Three weeks to go until we welcome 7 of Europes top clubs to HQ!

Thank you so much to all those who have volunteered so far for the event. The enthusiasm has been great! We still have plenty of slots free however, so please if you have a spare 3 hours over the weekend let us know as soon as possible to ensure we are fully covered in all areas. This is a fantastic chance to show off our club and members to the rest of Europe!!

The spreadsheet below can be filled out, or alternatively contact alisonfkeogh@gmail.com with what jobs or times you’re able to do.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M6ZTINIm2HQrin84WEussLUPCuM9cdW4UsLN4rwrxjk/edit?pli=1

The finishing touches such as umpires shirts, medals, transport schedules, trophies and weekend passes are all being collected in the next week, or have already come in! Keep up to date with the event via our twitter feed, and the tournament website

http://eurohockeydublin.com

AGM and PGM
The AGM and PGM were held last week. We would like to express our sincerest thanks and gratitude to Ailis Kennedy as she finished her term as president. Ailis oversaw the running of the council as it is still in its infancy in the new system. Her work and presence in the club has been immense in her two year tenure.

Ailis is succeeded by John Findlater. John takes on the role of President 10 years after he was club captain, and two years after his son Stephen was captain! John has been instrumental in helping the club with fundraising efforts over the past 2-3 years and returns to the running of the club with a wealth of knowledge, including in the area of development. This is a key focus of the club in the next 5 years.

We wish him all the best in his new role!

The accounts of the club were presented by Rob Johnson, who highlighted the need for the club to increase its income. The focus on recruitment, fundraising and complex rentals is paramount to ensure we put enough money away for the replacement of the back pitch within the next 4 years.

A number of officers for the club are required. Club captain Andrew Walker noted how the committee is an ideal opportunity for members in their 20years to develop skills which will enhance their CVs. The work of the committee is crucial to the running of the club, but it is relatively easy to learn. Specified roles are available, ensuring that members can work to their strengths. If you have skills including event management, recruitment, development plans, accounting, communication, advertising or many more please let us know. We would love to give members experience to grow professionally as they give back to the club!

The two motions of the AGM were passed unanimously.

Girls futures training
We have been delighted to offer our talented u14s extra training with the Irish u16 boys coach Niall Denham over the past few weeks. For an extra hour a week our girls have been brought through technical skills and tricks by Niall. This week was the last week of the extra sessions but they will commence again next year. All girls of the next year will be assessed in the first few weeks of the season to ensure that we consider all of our players for this training opportunity.

Celtic Sports
Don’t forget to sign up for the many summer camps we have on offer this year with Celtic Sports Academy! The registration form is attached at the end of this page.

The curse of Monkstown continues as they beat the mens 2nds 6-2 in the Irish Junior Cup final last Sunday.

The lads started at a frantic pace and were rewarded when Jonny McCormack slotted home calmly to put the guys ahead. Two harsh corners outside the D gave Monkstown their only chances of the 1st half, both of which they scored. Sam Grace made sure it was all square heading in at half time though, putting away Rovers only corner of the half.

The second half was a different game however as Monkstown changed their press and put enormous pressure on our defence. Their work rate won in the end as they put away 4 goals in the second half to seal yet another national title.

Hard luck to Clarkie and all the lads.

Huge weekend for the club as the mens 2nds play in the Irish Junior Cup final!!!! The lads made their final spot thanks to a 3-1 win over Annadale in the semi final last week.

The final takes place on Sunday in UCD at 5pm where the guys will play rivals Monkstown.

This is the first time that the team has been in the final since 2000 while the last time they won the title was 1998. That squad contained the likes of Kevin Empey, who’s son Conor is aiming to play this week!

All support for this huge event is very welcome. Best of luck to Clarkey and the lads!

The Annual TRRHC golf outing has been set for July 3rd this year. Once again the event will take place in Woodbrook Golf Club following from last years success!

Tee times start from 1.45

More details to follow in the coming weeks!

After a successful Easter camp two weeks ago, Celtic Sports Academy are back with their dates for the summer!

We are delighted that the Irish u16 boys coach Niall Denham will once again lead a team of TRR coaches along with Chris Steele

The Easter camp grew considerably in numbers from the initial February one and we are sure these summer weeks will be packed!

Camps will run on June 2nd, June 8th, June 29th, July 6th and August 17th, meaning theres plenty of choice and plenty of hockey on all summer!!

To register, and for more info, please see the attached form

HI All,
These are the last few days of my tenure as President. I would like to thank all those who have worked so hard to ensure that the hockey season runs smoothly. Turning up to play in a hockey match is the least of the tasks that make up a hockey club. Organising the fixtures, umpires, equipment, players, results, coaches, social events and essential fundraising goes on in the background by a small group of members. The role of club Secretary is vital and the weekly Newsletter ensures that club information is available to everyone. All of these members do so much work for which the club is very grateful. It would be great if more people became involved in the running of the club. It would ease the burden on the few and is rewarding in its own right.

