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Jacky Murray 7 a side tournament
Barry Coe4 Mar - 11:52
Diary date - 12th and 13th April at Wrenn, Wellingborough.
A date for your diaries - Saturday 12th April & Sunday 13th April when the annual 7-a-side tournament 2025 will take place at Wrenn School in Wellingborough
And 2025 is the tenth anniversary of this and one other truly amazing event
The first was the start of the first ever regional tournament in the UK for players over 75 The second was the formation of LX Ladies as an official England Hockey touring side.
How did all this start you may be wondering?
Well – the first was the “brainchild” of Bill Greenwood, who many of you will know, was a member of Kettering Hockey Club for many years as well as a part of the England Veterans Grand Masters Hockey squad.
After playing in a regional Over 70’s 11 -a-side regional tournament in 2014 Bill asked the powers that be if, and when, the over 75 competition was likely to take place, only to be informed that the regions were unable to field teams of eleven. Without really thinking it through he suggested teams of 7 and eventually lumbered himself with the job of arranging the event himself. Bill has been solely responsible for running this annual event and this all began ten years ago in 2015
The first regional tournament was held at Wrenn School over the weekend of April 11th – 12th and it saw teams from the East, South Midlands and West of England and a supporting team from KHC competing for the Veterans Grand Masters trophy. The tournament grew over the years with teams from Wales, Scotland, LX men and Alliance joining the fray while members of KHC stepped up to enter teams if necessary as well as playing for any team who needed them throughout the various tournaments.
In 2017 two LX Ladies teams entered for the first time as well as the world’s first ever over 80’s men’s side. Over the next few years numbers increased and new teams entered the competition until 2020 when the dreaded covid hit and all tournaments were cancelled.
There have been many ups and downs following the Covid outbreak plus the fact that more and more events for older players were now being organised across the country by England Hockey (following Bills example I imagine!) The 2021 tournament took place in August with an excellent if somewhat reduced event taking place the following year in April. With numbers reduced however the 2023 tournament was cancelled and, with Bill having moved to Somerset, LX Ladies committee took over the running of the event.
The event has been renamed the Jacky Murray 7-a-side tournament with Bill’s approval. So, a little bit about the amazing Jacky.
The inaugural Ladies Masters Regional over 60’s tournament was played in Hampton-in- Arden on 17th May 2015 and it was from that tournament that the adventures began. A number of players from across the various regions got together and it was suggested that we might be able to form a team to travel to Australia to play in the Masters World Cup. Jacky was the captain of the very first LX Ladies team when just 13 players (four with KHC links) travelled to Canberra and had the most amazing time ever. It is solely down to the hard work put in by Jacky and her team that the “LX England Ladies Touring Club” was formed. With the constitution written and officials appointed they were able to affiliate to England Hockey in 2016 and officially enter Masters Competitions. It is testament to Jacky that LX had grown from the 13 who travelled to Australia to well over 100 members now.
Over the years the atmosphere generated and the friendships made at the tournament have been extraordinary. Hockey must be the only sport where players from the age of eight to 87, men and women, boys and girls can play together and against each other in the same game with total respect and consideration for each other. The last tournament saw eight teams competing and an amazing 78 players and volunteers attending the evening meal and although this has never been about raising money, thanks to the generosity of so many members, we were able to donate all profits made, £1329.00 in total, to the British Heart foundation in memory of Jacky.
Finally, we would like to pass on our grateful thanks to members of Kettering Hockey Club who have volunteered their services throughout the years and their outstanding contribution has enabled the tournaments to happen and run so smoothly. Many have very generously offered their help again this year and we are so very grateful for all their help. Truly amazing – thank you.
If any of you out there fancy coming along this year either playing, umpiring, catering, organising or simply supporting please come and join us. Just a word of warning however Jake Randle will be taking photos during the day and there will be a slide show running during the evening meal so we would suggest you are all on your best behaviour throughout!!
As mentioned before the tournament this year will take place at Wrenn School Wellingborough on Saturday 12th April and Sunday 13th April starting at 10.30am and ending at approx. 3.30pm.
If you are able to help or want more information please contact jan_randle@yahoo.co.uk
And finally those of you who are approaching 60 or are over 60 and would like to play for England please think about joining the LX community who run teams in the following age groups O60 O65 O70 and O75’s
Ladies go to lxladies.wordpress.com Men go to lxhockeyclub.co.uk
and BTW - LX stands for 60 not Extra Large!
