An Essex hockey club’s decision to disband has been described as “extremely upsetting” following the news that 113 years of hockey in Clacton-on-Sea has ended.
Clacton Hockey Club was forced to disband after not being able to generate “any ground swell of support from within or neighbouring clubs.”
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This is a comment on the folding of Clacton HC. What I have just read is not accurate. I refer to the comment of ‘unable to generate any ground swell of support from neighbouring clubs’. I’m a player and committee member of Harwich and Dovercourt HC. We stopped playing a couple of years ago as our pitch was unsafe and TDC were not prepared to undertake the necessary repair work. We sought support from England HC but to no avail. We have maintained a ‘hockey presence’ and have not disbanded. We were prepared to join with Clacton on our pitch – if repairs were carried out – with a view to forming a new club for next season. There was not enough time in our opinion to fully merge for this upcoming season. Clacton however were unable to find anyone to steer their club through this season. We are now hoping TDC will carry out the necessary repairs so that hockey is not completely lost in the Tendring area. Please feel free to contact me if you want any more information on our battle – and please check your facts before going to print!
Carolyn, I am on the outside as to what has happened regarding any merger/partnership between yourselves and CHC but unless I am missing something, the article in no way gives the impression that Harwich HC have in any way been a reason for the demise at Clacton. The main issue that comes across is the lack of volunteers to help (the few who have kept the club alive this long have probably run out of energy in the end) and no pitch. They have had to play in Ipswich I believe to find a pitch which isn’t viable. Like your position (and many other clubs) losing hockey friendly astros to 3G football surfaces is having a huge long term effect on hockey at grass roots clubs (and so private schools have the upper hand). Just wanted to respond as I don’t think the article was in any way negative to Harwich and I hope Tendring do the right thing and sort the Dovercourt surface out to allow for hockey and your club to thrive.