A number of local junior hockey players have been enjoying a summer of international call-ups with the home nations, but it is now time to return to school and club hockey as the new season pushes back on Saturday 23rd September.
West Kent has five clubs offering 38 teams across 18 divisions for the 2023/24 season.
Sevenoaks Hockey Club
Sevenoaks Hockey Club will once again field their men and women’s 1st XI’s in England Hockey’s Division 1 South respectively, the highest of any teams in the region. With eight women’s sides and nine men’s sides, Sevenoaks will be hoping for a number of titles across the spectrum, with promotion a definite possibility in several divisions.
Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club
Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club have 11 sides split across the men (6) and women’s (5) game. Their men’s 1st XI will be playing in the South East Hockey League Men’s Premier Division where they will face Sevenoaks 2nd’s. The women’s 1st XI, also in the South East Hockey League, will be in Division 1 East and will also face two Sevenoaks sides (3rd and Acorns).
K Sports Hockey Club
K Sports have six sides this year, with four in the men’s tournament and two in the women’s. Their men’s 1st XI will play in the South East Hockey League’s Division 1 Invicta and will face Sevenoaks 3rd and Tunbridge Wells 2nd. The women’s 1st XI will play in Division 3 Invicta and will face Sevenoaks 6th and Tunbridge Wells 4th on their journey.
HC Knole Park
HC Knole Park have enjoyed back-to-back promotions over the past few years since their inception in 2019. They have grown as a club and are now offering two men’s and women’s sides. They have been rewarded with their efforts with a place in this season’s South East Hockey League’s Division One West for their women’s 1st XI and a spot in Division 2 Invicta for their men’s 1st XI where they will meet Sevenoaks 4th. It’s worth keeping an eye on both sides as they will no doubt push for promotion once again.
Edenbridge Hockey Club
Edenbridge will once again field just the solitary women’s side who will feature in the South East Hockey League Division 2 Invicta where they will go up against Sevenoaks 5th and Tunbridge Wells 3rd.
• You can view all the league tables for the forthcoming season in the Amherst Accountancy Weekly stats report.
