Promotion and Development Update August 2026 – from Jane Rowley
As promotion and development officer for Alliance I am aware of the need to constantly review and assess the hockey playing opportunities we offer to our membership by taking into account the wishes and feelings of our members in an International Hockey Club spanning the globe in an ever evolving Masters Hockey environment.
I am also acutely aware that we are under-represented in some parts of the world and need to develop strategies which promote inclusion and equal opportunity wherever possible. It is also obvious that Alliance is becoming ‘younger’ with us fielding many teams from age 35 categories as the recent WC in Rotterdam proved, with us entering teams in every age category, O35, 2 x O40, O45, O50 in the women’s competition, and the men fielding an O45 team.
With this in mind we have sought to gather and listen to the views of players, category managers and others, which was raised at our last EXCO meeting in July. I want to assure members that we are open and receptive to new ideas and any concerns that people may have, and most importantly to invite members to take up leadership roles to help those who already undertake huge responsibility and commitment and give so much of their time to ensuring that the rest of us can simply play.
Our President Philip has sanctioned a most useful policy template in relation to our promotion/development, and we would like to see the following aspects of Alliance thrive and develop;
1) Continue to contribute at the best level we can in each age group. We select on merit, on overall ability, skill level and fitness level. We have an inclusive, open and transparent selection policy with panels from a large cross-section of the club both in terms of age and geographical location. We offer strong teams at WMH tournaments such as in the International Masters Cup and Spirit of Masters competitions, where we now have aspirations for medal placements and have achieved great success due to the calibre of players Alliance is now able to attract.
2) We go to new tournaments which are perceived as friendlies. Several smaller tournaments in Europe for example which are accessible financially, also in terms of time spent away and importantly promote inclusivity, where we can include a wider range of players who are not elite athletes or national level players with a policy of priority for such players at ‘festival’ hockey level.
3) We are open to seeing more mixed ability squads going to countries we don’t normally go to. Why not Sicily in Italy, Bordeaux/Paris in France, Barcelona/Madrid in Spain, why not Scandinavian countries or Germany? We only have to find the tournaments publicise them and ask members to sign up. We select based on a friendly tournament not a national tournament. Anyone from any region can apply to go.
4) The majority of our members are from Northern Europe. So clearly we should cater for these members. However we now have strong membership in many other regions so why can’t we go to tournaments in Australia, South America, Southern Africa, Asia? And where we can invite any members who are happy to travel, mixed with a more local element.
5) Tours. We can create tours in different countries and play against club sides. What fun and again not elite hockey. A tour of Argentina, the Caribbean, North America. Imagine our non UK players coming across to play against club Masters teams in the UK.
6) Something which is being widely discussed is having Alliance Mixed hockey teams. So partners can go together if that is desired. Watch this space.
Action:
All the above will take thought and time to organise. This will require new personnel to find the tournaments, to organise and to fulfil. Under our current set up there are three people who hold the club together and do the lions share of the work, namely our Treasurer (Gerard) , our VP women (Ishbel) and VP men (Tim). They cannot organise and drive these initiatives. They are already doing a huge amount of work for you all. It could not work if we do not delegate to others to take ownership of the concept.
We need regional managers working with continental ambassadors/representatives to source, present, decide, liaise and organise these initiatives. These cannot conflict with our existing core tournaments or core organisation. So we need to construct a team and make it happen so for example we could arrange three new tournaments next year and one or two tours as a starting point?
But in order to do this we need willing volunteers.
A copy of this policy and intended action will be posted on our website for every member to be able to absorb and consider whether they are prepared to assist in identifying new pastures which will provide greater playing opportunities for our membership in more geographically diverse locations than just the UK and Northern Europe and take into account the needs of the younger age groups and our ever changing demographic.
If you are able to assist in any of the above initiatives please contact me via email at prodev@alliancehockey.club
Jane Rowley- Promotion and Development Officer