The final European Hockey Federation Club of the Year awards of this decade are very special ones for the EHF.
As Peter Elders, Chair of the EuroHockey Assessment Committee said: “We were looking for tangible projects being delivered at grassroots level. Projects that can be delivered easily and without huge costs to our clubs. Also, projects that could easily be replicated in other clubs and countries under our pillar of sharing knowledge. It is fantastic to see how imaginative our clubs can be and how when they spot a group that is missing out on hockey, how they can engage and bring this group into (or back into) the hockey family…”
Congratulations to Ulster’s Ballymoney Hockey Club who secured the European (Small) Club of the Year award for 2019 which is a tremendous achievement and the first club in Ulster to win such an award!!
EHF Small Club of the Year: Ballymoney Hockey Club
Established: 1984
Nation: Ireland
Project: Increasing opportunities for boys’ hockey at U11 and U13
Working across several primary schools to activate a better gender balance for junior sections. Volunteers from the club have been on leadership and coaching courses to be able to give the boys the most positive start in their hockey careers. They have had help from local schools and clubs, and families and friends of our ladies’ sections. They receive sponsorships from star fuels and Bob and Bert’s coffee shop as well as running fundraisers, including a mini and junior fun day, bag packing, table and fireside quizzes and bag packing.
Laura Walters, Funding Officer from Ballymoney said on hearing that Ballymoney HC has been awarded the accolade of Small Club of the Year 2019.
“We at Ballymoney Hockey club are absolutely delighted to have been named the European (small) club of the year 2019. Over the past few years we have attempted to restructure and redevelop our club. It has taken a lot of hard work, organisation and dedication and this award is a testament to that. We are the first club in Ulster to have been awarded such a prestigious title and we hope we can go on to promote and develop our club further.”
