Champions

I have tried to delay my match report to give me a better perspective on both Saturday's result and the season as a whole. At the very start of the season I took out the core of the adults who would play this season and asked the question where they thought the boys might place in the league. This team narrowly avoided relegation last season so it was mooted that a mid table level would be a good achievement. I then made the bold proclamation that I saw no reason why we couldn't win it. There were some raised eyebrows but this was immediately followed by real buy in and a commitment to making us the best side we could be.
The boys had several ready made advantages, they were fit, they were good technically and they had an in-built winning mentality gained from their last season. This manifested itself in winning 13 of 15 games with 1 draw and 1 loss. We were predicated on defence, setting up a constant press that started with the forwards and stretched back to our very vocal Scottish goalie ! We have conceded only 16 goals in 15 games and pride ourselves on being well organised and difficult to breakdown. 62 goals have been scored with the boys getting the bulk of these.
The attitude that the boys have is an example to all, only 2 green cards for the boys all season, no serious back chat to any umpire and a "get on with it mentality" when lady luck has not been an ally.
The hockey itself has been eye catching, we retain possession, turn out, transfer from side to side, probe and upgrade to a shot or a corner with regularity. There is no sense of "I", the boys truly play as a team. In the first half of the season, seasoned opposition teams would size up our team and expect us to roll over and be canon fodder. The adults gained an enormous amount of pleasure at seeing their changed expression after 20 minutes of vainly running around trying to get the ball from us.
There has been a core of boys who have played most of the games: Mack, Sam.J, Zach, Toby, Tommy, Angus, Sam.H, Ethan.M, Finn and then very valuable contributions from Ethan.G, George.D, Felix.S, Mattie.W, Hal.G, Josh.T and Jake HW (16 altogether). You will see many of these names in higher level teams next season and deservedly so. They form the bedrock of this club for at least the next 3 seasons.
There have been men who have played and acted as mentors to the boys - Ed Willshire, Ian Fraser, Simon Hare and Andy Coker to name a few key ones. Their input was hugely appreciated and all spoke highly of the side and of the hockey we are striving to play.

Some key thank you's:
To the parents - for your constant and amazing support, for your lifts, for watching in all weathers and for your parenting as all the kids are a credit to you.
To Francis - for your support in letting me create this new version of the Monarchs, helping in all manner of ways, umpiring, moving game times, playing and just being an ear to the albeit limited issues I have faced
To my fellow Captains and Chair of Selection Toby.S - for many shared Monday nights where we navigated through the latest availability issue, for allowing my team to be consistent and therefore successful. I salute the roles you undertake and you have my respect for all that you do for the club on.a daily/weekly basis.
Finally to Nick & Scott - my longtime lieutenants, we have been together as a coaching group for over 4 years now. You have become the firmest of friends and I value your input and help more than you will know. The 3 of us have commented that playing this season with our own boys and the extended Monarchs family has been the most pleasurable in our career (and we have played a lot of years !).

We have become West Kent League Champions & Kent Champions at junior level and have now managed to win a Men's League. New challenges and targets have to be decided for next year but we will embrace and attack them.

Judgie