Hockey, like all sports, has been forced to make huge adjustments over the course of a challenging 2020.
The Covid crisis has made a significant impact on fixtures and training, but there is still plenty of positives to reflect on for Sidmouth and Ottery Hockey Club.
If we travel all the way back to early March, when the sporting world knew something very serious was happening, but the actual repercussions for local sport were still on the horizon.
SOHC entered March with a brilliant 4-0 win for the ladies first-team at Plym Valley 2, securing a place in a Devon Trophy Final.
The ladies section of the club was coming to the end of a fine campaign, as the first-team secured a pivotal win over second-placed Exe 3 in Sedgemoor Division 1. Jasmine Scott, Alice Dormor, Becca Allen and Taryn Murray scored the goals.
The second-team also won 2-0 at Okehampton 2, the thirds beat White Eagles 4-2 and the fourths defeated Exe 5 by the same score.
A week later, on March 14, the ladies first-team were confirmed as champions in what would be the final day of competitive hockey, as they thrashed Taunton Vale 3 by a score of 7-0 to go nine points clear with just two games remaining.
It was a magnificent achievement for the ladies and fast forward to October, their next league fixture in a new season ended with a 1-1 draw against Taunton Vale.
On the men’s side of the club, the first-team lost their curtain-raiser 3-1 at PGSOB, but the seconds beat Chard 5-2.
The men’s second-team continued that positive start with a 4-0 win over Yeovil and Sherborne A, while the ladies first-team shared an enthralling 4-4 draw at Minehead to remain unbeaten in the Central Division.
Momentum was sadly halted again by a second lockdown and it was the men’s third-team that took the headlines when hockey returned in December, beating the fourths 8-0 in a league tie.
The sizzling form for the men's seconds continued with a 5-1 victory away to Taunton Vale on December 12.
It has been a very challenging year for SOHC but still some great performances to reflect on with pride.