Beagles look to end season on a high and upset Div 2 North hopefuls the Sabres
Posted on Wed 20th March, 2013
As the BUIHA season wraps some teams are celebrating winning their conference, most others will be looking forward to nationals and some are perhaps just looking towards next year. The BUIHA twitter feed will be full of retweets from conference champions and of varsity results, but one team that should not be forgotten is the Edinburgh Beagles.
The Beagles won Division 3 outright last year and the decision was made to move into the checking division to seek a new challenge. It was never going to be easy and the team has beat down more than once this season. However, whilst the Edinburgh club may be celebrating the success of the Eagles in Division 1 North praise and respect should be given in equal, if not in greater measure, to the Edinburgh Beagles. The Beagles are example of the spirit that all teams should aspire to in BUIHA hockey. They simply do not quit, they have spent hundreds of pounds and travelled a grand total 2446 miles this season. They have done all of this despite that the conference title was pretty much an impossibility around four games into the season. They have also achieved this whilst watching their squad numbers dwindle away. Their captain Victor Reinerstam, power forward Rick Brekelmans and goal tender Chris Gray became permanent fixtures for the Eagles during the regular season; they have also lost players to exams and other pursuits. Despite this there are a die hard core of Beagles players who have ensured that this team fights despite the odds against them. Why? Because each one of them loves this game and this team means the world to them and not one of these die hard players would see their team suffer the indiginity of a forfeit loss. They would rather go down fighting as no game to them is meaningless. The Eagles earned applause with their results, but it is the Beagles who should get a standing ovation!
On Sunday 24th March 2013 the Beagles play their last home game against the Bradford Sabres. It may seem this game is meaningless to the Beagles, but you make that mistake at your peril. This game has been flippantly referred to as the BUIHA Megabowl, because regardless of the result it makes no difference to the Beagles position in the conference. However like in the film 'Semi-Pro' the Beagles will look to win their fourth place. Given the meaning every game has to the Beagles Sunday will be as intense as it gets with Bradford looking to win the conference. Jackie Moon's Megabowl may have been fun and games, but this will be all business. If you are in the area Murrayfield Ice Rink is the place to be.
BUIHA Players to Represent GB at the ISBHF World Ball Hockey Championships
Posted on Tue 15th January, 2013
Ball hockey is a fledgling sport in the UK; its roots lie in equal parts with ice, street and roller hockey, and it has been popular in mainland Europe and North America for many years. The sport is based closely on its ice equivalent, with comparable equipment, rules and team set-ups, the significant difference being that it can be played on any indoor (or outdoor) surface, with players donning trainers instead of skates and aiming to score goals using a ball instead of a puck.
Following the 2011 ISBHF Ball Hockey World Championships there was a groundswell in interest in the sport with new teams popping up all over the country including the Newcastle University Wildcats Ball Hockey Team, and the Northumbria King's sister club, Northumbria Sharks Ball Hockey who both compete in Ball Hockey UK League - Northern Conference and in national tournaments all over the country.
Joy Craighead, captain of Newcastle Wildcats C and ball hockey teams, makes her second appearance on the World Championship squad, and spoke of her experience as part of the original team and how the formation of the ball team has aided the club as a whole: ‘The World Championships in Bratislava was better than I imagined it would be; it was incredible to see how popular the sport was across Europe compared to this country. Even though our team lacked experience, we all played our hearts out every game and it felt amazing to be part of something so important to the development of a new sport. When I came back to the UK I made it my aim to form a ball hockey side of the club. I believed that this would not only allow existing players the chance to play another form of hockey but also allow easier access into a sport that can be prohibitively expensive. This has been shown as 80% of our squad last season were complete beginners many of which have now moved across into playing within the ice side of the club. I view this as a complete success. I would like to suggest that all BUIHA teams investigate the possibility of have in a Ball Hockey team as part of their set up, it keeps many players within the club who would have walked away, while allowing experienced players to improve on their fitness and stick handling skills, if rumours are to be believed then Manchester Metrostars and Edinburgh Eagles are going to be the next two BUIHA sides with ball hockey teams”
The 2013 ISBHF Ball Hockey World Championships will be held this June in St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada. And in addition to Joy this year’s squad features a further 6 players with BUIHA pedigree ranging from Northumbria, Newcastle and Manchester Universities. Northumbria Kings Head Coach Richie Worrell, who Captained the GB squad at last year’s Junior Championships in Pisek is in the team alongside old Northumbria Flames Alumni Johnny Tulip. Johanna Presly brings the Northumbria contingent to 3 and is also be representing her country for the second time. Newcastle Wildcats made it three international athletes as Rachel Jackson, who played outfield in the 2011 Championships, is returning to the GB squad but this time in her more natural positions as netminder, and Hannah Maurice will also be joining the squad. The Final BUIHA playing member, and making her debut in Newfoundland, is Amanda Williams from the Manchester MetroStars.
As well as newly formed university squads, local ball hockey teams have also been recruiting students to play. For example, with the help of Newcastle Wildcats Alumni Rob Grant, Shaw Millionaires were formed, recently adding Manchester Metrostars Liam Jacques, Jeff and Katy Holliday and Team GB player Amanda Williams to their roster
Ball Hockey UK Head Coach and performance director Matt Darlow has set his teams demanding goals for the 2013 tournament. “We are stronger from front to back with both teams and with a structured, thorough preparation we can achieve our overall aims of 2 group wins for the women and promotion to Pool A for the men.”
The BUIHA would like to wish all players and coaches good luck on their road to World Championships.
Anyone wishing to follow the progress of Team GB or get involved with the sport can do so via Twitter @ballhockeyuk or Facebook Ball Hockey UK.
Team GB Universities Ice Hockey - Training Camp
Posted on Mon 17th December, 2012
Training will resume for Team GBU, at Ice Sheffield, on:
Friday 1st February (timings TBC)
Attendance is by invitation only. The coaching staff are currently only considering EIHL, EPIHL, ENIHL (1&2), or equivalent.
BUIHA Team Managers / Head Coaches, are asked to forward talent IDs, in advance, via email to: Simon.Hopkins@nottingham.ac.uk
FISU WUG Criteria:
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Under 28 years of age (December 2013);
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Registered student in HE / 1yr Alumni (i.e. having graduated after December 2012);
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UK Passport holder (or, dual nationals with the UK);
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EIHL/EPIHL players must notify their Club Manager before attending trials;