By Robert Haggis
It’s fair to say that this season has exceeded all expectations so far for Lancaster University Men’s Hockey Club (LUMHC). But you wouldn’t know it seeing chairman Connor Morrison’s face, as he rushes in late for our meeting at a trendy Lancaster coffee shop early one frosty January morning. Having just handed in his dissertation, he hasn’t really had much time to reflect on what has, to this point at least, been a stellar campaign for Lancaster University’s favourite society.
Given a moment to mull over the season so far, a smile returns to his face; a smile that had deserted the 22-year-old over the previous few weeks as his thesis took priority. Now relieved of the burden of writing any more about Twitter analysis of fracking, he can let himself be happy with the first half year of work: ‘Yeah, I guess when you think about it, we’ve done a decent job this year.’ The width of the smile defies the modesty of the statement. And with good reason too.
A fairly disappointing 2015/16 season saw the LUMHC 1st XI lose every single BUCS game, whilst both the 2nd and 3rd XI enjoyed relatively successful seasons without anything to show for it. Connor took over at the end of last season and during his tenure the club have only lost one game, winning every other one to leave two of their three teams at the top of their respective divisions. And ‘Mr. Chairman’, as he is known by his underlings, would attribute a large portion of the success to extra funding from the Students’ Union: ‘Last year we gained Focus Club status from LUSU (Lancaster University Students’ Union) which has enabled us to hire an extra coach with the additional funding available.’ Whereas in years gone by there would be one coach between the three teams, coach Daynal has been poached from local side Lancaster and Morecambe to become the 2nd and 3rd XI’s coach: ‘Daynal’s hiring has meant that (the other coach) Nick can focus solely on the 1st XI, which has been particularly useful in terms of drills suited to them during training, and strength and conditioning tips outside of sessions. Daynal has then been helpful with the 2nd and 3rd teams, particularly helping the 3rd XI to set goals and making sure that they keep to them, something that we’ve struggled with in the past few years.’
Connor uses the first person in reference to the 3rd team as that is the team that he represents on a Wednesday afternoon. ‘The Pride’, as they are more colloquially known, have arguably seen the greatest improvement out of all 3 of Lancaster’s teams this season; a reshuffling of BUCS divisions in the North West meant that the 3rd team actually ended up in a higher division than last season, with a number of members worried about the viability of the team in the long run: ‘At times in previous seasons we have struggled to put a third team together, and LUSU were threatening at the beginning of the season to cut our funding if the 3rd XI didn’t gain promotion.’ However, a large influx of players at the start of the academic year has given the club a new lease of life: ‘I think we were partly helped by the women’s GB team (as they won a gold medal in Rio), but also the fact that there is a feel-good factor surrounding the sport at the moment.’
And that is certainly true. Up and down the country lots of men, women and children and are either getting involved with the sport for the first time or rediscovering their love for the game after a sustained hiatus, with LUMHC one of the many clubs profiting. Over 60 students came to LUMHC trials in September; an unprecedented effort with barely 20 coming in years previously. Whereas in the past the 3rd XI was designed for people who were interested in regular exercise and the camaraderie that being in a university sports team brings, the high uptake has resulted in the club forming a Development Squad: ‘I don’t think anyone expected such a great turnout at trials, and this time last year I didn’t think I’d be sitting here telling you that we now have a Development Squad as well. It’s not only meant that we’ve expanded as a club, but it has also provided motivation for some people in the 2nd and 3rd teams, who were perhaps comfortable in their positions.’ This added motivation has obviously served the 2nd and 3rd XI well, with both teams boasting 100% records from the first half of the season: ‘It’s obviously helped that we’ve added some top-quality players to the 1st XI, but for me the increase in members, most of whom were 2nd and 3rd team standard, has benefitted the club the most.’
Whilst the Cheshire lad has lots to be proud about, he knows that the season is far from over: ‘I think it will be more disappointing if we lose it from here, than if we’d have continued like last season.’ Promotion from their respective BUCS divisions is most definitely the target for all 3 teams, as well as good results at Roses 2017. The largest varsity competition in Europe, played every year against York, Roses is ‘one of the best weekends of your life’, according to Mr. Chairman. Unfortunately for the Red Rose, in the past few years results have more favoured the white half of the rivalry, particularly in hockey terms. A good performance on home turf at Roses 2016 was not suitably rewarded, with 4 losses from 5 indoor and outdoor matches: ‘One of our main targets right from the beginning of the season was to win at Roses, and whilst it will be pleasing if we do win our BUCS leagues, it will be most satisfying if get some good results in their back yard.’ And Connor is hoping that the surprise factor of the club’s all-around improvement will prove to be too much for their Yorkshire rivals.
