Remember the days when the hockey season started in October and finished in March? Not any more! This year there is hockey all the way through June into August. Coming up we have the England Hockey Super Cup at Cannock over the weekend of 16th-18th June. Matches start at 13:00 on the Friday and the last match is at 16:00 on Sunday. Clubs taking part are Canterbury, Olton, Leicester, and Bowdon Hightown in the women's section, and Surbiton, Reading, Cannock, and Loughborough Students in the men's section. The winners in the round-robin event qualify for the European Club Championships next year. Both Canterbury and Cannock will be hoping to qualify and build on their experience in this year's competition. Further details can be found at the England Hockey web site at www.EnglandHockey.co.uk. Directions to the ground are on Cannock's site at www.cannockhockey.org.
In the run-up to the World Cups in the Autumn, touring sides will be visiting England, with England women playing Australia at Reading (29/6 and 2/7), Argentina at Reading (3/7), and Germany at Cannock (17/8 and 19/8). There will also be an opportunity to see the Australians play Argentina at Bisham Abbey on 1/7/06. Englands men play Spain at Canterbury (14/8 and 15/8) and the Netherlands at Belle Vue, Manchester (17/8/06) and Cannock (19/8/06). There are also plans for matches between England's men and Argentina some time in late August. For further details watch this blog or go to England Hockey's web site.
