Welcome to the homepage of the Southern Counties Hockey Association, representing several regional teams from the South of England that participate in this fantastic sport, a sport that includes over 800 clubs locally, with more than a hundred thousand registered players.
Regional Members in the Association
We are very proud to say that our own country association is an ever-growing community that includes all the southern regions listed below:
- Buckinghamshire
- Berkshire
- Hampshire (including the Isle of Wight)
- Middlesex
- Oxfordshire
- Surrey
- Sussex
- Dorset (male teams)
- Kent (male teams)
The Roots
Although it is traditionally accepted that field hockey was developed in the 19th century, there are clear connections to similar sports in antiquity, which one can see from depictions of sports with the same concept of having two teams driving small balls or discs using straight sticks with a rounded edge. This connection is interesting not only because this great sport can be traced back to antiquity, but it is also one that is found in several different civilizations across the world; from Asia to Europe, and even South America.
The modern game as we know it today is traced back to England in the mid-19th century, in the year 1949, when the first men’s hockey club, ‘Blackheath’, was formed. This eventually led to the establishment of the Hockey Association in London in 1986. Since all of this happened in Britain’s Imperialist time, the game was introduced in several other countries which naturally led it to spread until there was finally the first international competition in 1895.
The Beginnings and Hockey Competitions
On a more official level, the start of the British connection to hockey on an international level started with a smashingly victorious debut in the Olympics back in 1908. Throughout the last 100 years, it was definitely not a walk in the park, but as with every other British sport, the ethos and the spirit are one of persistence and determination. Today with a total of 13 medals, including 4 gold ones, Britain ranks fourth in the medal table of the iconic games, with female player Lara Unsworth being the first British player to win three Olympic medals. Having mentioned this, it is also very interesting to note that, unlike many sports, the amount of men and women participating in hockey is very much on the same level, and this wonderful balance is a notable achievement for all the world of sports.
Unlike in the United States and in Canada, where ‘hockey’ commonly refers to ice hockey, in the UK the term ‘hockey’ most commonly refers to field hockey, and it is only when there’s the need of referring to a different variation of the sport, such as ice hockey, that one would say the full name.
Hockey Betting
Although not as popular as the NHL, hockey in Britain remains a sport that is passionately loved and adored by its supporters, and in fact, it ranks in the top five favorite English team sports. Moreover, it is also quite popular in sports betting in general, and people bet on hockey all over Britain. In fact, in the UK, apart from being more popular than any other kind of online betting such as casino games, for example, sports betting prevails as one of the ways with which fans can engage with their favorite sport, and so naturally, hockey betting is no exception.
Perhaps the most common way to bet on field hockey is the ‘over and under’ method where the bookmaker will give a specific game result and the fans bet on whether the final score will be over or under. Sports betting is a great way of excitement to add an extra layer of relation to this beautiful game, and you can find many fantastic sports betting sites here in the UK which offer great promotions in relation to this game. As always, it’s important to only play at sportsbook sites that are licensed, as many problems can arise when playing at sportsbook sites that are unsafe.
Here in the United Kingdom, the South of England has a special connection to this sport, because it was there, specifically in south-east London, that the first ever hockey club was formed. Not only that, but the rules to the game as we know it today were developed in Middlesex by a cricket club who played a variation of the latter sport in the winter times. Naturally, the rest is history, and we are very grateful to be a part of it.
The Game Itself
Hockey is an incredibly technical sport that requires ultimate concentration and coordination. Players must drive a small round disc in the opposing team’s goal, and they can only do so by hitting it only with the flat side of what is usually a carbon fiber stick. As they are doing this, they must evade the ten opposing players trying to take control of the disc, and finally outwit the goalkeeper to achieve the goal of the game. The game normally lasts a total of 70 minutes, split into two 35-minute halves, and an interval of 5 minutes, and it is supervised by two referees called the ‘umpires’; one for each side of the field.
Hockey Clubs
With a total of 1145 UK teams and 1050 of those being English (whilst the rest are from Scotland and Whales), the hockey competition is exciting. Naturally, out of these many teams, some stick out due to their history and adherence to the sport, and we’d like to name a few who we believe have given field hockey some of its most memorable moments.
Epsom Hockey Club (Epsom HC)
One of the very early local clubs in the sport Epsom Hockey Club dates back to roughly the turn from the 19th to the 20th centuries. The club started off by being just a small-time club, overcoming obstacles, and coming close to a dissolve, but eventually, reforming in 1946 and going on to have an incredible streak of victories in 1968 and 1971. It is also worth noting that it was documented that there were women playing Hockey in Epsom back in 1922, although the official inauguration of a female team was held in the mid-fifties.
Folkestone Optimist Hockey Club (Folkstone Optimist HC)
Founded in 1926, this club has an interesting story, and it explains the reason for this great name. It is believed that some of the very first players of the club originally played in another Folkestone hockey club, and wanted to part ways for unknown reasons. In doing so Folkestone Optimist Hockey Club were at the risk of not finding opposing teams to play with, but they believed that they would be able to get back into the hockey competitions happening at the time with no difficulty; hence, the ‘optimist’ addition to the name.
Ashford Hockey Club (Ashford HC)
One of the oldest recorded clubs, Ashford Hockey Club was founded in 1898, in Kent. The club currently has several teams including six male teams, two veteran male teams, four ladies teams, and several junior ones, and most of these teams compete in regional and national hockey competitions.
Brighton & Hove Hockey Club (Brighton & Hove HC)
Probably one of the biggest clubs in the southern region, Brighton & Hove Hockey Club have a total of 17 adult teams, 9 being male and 8 being female teams and 14 junior teams. They made it for the first time in the England Hockey League back in 2013.
Ice Hockey and other variations
What is fascinating about the sport itself is that it can transform into different variations simply by changing the environment and some methodical approaches. For example, there’s a ‘smaller’ but quite a popular version of the sport which is held indoors which is essentially a 5-aside variation of hockey.
Of course, the second most popular variation of the sport is Ice Hockey. This sport follows the same principles, except the field is not grass or synthetic ground, but it is made of ice, and so as a result, players have to skate in order to move around, and as a result of that, they need longer and slightly differently shaped bats. This variation of the sport is also very popular in Britain. Here are some of the more prominent UK Ice Hockey clubs:
- The Sheffield Steelers
- The Cardiff Devils
- The Belfast Giants
- The Coventry Blaze
- The Nottingham Panthers
As many of you know, the sport also evolved to adapt itself for those with disadvantageous physical disabilities. Originating in Sweden in the ’60s, Sledge Hockey, or Para Ice Hockey, allows individuals who unfortunately can’t play the regular sport due to some physical disadvantage play the game with a slightly different setup, all the while maintaining the energy and thrill of the sport.