Witney Hockey Club

A big congratulations to Jacob Launder, our Goalkeeper of the Year for the 25/26 season!

This award recognises the senior goalkeeper who has shown outstanding commitment to both training and matches throughout the season.

Jacob has been a key part of the Men’s 4s this year and has demonstrated exceptional dedication to his development. Throughout the season, he has trained multiple times a week, including regular sessions with our Men’s 1s, always looking for opportunities to learn, improve, and challenge himself.

His commitment, work ethic, and positive attitude have been evident all season long, and the progress he has made as a keeper has been fantastic to see. A thoroughly deserved recipient of this year’s award! 👏🏻

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After earning promotion on the final day of last season, our Men’s 3s set out to establish themselves in South Central Open Men’s Division 5 North, and they did just that! A squad, led by a new captain and strengthened by new players, grew throughout the season, with an impressive run of five unbeaten games after Christmas securing their place for another year.

A fantastic effort from the whole team, and several players who stepped up to Men’s 3s hockey for the first time made a real impact. With a strong core and talented Juniors coming through, they are looking forward to taking on this league again next season.

End of Season Awards:

Top Goal Scorer: Aaron Silman and Harry Jones
Player’s Player: Joe Dyer
Coaches’ Player: Isaac Perks

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Our Mark Jarvis Award was introduced last season in honour of Mark “Jarvy” Jarvis, a hugely respected and much loved member not only of the Witney HC community, but also of the wider hockey family.

This year the award goes to Lucy Regan, who is stepping down after eight incredible years as our Junior Coordinator. Lucy has dedicated countless hours to organising our Junior teams, coordinating with parents, championing the growth of our junior section, and being a friendly, familiar face on the sidelines at tournaments and matches. Her commitment, enthusiasm, and tireless work behind the scenes have played a huge role in the success and development of Junior hockey at our club.

We are grateful for everything Lucy has done for Witney HC and for the positive impact she has had on so many young players and families.

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Our Ladies 4s concluded the 2025/26 season with a 10th place finish in South Central Women’s Division 1 Cherwell. They showed commitment and resilience throughout the campaign, competing hard against strong opposition and picking up some excellent
results along the way.

With their place in the division secured, the squad can take confidence from the progress made this season. Combining experienced players with exciting young talent, our Ladies 4 will be aiming to build on this season’s performances and continue their development next season.

End of Season Awards:

Top Goal Scorer: Rosie Teal-Hunt and Jane Jordan-Goodman
Player’s Player: Pippa Shanks
Coaches’ Player: Pippa Shanks

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Starting out as a supportive parent on the sidelines, Pete McGrane has become an integral part of our club. From cheering on his son through Junior hockey and into the Senior setup, Pete quickly became involved behind the scenes with our Men’s 2s. He took on a management role, running substitutions, supporting Captain Justin Peel, lifting morale and creating a feel-good atmosphere.

When his son left for university, Pete could have easily stepped away from the club, but much to our appreciation, he chose to stay involved. Despite never having played hockey himself, just over 2 years ago he became a qualified umpire. Since then, he has shown incredible commitment, regularly officiating games across the club.

During the 2025/26 season in particular, Pete has been exceptionally reliable, often umpiring multiple games in a day and always being willing to help whenever asked. His dedication, enthusiasm and continued support have made a huge difference, and these photos show perfectly just how well respected he is throughout the club.

Therefore, we are proud to give Pete the Umpire of the Year Award for the 2025/26 season 🏆🫶🏻

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From cold, wet and windy Wednesday night training sessions to tough weekends competing in a higher division, our Men’s 4s gave everything throughout the 25/26 season.

After promotion to South Central Open Men’s Div 1 Cherwell, staying up was always going to be a battle. Although relegation was confirmed with an 11th place finish, the improvement after Christmas showed what our Men’s 4s are capable of and they are looking forward to pushing to return to this league next season.

End of Season Awards:

Top Goal Scorer: Simon Launder
Player’s Player: James Fleming
Coaches Player: Jack Parry

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Introducing our Coach of the Year: Chris Boyle 🏆🏑

After a challenging season last year that saw our Ladies 1s relegated to South Central Women’s Premier Div 1, Chris remained fully committed to rebuilding the squad. Alongside Assistant Coach Simon Deakin, he helped create a positive, hard-working team environment where every player, bought in, supported one another, and played their part throughout the season.

Coaching up to twice a week alongside every game day, Chris’ dedication, consistency, and leadership have been instrumental in the Ladies 1s achieving promotion straight back to National League this season.

Away from the Ladies 1s, Chris has also shown commitment to developing the future of the club through his coaching of our Junior Academy, giving his time and energy to players across all levels of the club.

A thoroughly deserved Coach of the Year award, congratulations, Chris!

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Our Ladies 5s entered the 25/26 season full of hope, optimism and a determination to enjoy every moment, whatever the outcome. Early walkovers briefly took them to the top of the league, a position they knew to be temporary, but one that sparked a fighting spirit for the rest of the season. With a mix of experienced players and youthful energy, they grew into a team that handled losses with grace and celebrated wins with pride.

Finishing just above mid-table reflects a season of growth, resilience and development, both individually and together as a team. Well done Ladies! 💪🏻🖤

End of Season Awards:

Top Goal Scorer: Samiah Othmani
Player’s Player: Hazel Hunt
Coaches’ Player: Charlotte Jones

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We are incredibly proud to announce and celebrate the appointment of three new Vice Presidents to Witney Hockey Club, individuals whose dedication, passion, and service to the club have helped shape the WHC community both on and off the pitch.

James Bartrip has worn many hats through his time at the club, including player, Team Captain, Umpire and Fixtures Coordinator, Club Secretary, South Central Discipline Officer, SCHUA Umpire Appointer, and South Central North Umpire Appointer. His commitment, leadership, and countless hours of voluntary work have had a huge impact on the club and the wider hockey community.

Julia Nichols has been a driving force within the club for many years, taking on roles including player, Ladies Club Captain, Ladies 1XI Manager, and Vice Chair. Her support, and dedication to developing the women’s side of the club and fostering a positive club environment has been truly invaluable.

Paul Summers has also contributed enormously to the club through his many roles as player, Men’s Club Captain, Coach, and Umpire. His passion for all aspects of hockey, willingness to support others, and long standing service to the club has made a lasting difference.

These appointments are a reflection of the incredible service, loyalty, and commitment all three have shown over many years. Witney Hockey Club is built on the hard work of volunteers like James, Julia, and Paul, and we are delighted to honour them with these well deserved Vice President roles 🖤🤍

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To our amazing Witney Hockey Club community: thank you for your support, dedication, and the endless hours you all put in this season. We couldn’t do it without any of you! 🤍🖤

Here’s just a small glimpse of some of the amazing people who contribute to our club.

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