I think most people know me, but those who don’t… I’m Barbara’s son. Our family have been at the club for many decades now, so it means a lot to me to be appointed Club Chairman. I have played for over 40 years and came up through the juniors, then into the men’s section where I made my way into to the 1st team in the national league side for a while, either side of a couple of back operations.

I am a pretty active person and approachable too, so plan to bring this to the role. Please ensure you grab me if there’s anything you feel I can help with.

The 3 things that I feel make a club like Doncaster truly great are:

Volunteers – We have many incredible helpers at the club; some are ex-players but also a good number are new people whose children are in the junior section. We appreciate every single one of you, please keep doing what you do. And to those of you without a role, please have a think… is there anything I can bring to the club? We are always looking for new blood!

Junior Section – Given we are not a University City, we have to continuously invest in our youngsters, to ensure we have a good number of quality young senior players in the years that follow. It is tough to find willing helpers, but we have so many amazing adults now, giving up hours of their cold evenings and weekends to make sure the kids get to play as much as possible. We also need to support our coaches; most are unpaid parents.

A club for all – Any good hockey club needs to focus intensely on performance with a desire to climb the leagues. It also should ensure everybody feels welcome and part of the fabric. Participation members who turn out weekly, often provide invaluable support to the youngsters who climb through the teams as they mature.

Lastly, in 2029 we have to re-lay the pitch, which you will appreciate is a very expensive job. We must be relentless in our fundraising to make sure we hit our targets and ask those who have business, to consider if they can help in return for sponsorship. If you feel you can pledge a little, please contact me!

Thanks for being DHC, every person counts.

Kirk Bellerby

Chairman, Doncaster Hockey Club