He knows that his and the club’s work is far from done. But if they can maintain the standards that they have set in the first half of the season for the rest of the campaign, then there is no reason why success shouldn’t follow. As we emerge from the coffee shop into the brisk Lancastrian air, the smile that had returned to his face once again disappears: ‘We know we haven’t done anything yet.’
Given a moment to mull over the season so far, a smile returns to his face; a smile that had deserted the 22-year-old over the previous few weeks as his thesis took priority. Now relieved of the burden of writing any more about Twitter analysis of fracking, he can let himself be happy with the first half year of work: ‘Yeah, I guess when you think about it, we’ve done a decent job this year.’ The width of the smile defies the modesty of the statement. And with good reason too.
A fairly disappointing 2015/16 season saw the LUMHC 1st XI lose every single BUCS game, whilst both the 2nd and 3rd XI enjoyed relatively successful seasons without anything to show for it. Connor took over at the end of last season and during his tenure the club have only lost one game, winning every other one to leave two of their three teams at the top of their respective divisions. And ‘Mr. Chairman’, as he is known by his underlings, would attribute a large portion of the success to extra funding from the Students’ Union: ‘Last year we gained Focus Club status from LUSU (Lancaster University Students’ Union) which has enabled us to hire an extra coach with the additional funding available.’ Whereas in years gone by there would be one coach between the three teams, coach Daynal has been poached from local side Lancaster and Morecambe to become the 2nd and 3rd XI’s coach: ‘Daynal’s hiring has meant that (the other coach) Nick can focus solely on the 1st XI, which has been particularly useful in terms of drills suited to them during training, and strength and conditioning tips outside of sessions. Daynal has then been helpful with the 2nd and 3rd teams, particularly helping the 3rd XI to set goals and making sure that they keep to them, something that we’ve struggled with in the past few years.’
Connor uses the first person in reference to the 3rd team as that is the team that he represents on a Wednesday afternoon. ‘The Pride’, as they are more colloquially known, have arguably seen the greatest improvement out of all 3 of Lancaster’s teams this season; a reshuffling of BUCS divisions in the North West meant that the 3rd team actually ended up in a higher division than last season, with a number of members worried about the viability of the team in the long run: ‘At times in previous seasons we have struggled to put a third team together, and LUSU were threatening at the beginning of the season to cut our funding if the 3rd XI didn’t gain promotion.’ However, a large influx of players at the start of the academic year has given the club a new lease of life: ‘I think we were partly helped by the women’s GB team (as they won a gold medal in Rio), but also the fact that there is a feel-good factor surrounding the sport at the moment.’
And that is certainly true. Up and down the country lots of men, women and children and are either getting involved with the sport for the first time or rediscovering their love for the game after a sustained hiatus, with LUMHC one of the many clubs profiting. Over 60 students came to LUMHC trials in September; an unprecedented effort with barely 20 coming in years previously. Whereas in the past the 3rd XI was designed for people who were interested in regular exercise and the camaraderie that being in a university sports team brings, the high uptake has resulted in the club forming a Development Squad: ‘I don’t think anyone expected such a great turnout at trials, and this time last year I didn’t think I’d be sitting here telling you that we now have a Development Squad as well. It’s not only meant that we’ve expanded as a club, but it has also provided motivation for some people in the 2nd and 3rd teams, who were perhaps comfortable in their positions.’ This added motivation has obviously served the 2nd and 3rd XI well, with both teams boasting 100% records from the first half of the season: ‘It’s obviously helped that we’ve added some top-quality players to the 1st XI, but for me the increase in members, most of whom were 2nd and 3rd team standard, has benefitted the club the most.’
Whilst the Cheshire lad has lots to be proud about, he knows that the season is far from over: ‘I think it will be more disappointing if we lose it from here, than if we’d have continued like last season.’ Promotion from their respective BUCS divisions is most definitely the target for all 3 teams, as well as good results at Roses 2017. The largest varsity competition in Europe, played every year against York, Roses is ‘one of the best weekends of your life’, according to Mr. Chairman. Unfortunately for the Red Rose, in the past few years results have more favoured the white half of the rivalry, particularly in hockey terms. A good performance on home turf at Roses 2016 was not suitably rewarded, with 4 losses from 5 indoor and outdoor matches: ‘One of our main targets right from the beginning of the season was to win at Roses, and whilst it will be pleasing if we do win our BUCS leagues, it will be most satisfying if get some good results in their back yard.’ And Connor is hoping that the surprise factor of the club’s all-around improvement will prove to be too much for their Yorkshire rivals.
He knows that his and the club’s work is far from done. But if they can maintain the standards that they have set in the first half of the season for the rest of the campaign, then there is no reason why success shouldn’t follow. As we emerge from the coffee shop into the brisk Lancastrian air, the smile that had returned to his face once again disappears: ‘We know we haven’t done anything yet.’
Chairman on message
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Connor (second from left) in a more relaxed setting
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