Jolly hockey sticks! Sports club has new home after sealing deal with college

One of Rugby’s largest sport clubs has a new home after sealing an initial four-year deal with a college in the town.

Rugby and East Warwickshire Hockey Club has struck an agreement with Rugby College, which is part of Warwickshire College Group, to use the college’s astroturf as the club’s main pitch.

Julia Bower, Chair of Rugby and East Warwickshire Hockey Club, says that the club hopes Rugby College will be a long-term home which can support their growth.

“We are a club at the heart of our community, and we have been looking for a new long-term location which we can call home,” she said.

“This is the start of what we hope is a positive long-term relationship with WCG which will bring benefits to both sides, for example we are hoping to provide opportunities to Rugby College students as the relationship builds.

“The college is in a perfect location for us and there is scope to expand here, with work already completed to improve the surface.

“As a club we are passionate about providing vital provision for children to play sport, highlighting the importance of physical activity and also giving people of all ages opportunities to play hockey.”

The hockey club has over 500 members ranging from the age of four up to 70, with eight men’s teams, five ladies’ teams, a badger’s side, masters’ teams and junior age group teams from under 8s to under 18s.

It formed in 2007 following the merger of Rugby HC and GEC Rugby HC, which both had combined histories of nearly 200 years in the town.

The agreement with Rugby College is hoped to be the start of a long-term partnership between the two organisations.

Rugby College has collaborated with the hockey club to rejuvenate the existing astroturf, with renovations to improve the surface, drainage and increase its lifespan now completed.

Longer-term plans are in place to install new dugouts for players and officials.

Rugby and East Warwickshire HC will start by using the pitch on three weekday evenings each week and also on weekends, but it is envisaged this use will increase.

The club has been selected by England Hockey to apply for Talent Centre status which it hopes to achieve by next season. This would recognise the club as providing quality coaching provision for the development of young talent.

It is also in the process of renewing its ClubMark status, an accreditation which recognises that a club is well run and in particular has exemplary safeguarding processes in place.

Running 14 teams on a Saturday means that the club will still be playing fixtures at other locations across Rugby as well.

Sarah Butterfield, Director of Adult Learning and Commercial Development at WCG, said: “We’re proud to be partnering with Rugby and East Warwickshire Hockey Club to become their primary venue.

“This is a strong relationship with longevity in mind, which will benefit the college, the club and the wider community."