Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Suttonians coach; Conn promoted: News in brief

* Suttonians, due to a large increase in the club’s ladies membership, are currently looking for an assistant coach for the ladies section for the 2009/10 season.

The right candidate would need to be available for training on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and for matches on Saturdays. A suitable package and support is available. All enquires to Tom Hipwell (086-8543224) or suttonians@gmail.com.

* Geoff Conn was recently honoured as one of the first graduates of the EuroHockey Umpire’s Development Poject (UDP). Under an intense programme of mentoring and tutoring, he was part of a small group of young, potential umpires to be developed under the UDP. Conn has since improved his grading from ‘Outdoor National’ to ‘Outdoor Promising’.

At a ceremony this week, EHF President Martin Gotheridge said of the first graduates to progress through the system: “We believe in the importance of ensuring that our umpires are as prepared as the players for the ever increasing speed of the game. This means that we need young, fit, technically educated umpires.

“In this group, we have it all and they and their mentors have worked tirelessly over the past three years to improve all aspects of their game."

* Ireland has moved up a ranking place in the EHL provisional qualifier list for 2010/11, released yesterday, as a result of Pembroke and Glenanne’s results in Barcelona. Ireland are now rated sixth in the list which, if maintained by season’s end, would see two EHL places for the country once again - currently one from the IHL, one from the Irish Senior Cup.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

congratulation Geoff, keep up the good work

Unknown said...

Think the two EHL places should go to winner of the IHL and a playoff between second in the IHL and the winners of the Senior cup.

IHL too big a competition to not have the 'Reward' of two potential places in europe.

I suggested this a couple of months ago with no real feel of if it would work, are the heads in blazers aware of this option? Works in scotland.

Anonymous said...

Good man Geoff.

Anonymous said...

Good suggestion charlie. Stephen any chance you can set up a vote/poll or something on the hook to campaign for this option. If that is people believe it to be the right option.

Anonymous said...

Rubbish --we don't need another game at the end of a long season--whatever outcome is agreed it should be definitive. Top 2 in IHL would produce best chance of maintaining 2 places in EHL just in case a strange outcome to ISC occurred

Anonymous said...

Agree with Charlie. Means that the ISC doesn't get degraded as a competition while on the other hand awarding those who do well in a competition played under EHL rules for the most part and which is harder to win.

Anonymous said...

A poll was already sent to Club representatives/club comitteesby the IHA a couple of weeks ago asking them to select the option that their club felt is more suitable.

From memory the options were 2 places for the IHL or 1 place for the IHL and one for the ISC.

So 'the heads in blazers' are already actively trying to come up with a viable solution that suits hockey overall, not just the elite.

Each club should have already responded by now

The Irish Senior cup is one of the most prestigious domestic hockey trophies in the world. I thoroughly believe that it should keep its EHL place, without question.

The notion that either 2 teams from IHL got through or 2nd team goes into playoff with ISC winner is neither fair nor does the ISC justice, in my opinion.

The ISC is the only real chance that some of the non elite teams in each Senior 1 league has of winning a national domestic trophy and the winner should be rewarded without having to go to a playoff.

There are only 2 places on offer, maybe if and when we get 3 places in the EHL they could do a playoff between the losing finalists from IHL and ISC

Queso said...

IHA are already in the process of polling clubs with regard to two options:
1. Current situation remains - IHL winners + ISC winners. If same club wins both (as last season) then IHL runners-up get the second spot.

OR

2. Both places go to IHL finalists

Get in touch with your own Club Secretary's to see how your club responded.

Queso said...

Moving up a place in EHL club rankings from 7th to 6th is a fantastic achievement but it's not 100% confirmed yet.

Both French clubs have been eliminated so they've definitely dropped at least one place and the fight for 6th is now between Ireland & Poland in the shape of Pembroke and Grunwald. Whichever club can earn more points from now on will promote their country to 6th.

Although Russia, Scotland, Italy & Switzerland still have a club to compete in the EuroTrophy the maximum points from this compeition will not raise them above Ireland.

Let's see if Pembroke can go one better than Rovers??

Anonymous said...

Personally I feel it should be the finalists of the IHL who progress to Europe

Anonymous said...

I've heard rumours that some Div 1 games have been cancelled this weekend due to an Irish training camp. Can anyone confirm?

Stephen Findlater said...

11.19am - As far as I'm aware, the Irish training session is on Sunday and will not affect Saturday's matches.

Anonymous said...

thanks Stephen