah’s excellent stick skills and controlled passing which tried to spread play wide. We may have missed Charles and a few others on this tour to add a bit more pace which might have gained us a few victories but these things can’t be helped.

It was a well and truly friendly festival with opposing teams and supporters chatting during and after matches. We also had great team talks at the end of each day at the Redcliffe Hotel H.Q. This involved all the team and supporters gathering in the “Festival Bar,” having a few discounted beers, snacks and a good natter. Even on the night various members met up and carried on drinking and dancing as there was a special disco the first night celebrating the festivals 60^th year. With good bars in Paignton the partying carried on till late most nights.

A special thank you to Glenn Sherard and Jon Smith who both organised the Normans and made it all run as smoothly as it did.  A thank you also should go to our resident Umpire Rob McGuigan whose authority on the side kept some games from fragmenting into chaos. (Fourth game)  

Another season is finishing and I feel this festival and club day certainly round things of beautifully. I am hoping for an even better new season for Yardley Hockey Club and another festival for the Normans.

by Paul Jarvis