A few years ago, we had seven adult teams and a relatively small junior section. We watched clubs like Magpies and learned how they were building thriving youth programmes. We adapted some of those ideas, put our own Ipswich spin on them, and the results speak for themselves. Our junior section is absolutely booming. In fact, there are days when it feels like we might have created a victim of our own success.

The same applies to our indoor hockey. We learned that introducing children to hockey at a younger age was the key, backed ourselves to do it properly, and now we're competing with the very best. Not through arrogance,not through shouting about it but just by doing things the Ipswich way. But while we've made huge strides in some areas, there are still things we can do better.

One area is matchday experience.

If you've ever visited Chelmsford's Men's 1st XI on a Sunday, you'll know what I mean. There's a buzz about the place. A crowd. A scoreboard. Music. Food and drink. A sense that something is happening. It feels like an occasion rather than just another fixture.
Now, before anyone starts pricing up grandstands and hospitality suites, let's be realistic. We need to walk before we sprint (and yes that scoreboard is coming!)

Our first challenge is much simpler: can we get a crowd down to support our Women's 1st XI and Men's 1st XI on Saturday 7th November?

The Women's 1st XI push back at 3:00pm, followed by the Men's 1st XI at 4:45pm. Both teams are chasing their ambitions of returning to National League hockey, and few things make a bigger difference than having a vocal home crowd behind them.

So we're giving it a go.

For just £10, you can enjoy either a Pie & Pint or a Prosecco & Pastry while watching the
hockey. Longer term, we'd love to reach the point where people simply turn up, grab food and a drink, and enjoy the afternoon. But for now, we need to know numbers, so tickets must be purchased in advance.

And let's not forget what we have at Tuddenham. We're one of the few clubs in the East with our own clubhouse right next to the pitch, plenty of parking, and facilities right in town rather than tucked away on an industrial estate. It's a fantastic place to watch hockey and, with a crowd behind it, it can become something special.

What I'd also really love to see is our junior section represented in force. Parents, players, brothers, sisters, grandparents. Imagine our U8s, U10s and U12s lining the fence, watching the club's top teams in action and seeing where their own hockey journey could take them. The pint, of course, remains entirely optional for them.

So here's the challenge.

Can we fill Tuddenham? Can we create some noise? Can we give our 1st XIs the atmosphere they deserve and can teams playing earlier come back and / or stay to support.

If you're up for it, please buy your tickets HERE this week so we can confirm catering numbers and make sure everything is ready.

Let's make this the start of something.