I would like to thank the members of the Council for their contribution to the club over the last two years, and indeed all those who have donated their time and efforts over many years. The Council is entrusted with the long-term care and administration of the club and this group commit their expertise for a few years to ensure stability and continuance.

TRR is always striving to move forward and adapt to changing times. Much has happened during the time I have been President. The new pitch and the clubhouse refurbishment are the results visible to all. These however have not just happened out of the blue (no pun intended) but from efforts by club members over many years. In addition and less visible, but of equal value, are the structures being put in place so that the running of the club is set on a course of progression and accountability.

It has been a pleasure and honour to be your President for the past two years. I have enjoyed getting to know so many people, both within the club and the broader hockey establishment. I would like to extend a welcome to the incoming President. The role has its challenges but is very rewarding. I wish all the members the very best for the coming years. Hockey is a great game, the sport itself and the social life that comes with it. It is heartening to see that new generations are coming along all the time with hockey sticks in their small hands.

All the best for the coming month’s exciting activities and the future years of hockey,
Ailis
TRR President

The countdown is on until we host one of Europes top club competitions in just 4 weeks!

Teams from Scotland, Wales, Azerbaijan, Italy, Belarus, Czech Republic and the Ukraine will be our guests for the week as they battle it out along with our mens 1sts to be Europes champion. The tournament runs from May 22nd – 25th.

To help keep up to date with the tournament itself Ryan Shirley has designed a brilliant website with the help of Stephen Findlater. The link to the site can be seen on our homepage, in the top left corner, or copy and paste it here:
http://eurohockeydublin.com

A huge effort is going into this event and we are very lucky to have a strong team leading the tournament behind the scenes. Rick Johnson leads the group consisting of Pauline Corrigan, Bruce Johnson, John Findlater, Stephen Findlater, Natalie Rule, Andrew Walker and Ali Keogh.
Events like this though dont just happen and we need a lot of support for this group, on the ground over the weekend itself. A list of job descriptions, and schedules for the event can be seen at the bottom of this page. Many of the jobs actually involve watching the hockey, so please, if you have 2-3 hours to spare over one, or a few days that week, please let us know. As you can see we have a lot of spots to fill! anyone who volunteers will get in for free on that day.

Please take a look at the below link and contact Ali Keogh at alisonfkeogh@gmail.com if you are able to volunteer. If you have any questions on any of the roles, please also contact her and she will answer them.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M6ZTINIm2HQrin84WEussLUPCuM9cdW4UsLN4rwrxjk/edit?usp=sharing

More details re prices and promotions of the event will be out in the coming weeks!

Its a huge honour for the club to host such a prestigious event. Many who have visited our club before and indeed when we have hosted events such as the IHL, we always get superb feedback. We want to aim to repeat this, and even surpass it this time round! Please help us show off our wonderful facilities, members and family spirit to the rest of Europe!!!

All in TRRHC were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Ruth Henderson. Many of us in the club were coached by Ruth at some stage in our hockey careers, and owe her a lot. She not only taught hockey, but demonstrated huge commitment to the sport and instilled a passion in many of us for hockey. Our thoughts are with her family at this sad time.

The funeral is on Saturday, 18th April, at 10.30am, in the Friend’s Meeting House, Lower Churchtown Road, afterwards to Temple Hill Burial Ground, Blackrock. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired

May she rest in peace

Last weekend saw a group of the U16 boys and girls travel to Amsterdam for a hockey filled weekend! The group were greeted in Schiphol airport by Maarten Sier (a familiar face with Maarten being a former Rovers player!) who had everything planned down to a tee for Rovers arrival in Amsterdam.

Over the course of the weekend the boys and girls played both HV Myra and Amstelveen MHC, as well as packing in plenty of training sessions!

Friday saw the group attend Poldersport – an adventure centre involving A LOT of water! Fortunately, they had great weather and everyone really enjoyed themselves. Saturday included a trip into Amsterdam city centre for a canal boat tour and some sightseeing, or in the girls case – shopping!

To finish off the weekend the gang got to catch a Hoofdklasse game which is the top tier of hockey in Holland. Amsterdam AH&BC won out against Pinoke in what was a goal-fest for Amsterdam! The boys and girls were lucky enough to get some autographs and pose for photos with the many internationals that were playing on the day!

A massive thank you must go to Maarten, Sarafien and Diarmuid MacMahon for their organisation in what was a fantastic weekend for all. A huge thank you to those who kindly sponsored the tour hoodies for the group. And finally thank you to Rick Johnson, Dylan Shirley, Barbara Snow and Grace O’Malley for assisting on the trip