The Warriors men have had quite the rollercoaster season in terms of the results attained during the matches scheduled for the outdoor season. As a club we have players of varied skill level and a massive age range and our motto has always been to include players of all skill level. With the increase in skill level from other clubs as well as the youthful composition of their teams, this has become more challenging and we find ourselves at a crossroads to decide what our future approach to this will be. Do we want to continue with this approach, or would we like to become more competitive by fielding our best team for our matches? I suppose all that I can express currently is that decisions need to be made for the next outdoor season in terms of the direction the men’s team would like to take. At the moment we will endeavor to play for the love of the sport.
Despite the crushing losses that we have experienced this season, we have developed tremendously since Lennon White joined our ranks all the way from Australia. We are extremely grateful for his contributions in terms of developing fitness and skill level and motivating the team to maintain their energy levels under very difficult circumstances. We look forward to a fantastic 2021 outdoor season under his very capable guidance.
I think what still distinguishes us from the other teams is the spirit in which we play our matches. Despite incidents during matches that may bring our blood to boiling point, some of us more capable of handling it with grace than others, we return to fight another day and granted, we all makes mistakes. The fact that our team endeavors to learn from our mistakes are both encouraging and commendable.
From mostly a non-playing member perspective this season, due to injury, I have been privileged to witness and experience the development and this is an indication that the Warriors have a bright future in hockey in Finland and specifically in Helsinki. We have a few up and coming juniors who will be able to fill the gaps that currently exist within out team. The experience from the older players in the team is something that can also not be discounted and will be invaluable in terms of facilitating further development.
In the Bronze final on Saturday 26 September 2020, the Warriors lost the match against an inspired HT by 6 goals to 2. The Warriors played an inspired first quarter with exceptional passing and dribbling skills. As the match continued and after HT scored their second goal, spirits were dampened and the Warriors energy levels dropped as a result. Earlier in the season the Warriors beat HT 2-1. This time the tables were turned. The Warriors continued fighting, but hauling in the deficit was too insurmountable a task with time remaining.
The club’s message to the gentlemen is to hold your heads up high and to continue climbing the mountain to the top. With hard work, development, dedication and determination we can achieve greater success on the field during the 2021 outdoor season.
Warriors HC 