And 2025 is the tenth anniversary of this and one other truly amazing event
The first was the start of the first ever regional tournament in the UK for players over 75 The second was the formation of LX Ladies as an official England Hockey touring side.
How did all this start you may be wondering?
Well – the first was the “brainchild” of Bill Greenwood, who many of you will know, was a member of Kettering Hockey Club for many years as well as a part of the England Veterans Grand Masters Hockey squad.
After playing in a regional Over 70’s 11 -a-side regional tournament in 2014 Bill asked the powers that be if, and when, the over 75 competition was likely to take place, only to be informed that the regions were unable to field teams of eleven. Without really thinking it through he suggested teams of 7 and eventually lumbered himself with the job of arranging the event himself. Bill has been solely responsible for running this annual event and this all began ten years ago in 2015
The first regional tournament was held at Wrenn School over the weekend of April 11th – 12th and it saw teams from the East, South Midlands and West of England and a supporting team from KHC competing for the Veterans Grand Masters trophy. The tournament grew over the years with teams from Wales, Scotland, LX men and Alliance joining the fray while members of KHC stepped up to enter teams if necessary as well as playing for any team who needed them throughout the various tournaments.
In 2017 two LX Ladies teams entered for the first time as well as the world’s first ever over 80’s men’s side. Over the next few years numbers increased and new teams entered the competition until 2020 when the dreaded covid hit and all tournaments were cancelled.
There have been many ups and downs following the Covid outbreak plus the fact that more and more events for older players were now being organised across the country by England Hockey (following Bills example I imagine!) The 2021 tournament took place in August with an excellent if somewhat reduced event taking place the following year in April. With numbers reduced however the 2023 tournament was cancelled and, with Bill having moved to Somerset, LX Ladies committee took over the running of the event.
The event has been renamed the Jacky Murray 7-a-side tournament with Bill’s approval. So, a little bit about the amazing Jacky.
The inaugural Ladies Masters Regional over 60’s tournament was played in Hampton-in- Arden on 17th May 2015 and it was from that tournament that the adventures began. A number of players from across the various regions got together and it was suggested that we might be able to form a team to travel to Australia to play in the Masters World Cup. Jacky was the captain of the very first LX Ladies team when just 13 players (four with KHC links) travelled to Canberra and had the most amazing time ever. It is solely down to the hard work put in by Jacky and her team that the “LX England Ladies Touring Club” was formed. With the constitution written and officials appointed they were able to affiliate to England Hockey in 2016 and officially enter Masters Competitions. It is testament to Jacky that LX had grown from the 13 who travelled to Australia to well over 100 members now.
Over the years the atmosphere generated and the friendships made at the tournament have been extraordinary. Hockey must be the only sport where players from the age of eight to 87, men and women, boys and girls can play together and against each other in the same game with total respect and consideration for each other. The last tournament saw eight teams competing and an amazing 78 players and volunteers attending the evening meal and although this has never been about raising money, thanks to the generosity of so many members, we were able to donate all profits made, £1329.00 in total, to the British Heart foundation in memory of Jacky.
Finally, we would like to pass on our grateful thanks to members of Kettering Hockey Club who have volunteered their services throughout the years and their outstanding contribution has enabled the tournaments to happen and run so smoothly. Many have very generously offered their help again this year and we are so very grateful for all their help. Truly amazing – thank you.
If any of you out there fancy coming along this year either playing, umpiring, catering, organising or simply supporting please come and join us. Just a word of warning however Jake Randle will be taking photos during the day and there will be a slide show running during the evening meal so we would suggest you are all on your best behaviour throughout!!
As mentioned before the tournament this year will take place at Wrenn School Wellingborough on Saturday 12th April and Sunday 13th April starting at 10.30am and ending at approx. 3.30pm.
If you are able to help or want more information please contact jan_randle@yahoo.co.uk
And finally those of you who are approaching 60 or are over 60 and would like to play for England please think about joining the LX community who run teams in the following age groups O60 O65 O70 and O75’s
Ladies go to lxladies.wordpress.com Men go to lxhockeyclub.co.uk
and BTW - LX stands for 60 not Extra Large!
Further reading