Coach Ivor helps boys begin the first chapter of hockey history in Lurgan

There has never been a men’s hockey team in Lurgan - that is until now as coach Ivor Lennon has given boys the chance to lift their hockey sticks and hopefully help sow the seeds for a thriving and competitive club.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Oct 2015, 09:00 BST
Hockey coach Ivor Lennon with some of the boys who are attending training at Lurgan Junior High School. INLM42-203.Hockey coach Ivor Lennon with some of the boys who are attending training at Lurgan Junior High School. INLM42-203.
Hockey coach Ivor Lennon with some of the boys who are attending training at Lurgan Junior High School. INLM42-203.

Ivor, who helped get the now successful girls section at Lurgan Ladies up and running, is happy to do it all again, but this time giving boys the opportunity to play hockey.

“I just decided why not,” explained Ivor. “I’m here...I’m available and if there is an interest in it then great. So far the response has been good.

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“These are small steps. We shall see how we get on and at the end of the year we can then think about getting official status.

“At the minute the plan is to form a committee, then attract more coaches. We cater for boys from P6 and P7 age range at present and hopefully if we get more coaches we can expand that to Year 8 and 9. There is no point in starting the primary age boys off and then not having anywhere for them to go on to.

“I find the boys are a bit easier to coach at the start. Girls don’t have the same awareness about positions and where to be on the pitch, but they soon pick it.

“Boys are used to a pitch environment from football and rugby so they pick it up quickly. The boys we have now are very enthusiastic and in time we will arrange some friendly games for them.

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“We will just take it easy and hopefully build the numbers up. I know many boys play football and rugby on a Saturday morning but I will work around that and play games at different times.”

Anyone interested in more details can either go along to the coaching at Lurgan Junior High School each Friday from 3.35 to 4.45pm or call 07500112970.