As we move into February, things are starting to push along towards the new season. We had a club meeting last night that was well attended by the committee with numerous items discussed.
The Playing Side – Men’s
Whilst many members have been playing or training indoors in the winter, February is when we really get moving. This coming Thursday sees the return of indoor net sessions for members of all three teams. Please be there for 8PM.
Whilst we have made a couple of new additions to the squad, we are buoyant in numbers, so that’s great news. However, the captains are always open to new additions who fit into the ethos of the club.
Ladies
Our first full season in the women’s league will all be about learning, both on and off the pitch. However, under the excellent stewardship of Ian Simpson and Gordon Scott, they are raring to go. The learning curve has been dramatic.
The ladies have already played their first games under the lights of Dummer and will be playing league games in the summer months. Considering we only got the ol’ red leather rolling last September, it has been a fantastic effort all round. It was great to have Nikki and Penny at the club meeting last night.
Colts
Kris Tucknott has everything in order and with the relevant coaches on board, all colts levels look ready to go. With Dan Beckell captaining the Third XI this year, the parents can be confident that the colts who are ready to step up a level, will get their transition into the adult game.
It looks like that we will have around 80 Colts in 2024 as well as a girls’ team and All Stars. So, it goes without saying that assistance from senior members will aid its success. Please help us with this where possible.
Financial
We do have money in the bank, but we have no funding this year as yet. So, additional money will be self-generated through membership, subs, events, and bar takings. There are some grant options that we are working on as we look to achieve our ambition of getting new net lanes but they are not guaranteed.
Net lanes aren’t cheap but they essential to our continued growth. The downside is they cost in the region of £35k. We can’t fund this with grants and existing cash in the bank, so we will need support of club fundraisers. Any assistance with donations, fund raising ideas or even sponsorship, will be greatly appreciated.
As ever, your membership fees and subs are invested directly into the club.
Infrastructure
We have groundwork days planned on the 9th and 16th March, so get that in your diaries please. We will be tidying up the outside, installing some new fencing and replacing the decking on the veranda.
Inside we are looking good. However, a pre-season deep clean sets us on the way for having a nice, user-friendly clubhouse throughout the summer. More users mean more money behind the bar so, as members, do your bit to make it a hospitable place for all. Ollie (and Will) have done great job at keeping the place clean, so lets keep it that way.
In Summary
The general outlook for Oakley looks good. We are are attracting and maintaining a good member base who are proud of their club. The ladies have taken that on board and are already working on ideas to aid with funding development.
We have a settled squad of players for the captains to build their season around. We will be competitive on the pitch, of that I am sure, especially as our younger players continue to improve with experience.
The preparation starts now!