Buxton Hockey Club keen to attract new players to plug a shortage

The Buxton Ladies first team back in 2015. The club are keen to attract new female player following a recent drop from three to two teams.

The club, based at Buxton Community School, currently fields seven competitive senior teams as well as a growing junior section.

But they have seen numbers fall on the female side, with COVID preventing the club’s regular recruitment events from taking place last year.

Nicola Johnson, ladies first team captain and committee member, said: “Before covid we were up to three teams ladies teams having grown quite quickly, but COVID has taken its toll and we are now back down to two ladies teams.

“We want to get more players involved. The men have felt it as well, but with it being a larger section in the club it has not quite hit as hard because there is more depth.

“You alway get people leaving, either because they change jobs and don't have time to play any more or they move away.

“COVID has stopped us being able to do the events we usually do like back-to-hockey events, having a stall at the Rotary Club fair and the other events on the calendar that we have. We haven't been able to replace the natural churn of players.”

Nicola returned to the club when the ladies section was reformed six years ago, having first joined Buxton way back in the 1990’s.

And it is a move she is now encouraging other people to make.

“We are a very friendly welcoming club that has a good breadth of level,” she added.

“We cater for those who have never played up to a competitive first team playing at a good standard, and everything in between.

“I met my husband at the club and my son also plays. It has been a wonderful source of social life as well as keeping fit.

“We have a lot of families who are like that, with the husband, wife and children all playing and coming through the club.

“It is a family-friendly and supportive environment. We will always support each other's teams and there is a good team spirit across the whole club.”

The ladies teams train between 7-8pm on a Thursday, with the men 7-8pm Tuesday and the junior section, for those ten and above, training 6-7pm on a Tuesday.