dateline 7th December 2000: Bradford Resort to Ringers
Thursday 7th December saw the first 'officially' scheduled clash between the Bradford TYKES and the Sheffield contingent of the TYKES the Sheffield Barbarians. The Barbarians were missing two of their University student players but still had a strong team of seven. The Bradford Remnants put in a better turn out missing only one of their forwards. Faced with a tough tie which they had lost twice before in informal training, 'age and treachery' showed through. The 'Remnants' recruited two Dewsbury players and Gary from Leeds Beavers and anyone else who'll have him.

A very tight game ensued. The Barbarians drew first blood. But the Remnants and friends soon pulled one back. So it went on with the Barbarians snatching the lead three times only to lose their advantage back to a draw.

As the second half progressed the Remnants pushed the Barbarians harder and harder into the shallow end until just 90 seconds before time they snatched the lead to win 4-3.

(Ed. says..."We'll have 'em in Sheffield! Without the ringers.")

dateline 13th December 2000: Halifax Ignore Warning and Almost go Down TO a better Prepared Yorkshire Ladies Team
Yorkshire Ladies issued a warning to Halifax for their game on Wednesday (13th December), "Be there on time or we will start anyway." And they did, with only three Halifax players present. More arrived and got in before the Ladies scored their first goal of the match after 3 minutes of relentless pressure.

Halifax were up to six players before play restarted and put up a bit more of a fight but they still conceeded another goal and almost a third before a rapid break from their own goal line saw the start of a fight back.

The Ladies had the better of the play for most of the game but finished finally at 2,2 after a Halifax goal in the final minutes.

Halifax were a little disconcerted by the presence of two genuine referees who actually knew and played to the rules. At one point they lost almost half the pool's length because they crossed the 3m line on a free squid three times in a row. They also had two goals (so they thought) disallowed.

After losing to Leeds Free Divers recently one has to start wondering "will Halifax regain their old form this season"? Or are they 'past it'?

Sadly Halifax have been hit by pool closure over the holiday period. Their next match is against Leeds Beavers. So their next chance to regain form is not until 8th February against Batley. That's a long lay off lads, can you make good use of it?
 

dateline 15th December 2000: Alligators!!!
"If you go down in the SWAMP today you're sure of a big surprise". Sheffield Stingrays certainly got a surprise at the Ashton Alligator SWAMP tonight.

At home in Sheffield the Stingrays 'B' team had the better of the bottom of the table Ashton Alligators.  So the Sheffield 'A' team were expecting an easy ride to victory when they visited the 'SWAMP'. The Alligators bit back with a vengence.

Ashton scored first after a protracted tussle in midfield. Sheffield managed a rapid reply and they turned round at 1,1 with Sheffield now facing the uphill struggle into the shallow end.

'The SWAMP' is aptly named. The Alligator's pool is hot and steamy and murky. Defending the deep end is like trying to play tennis in the fog:  "Is that an attacker?"
                              "No its our half-back."
                                    "Where's the puck?"
                                            "Oh! Its in the gulley." Ashton had done a marvellous job of keeping Sheffield out of the gulley in the first half but was the Stingray team (missing two of their five key players) be up to the job?

In the end the experience of the Sheffield girls won the day. Katie Careless veteran (at 15) of 6 under-16 championships, one WORLD ADULT championship and innumerable other matches and tournaments played a 'captain's game' and kept the Alligators penned up in the shallow end. Rachael Thomas (she's been playing almost as long as Katie) did a spledid job of feeding the attack from centre-mid. And Fiona Kirkby, a relative newcomer with only two years in the game, kept the pressure up on the wing.  The three lads, more used to playing with the 'B' team all had good games too but it was still a battle to secure a 1-2 away victory for the top of the table Stingray team.

The alligators had revenge on Sheffield with a 5-0 defeat of the 'B' team immediately after the league match.

So watch out! There's Alligators about! This team will be so good if they keep up this rate of improvement.

dateline 22nd December 2000: Sheffield: Oldsters versus Youngsters
Once upon a time, not so very long ago, there was an adult Octopush team called Sheffield. Players in this team gradually got less and less in number until there were not enough to guaratee them being able to turn out a team for Yorkshire league matches. It was at that time that their wise old leader (guess who) came up with the idea of amalgamating with a similarly reduced team in Bradford to form the TYKES setup.

