Out with the old and in with the new!!! Definitely an apt description of recent events at East Antrim as I am sure most are well aware it has been a season of great trials and tribulations. In recent months the club has lost some really good, dedicated and liked members and also some good, selfish, undedicated and unliked members. It wasnt easy having to force a square peg through a round hole,Indeed at one stage I felt like the Sheriff running ’El Gringos’ or bad guys out of Dodge city.This has left us quite understrength on the playing side and in hindsight Im sure a lot of people wish things had turned out differently. But this was not the case and instead we find ourselves in a transitional period.
As one chapter finishes another opens and indeed we find ourselves opening a new chapter for East Antrim hockey club. As Hon Secretary I have to admit that I have been really impressed with the new breed of club members that have stepped up to the plate in the last few months. Indeed some members have shown more determination and commitment to hard work than some departing members who had been here for years! In George Tumilson we have a new First eleven captain with a hunger to make the club better and successful already implementing new and fair selection and training policies. In Peter Thompson as second eleven captain we also have someone prepared to go the extra mile to ensure players are playing regularly and improving. Other young players have made the leap to first eleven stardom particularly David Blair and Kriss Leslie who give 100% week in week out. Also training attendences have risen in recent weeks and everyone shares the opinion that there is a new positive freshness about the club and that the previous stinking attitude has gone. Hopefully with some hard work and training performances and results will come back.
The changes can also be felt off the pitch as well, these same younger members like George, Dinger and Thom who sit on the committee have breathed new impotus and fresh life with new ideas and a willingness to take on jobs and roles and see them through. These members are the future of the club and their attitude of ’what they can do for the club’ is so pleasing and completely the opposite of the old ’what can the club do for me’ attitude that has recently been exorcised from the club.
Long hours and hard work lie ahead but I feel that this new attitude at the club will eventually lead to rewards and success. So as a new year starts heres to a new beginning at the club!!
Out with the old and in with the new!!! Definitely an apt description of recent events at East Antrim as I am sure most are well aware it has been a season of great trials and tribulations. In recent months the club has lost some really good, dedicated and liked members and also some good, selfish, undedicated and unliked members. It wasnt easy having to force a square peg through a round hole,Indeed at one stage I felt like the Sheriff running ’El Gringos’ or bad guys out of Dodge city.This has left us quite understrength on the playing side and in hindsight Im sure a lot of people wish things had turned out differently. But this was not the case and instead we find ourselves in a transitional period.