This season we will have the opportunity to thank 3 key members of these teams for their significant contribution as they step down from their roles due to a variety of reasons.

Becky Turner - Our Club CEO has decided to step down after 6 years (only a slight extension on her 3 month planned interim position). All of you who have spent any time at the club for the last 6 years have benefited substantially from the huge contribution Becky has made to the club. We now have improved management and governance structures, have achieved Club Mark status and overall she leaves us in a significantly better position as an organisation.

On top of the organisation improvements that Becky has steered the club through over her tenure she has worked tirelessly behind the scenes and amongst many other things at times almost single handily kept us fed with teas after the games and ensured that the bar has both been stocked with bar staff available to serve your post match beverage (alongside the sadly missed Steph Port). Financially the club has benefited from a new subs system and ensured a fair contribution by all.

If you should meet Becky in the club or pitch side before Becky leaves her role at the end of the season, please take the time to say a big thank you.

Alex Storey - Alex has served as the Club Secretary for the last 5 years. Alex has been the rock around which the Exec and Club Management boards have operated keeping us both organised and compliant. No simple task I can assure you. Alex has always gone above and beyond to help make others' roles easier and has been a font of knowledge on many areas in addition to helping us all adhere to club policies and practices. This has all been delivered in a genuinely supportive and good humoured fashion. Again if you see Alex please take the opportunity to thank her for superb contribution.

Lucy Briscoe - Lucy has the best reason for stepping down from her position as head of Club Coaching. For those of you who don’t know, Lucy and Emlyn are expecting in the next few weeks (no pressure guys but we are expecting a future 1st team player as a minimum). Most, if not all, of you will have benefitted from Lucy’s time in her role, either from her highly inclusive coaching style at both club and youth training sessions, or from the organisation and development of our fantastic coaching team. I know she is rightly proud of her team and the fact that all club members have access to qualified coaches every week. Please don’t miss the opportunity to thank and congratulate Lucy for the huge improvements she has delivered in the club’s on pitch provision of coaching.

Naturally we are sad to see these roles vacated however this opens up opportunities for others to join in contributing to our club. To that end we now have vacancies to fill and would be delighted to hear from anyone who is in a position to help contribute to our club in any way you can. Even if it is not specifically in these roles we need help from the membership please.

Specifically we are recruiting for:

1. A new CEO - this is intended to be a less time consuming role than Becky has taken on and will be supported by

2. Clubhouse Operations Manager - a paid operational position running the Clubroom facilities as a whole - predominantly but not exclusively the catering and the bar.

3. A Company Secretary to support compliance to club policies and proceeders and ‘keeping us legal’

4. Admin support for the boards - meeting organisation and minutes etc for the club board and management board

In addition we have vacancies for other roles including a paid role will be sponsorship development and kit management

We are reviewing our club coaching structure and will be in touch soon about opportunities to join in a leadership capacity.

If you are in a position to contribute to your club in any of these roles, you will find there can be enormous satisfaction supporting your fantastic club. An old cliche but no less true is that more hands really do make for lighter work.

We have seen the power of members coming together in a cause (for example when the club turned over the car parking issues). St Albans Hockey club has a long and successful history, we now need to come together to ensure the success of the club.

If you can contribute in any way please contact Becky or me directly we would love to hear from you.

Rich Baylis