WARWICK Hockey Club is looking back over the years as it celebrates its centenary.
While the club’s origins can be traced back to before the Great War, its roots were planted in Leamington when a men’s section was developed in the Lillington Ladies Hockey Club.
Over the years the team used many grounds and facilities, including Leamington High School and Lockheed, but 1970 saw the start of a relationship with Warwick Sports Club during which the ladies represented the county three times in the Midlands cup.
In 1997 the Lillington Ladies celebrated their centenary, and since then the two teams have been brought together under the name Warwick Hockey Club.
Club spokeswoman Lydia Johnson said: “Remembering who we are and where we’ve come from can really help in defining the club we are today.
“Starting the celebration for our centenary season during the memorable year that is 2020 has opened our eyes to the sorts of challenges past members have faced before us, whether it’s a World War, or simply the uproar that was changing to artificial playing surfaces, Warwick Hockey Club and its members have stood strong alongside each other, finding solace in the game.
“Being part of Warwick Hockey Club as it is today, I believe, is more similar to these earlier times than a simple glance may show. Although we now have thriving sides and awards such as a Guinness World Record to boast, the community values are still what bind us to those first teams back in 1920.
“We can’t wait to celebrate in true style once this latest challenge allows, not only as the club we are today, but as a reflection of the community that has built it up and kept it going strong along the way.
“The club is officially 100 seasons young, and I can’t wait to see where the next 100 will take it.”