Well a few weeks ago we discovered there were 6 of the old players down at Ponds Forge one Wednesday evening along with the five core players from the Sheffield Stingray under-16 team. Someone (it might have been the same wise old leader mentioned earlier but no one accurately remembers) had the idea of a challenge match between the old team and the new under-16 team. This idea was greeted with great enthusiasm by all concerned and so on Friday 22nd December the Sheffield Christmas Challenge match took place. Five 'young upstarts' against seven 'old crocks' including yours truly.

The 'old crocks' were a very mixed bunch. Only two had played regularly recently, one was a pensioner another had recently had open heart surgery. We had not played together for about four years. That lack of recent experience showed quickly as the 'young upstarts' pressed us tightly into the shallow end and scored two goals.

Something had to be done!

We had forgotten what little we knew about team formation, and playing only 5-a-side we ended up with all five of us on the goal line getting in each others way. A quick sort out insisting that the attackers stay out of defence settled us down and we managed to pull back two goals just before half time.

That put the two teams even at 2-2 as the 'old crocks' took up the challenge of keeping the much fitter 'young upstarts' out of the deep end. Sadly we were not up to the task and conceeded two more quick goals before we pulled ourselves together again to fight back to 4-3 (we told the youngsters that it was 4-4 and they almost beleived us. But just to make sure they got another one quickly to keep a two goal lead).

The 'old crocks' were not quite finished though and we managed to get another goal to finish 5-4. (Again we told the youngsters that it was a draw at 5-5.) A victory for youth, enthusiasm and fittness against experience and treachery (there was very little of the latter, honest!)

We all repaired to a local Italian restaurant for a god natured review of the evenings events. We lasted almost 'till pudding time before we finally conceeeded that "Yes the 'young upstarts' had won. But watch out, we'll be back next year."

dateline 10th March 2001: Champions!
The Sheffield under-16 team, Stingrays, confirmed their place at the top of the Yorkshire Junior League on Wednesday 7th March by beating second place team Leeds in their own pool with a scoreline of 1-5. Sheffield Stingrays have now played all their matches and are undefeated for the second year running.

Just to be sure though they went to Metrodome on Saturday 10th March to play the team that came second last year. Many of last year's Metrodome players are now over-16 and the Stingrays had a tough job winning by only a single goal margin, 0-1.

Metrodome have not been playing in the league this year but they are planning to take a team to the Championships in Bath on March 24th. And they are expected to compete in the new under-18 league next year.

The Sheffield Stingrays meanwhile will be sadly depleted with the loss of four key players next year. Even so they have a lot of very promising players coming on. But can they make it three years in a row? We'll just have to wait and see.

In the senior league the deadlock at the top of the table has been broken with Dewsbury beating Leeds 4-5. It looks like Dewsbury take the title again; this is getting boring lads. But all is not over yet. Leeds still have to go to Dewsbury.

dateline 12th March 2001: Ladies Clash with Halifax Again
Back in December Halifax very nearly lost to Yorkshire Ladies at the Ladies 'home' pool in Sheffield (see the news item above). Halifax decided to move their home match to Huddersfield, they thought that this would give them the best chance of having their best team for the game.

After a long lay off over the holiday period Halifax were regaining their form with vigour. A 2-2 draw with Batley then a 7-1 drubbing of TYKES. Halifax were back on track. But they hadn't reckoned with the Yorkshire Ladies! I can't give you any details of the match but the result was 3-3. A big disappointment for Halifax I'm sure. The picture on the right shows Halifax and Tim from TYKES in the usual environment after the unexpectedly comprehensive demolishing of the TYKES challenge. No prizes but can you identify the photo-hog at the back?
Here's a clue. She has just sent me this report on the match:

"What a brilliant game on our behalf - Halifax had a full team of 6 players and we had 9.  We (ed. Yorkshire Ladies this time around) all played well together and we really outplayed them all the time. Unfortunately, for Halifax their better 2 players were stuck out in Spain on a delayed plane which was lucky for YL. Luck seems to shine on those who need it!"

dateline 25th August 2001: A junior team for the Worlds

The world Championships for 2002 are being held in Canada from July 15th to the 28th. This year there is to be a junior/youth category, to be eligible you have to be aged 18 or under at the start of the competition. To select players who might be suitable for this team there is to be a mix and match tournament at Manchester Aquatic Centre on Saturday October 20th (from 12:00 until 5:30). The tournament is open to anyone, male or female, young or old, experienced or newcomers who has a desire to represent their country at Underwater Hockey. Spaces will be limited to 60 players who should enter individually NOT as a team. If the event is oversubscribed priority will be given to those players eligible for the 18 and under category in Canada. Further information and enquiries from 'your truly'. E-mail me from the links on the 'Home Page'.