It’s been a fast-paced comeback for Blandford Men’s Hockey Club. Once it was a thriving side with three teams and a strong presence in the southern leagues, but the men’s division folded completely around eight years ago – a victim of dwindling numbers and severe lack of local facilities.
But over the last 14 months, a handful of determined players have turned the tide, says club captain Paul Cross: ‘Back when I was at the Blandford school, hockey was really pushed – teachers played too. But when the school had the chance to put in a hockey pitch, they chose a 4G pitch that’s only for football … so there’s now no capacity for hockey there at all.’
After years playing for nearby Gillingham – a club that formed when Blandford began to decline – a group of local players began to wonder if they could bring Blandford men’s hockey back. ‘It started in a chance meeting – four of us from Blandford turned up at a masters event in Taunton, and we just wondered why there wasn’t a team in Blandford anymore?’
The idea bubbled away until a couple of follow-up chats at Parkrun sealed the deal. Just over a year ago, Blandford & Sturminster Hockey Club added to its successful women’s teams by reforming the men’s section.
They’d initially hoped to build a support team around junior players. ‘We thought if we could find four or five experienced players, we could support the juniors – but actually none of the juniors could play Saturdays. So it ended up going full throttle.’
The club now fields three senior teams – two women’s and one men’s – playing in the South Central league. The men’s team won their first five matches without conceding a goal. By the end of their first season, they’d finished second in the league – and, thanks to a quirk in the structure, were awarded a double promotion.
‘We’ve now got players coming back from other clubs – three have come from Wimborne, they all live locally, and more are thinking about it. The more successful we are, the more enticing the project becomes.’
All about the crumble
The men’s team now has a pool of 36 players, with around 18 available most weeks, and at time of writing is sitting second in their Division 5 (south) league. They’ve just started a Sunday development league for juniors and rotational squad members too – a chance to build skills for players who will likely move into the second team next season.
‘We’re officially part of Bryanston and Clayesmore’s hockey strategy now, which is huge for us,’ Paul says. ‘It means school players will start being available on Saturdays, and we can begin creating a true pathway.’
Paul is quick to point out that it’s not just about the top squad. ‘We’ve always had a mix of abilities – players who’ve never played hockey before alongside experienced ones. The club’s success is down to the community spirit,’ he says. ‘It’s about building something local and welcoming.
‘You don’t have to be an elite athlete to join in – just committed and willing to learn.’
Balndford & Sturminster’s women’s side also continues to thrive – winning their league last season, and currently top of the Division 3 league this year too.
‘And the teas back at the White Horse are the envy of the league,’ says Paul. ‘Genuinely. One club wrote more about the apple crumble than about the game …’
The club trains on Thursday nights at Bryanston, plays Saturday fixtures at Clayesmore, and welcomes new faces. Paul says: ‘If you want to try something new, be healthier, or just feel like you belong – we’d love to hear from you.’
blandfordandsturhc.co.uk
All images by permission of photographer Michael Clark, who is running the London Marathon in April in aid of the Royal British Legion
