Drouids Hockey Club Season Wrap-Up
It has been an impressive season of growth for the Drouids Hockey Club, with new families, new players, new coaches and plenty of memorable moments.
Dave and Mel returned to coach and manage the U12s for a second year, guiding a team with six players in only their second year of hockey and four who were brand new to it. These new families were quickly embraced and warm connections were made both on and off the field. It was initially difficult to find a willing goalkeeper, then Fletcher stepped into the role in his very first season and developed a real flair for it. The challenge to get all players to touch the ball on a regular basis was embraced and the team’s confidence and skills grew. U12s even made it through to the Grand Final and came runners up for the season.
In U15s, Justine made her debut as a coach. Some weeks there were barely enough players to form a full team, however most weeks Justine cleverly managed to rotate through multiple U12s keen to put their hands up to play in the U15s as well. With a great diversity of skills and strengths they gave it their all every week with spills, deflections, goals scored, passes, strong defence and celebrations. It was a year of growth and much enjoyment for all involved.
At the start of the U18’s season, there was just one eligible U18 player and no coach. Fortunately, past players returned, dispensations were approved, and suddenly a full and very strong team emerged. One of our Men’s players, Peter, put up his hand to coach and the team benefitted from his valuable experience and leadership. The team dominated all season, and culminated in an unforgettable moment – winning the Grand Final! For long-time teammates Leith, Caleb, and Ben, this was an especially meaningful achievement after years of playing together.
Both our Men’s and Women’s senior sides were formidable teams who worked hard and won both their Grand Finals! It was great to witness the incredible improvement everyone made over the season.
Strong connection across the club has always been a feature of Drouids, with families and players overlapping both junior and senior teams. Strong community spirit was on show on Grand Final day, as players from all age groups supported our U12s, U18s, Women’s and Men’s teams. Last year we did not even have one junior team in the Grand Final.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the incredible support of families. Drouids is blessed to have many wonderful families who are willing to faithfully support their child in this sport and serve the hockey community; braving the freezing cold on training nights, cheering on the players, serving in the canteen and helping out where needed. One of our very own, Rob, even took on canteen management for the latter part of the season.
All in all, 2025 has been a season to remember for the Drouids Hockey Club. We are proud of the success we have achieved, but our biggest achievement is the culture we create. Drouids is a club that loves to be the starting point for people’s hockey journey. We encourage everyone, even if you have never tried hockey before to give it a go!
Sheryn Cutler
