The roots of Guildford Junior Ice Hockey Club go back to the opening of the Spectrum in February 1993. A turn up and skate policy existed from the very start. Scrimmage sessions on Tuesday afternoons and Sunday mornings. The skaters ranged from 4 year olds, with Spectrum helmets and blue wellies to 20 year old GB players. The session was run by a mixture of Spectrum stewards and Flames. Andy Sparks and Danny OHanlon are two names, which spring to mind.
The more discerning observer would have noticed a stocky bearded man wearing shorts, yes even in February, and carrying a battered small brown attachi case, much in the style of that used by Mr Bean. This was the man who was to play a major part in the formation of the club. Paul Ager is still with us. The shorts tend to be restricted to the warmer months and the case has been replaced by something much more modern. Even more observant visitors would have caught a glimpse of a tall slim Canadian wearing a suit. Mike Urquhart is still tall but the suit doesnt fit any more.
These sessions continued until September when Guildford Junior Ice Hockey Club was officially formed. Teams were entered in the Under 12, Under 14 and Under 16 leagues. Membership hovered around 70. The Tuesdays sessions continued under the supervision of Ryan Campbell, Paul Thompson and Rob Friesen, but these were now restricted to members of the new club. Each team had its own coach for the Sunday sessions, games. John Hepburn has memories of being introduced to his U12 team on a Sunday morning and being told their first game was that very afternoon, away against Bracknell, at that time very much the top U12 team in the south of England. We lost but Bracknell came nowhere near their predicted 20 goals and fell short of reaching double figures.
The contributions, by the club, to the future of Hockey in Guildford were somewhat unusual. We were responsible in some way for the introduction of two of the Flames longstanding images. The first was the now well-known G logo, which was worn by the Junior Club for a season before the Flames adopted it. The second was John Hepburn who as a club coach had the foresight to finance and support the Flames at the end of their second season.
At the end of that first season the three teams all finished in mid league positions. The U14s went beyond this, in the Play-offs, and made the national semi finals. The Ladies team, which at that time was run as a separate organisation, by Laura Urquhart, was entered in Division One South. The team, which was able to ice six GB Internationals, won the division championships and the Gold medal at the play-off Championships. The team were promoted to the premiere league where they compete to this day.
During the summer break the Flames continued their support with the regular Summer Hockey School, which continues to be a success. The club entered teams in the U19 and U10 leagues in addition to the original three age groups. Very much an average season with no outstanding success or failures we were saving it all up for the next year.
1995/96 was a big year for the club. Coach Esrkine Douglas produced an outstanding U16 team. They went unbeaten in the League and the Play-offs. The only game not won was a draw against Hull in the home leg of the English finals. That year the team took the Southern, the English and the British titles. The British final saw us beat Fife 3 2 in the last Junior championship to be played at Wembley. Rob Lamey, a name familiar to Flames fans was a member of that squad.
It was during this season, and the next, that the club began to formalise its administration and policies. A management committee was formed which consisted of team managers and an executive. Regular meetings were held and procedures devised to simplify the day to day running of the club. A constitution was adopted. The club continued to grow. Membership was averaging 140 and applicants were being turned away. The Ladies were taken under the wing of the organisation. The 96/97 season saw the U16s win the Southern Conference and take runners up place in the English Championships. The U12s were Conference runners up.
One of the problems with junior ice hockey is that of continuity. A successful squad will ripple through the age groups of a club regularly winning championships. The squad following behind may find themselves at the bottom of the league and even in danger of relegation. The continued lack of success of the U19s would spark a major change in club coaching policy. Historically U19s tended to be small teams. They were poorly disciplined and cost clubs heavily in fines. The more successful players would have left the junior organisation and moved on to senior hockey at an appropriate level. The Guildford U19s were no different to any others. They continually found themselves at the bottom of the table.
During the 97/98 season the performance of the team worsened. They were reliant on the U16s to keep them up to strength. Games were lost by 20 goal margins. It was at the end of this season, facing relegation that the club asked Stan Marple for help. The teams fortunes were turned around. The confidence of the players soared and they won the relegation Play-off group. The following season saw some improvement in the performance of the team. They won the fair play award for the best disciplined team in the English league. A slightly better league position was achieved but the relegation Play-offs were again their fate. A decision was made, by the Flames to employ an Assistant Coach. This coach would be directly responsible for the U19s and act as Head Coach for the Junior Club. Mike Urquhart returned, in this role, for the 99/00 season. The U19s came second in the Southern League and made the national semi finals.
Under Mikes supervision the club formalised coaching procedures. All age groups would be taught the same systems. These would be developed as players moved up through the age groups. The theory being that any member of the Junior club could fit in with any other age group and play as a part of that team. This also applied to Juniors playing for the Flames. The success of the Best of British, now in a second season is attributable to that. Additionally any coach could work with any other age group, with minimal disruption. This was proven last season when Mike was hospitalised and the U19s were trained and coached in games by a number of club coaches. Coaching in the club has gone from strength to strength under Mikes guidance.
During the 99/00 season changes were going on at the younger end of the club. The U10s, coached by Fred Perlini and John Hepburn were unbeaten, winning the English Championship. This success was to continue in 00/01 with both the U10s and U12s making the national finals and the Ladies, coached by John Hubbel, winning the Play-offs.
Today, Guildford Junior Ice Hockey Club today is very different from that first season. An experienced management team ensures good financial practices, (the club turns over in excess of #50,000, mostly raised from subscriptions), fair and sensible policies and proper organisation of fixtures and individual games. Around a dozen fully qualified, volunteer, coaches, including a specialist goalie coach, are responsible for training the players. Fred Perlini, a popular ex Flame, is a highly regarded member of the coaching team. John Hepburn has remained a committed member of our coaching staff since the beginning as well as supporting us from his position as Flames chairman. The club maintains a strong relationship with the Flames in the best interest of both organisations.
Guildford Junior Ice Hockey Club is a shareholder in The English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA Ltd), the organisation responsible for the supervision of hockey in this country. This excludes the FBNL and the Superleague. The EIHA is divided into four conferences. Guildford is a part of the South West Conference and our players are regularly selected to represent the Conference in the annual Inter Conference Tournament.
Guildford Juniors are also frequently selected for English national teams at their relevant age groups. A number have played for Great Britain. Some have played for the Flames either on odd occasions or as regular squad members. Michael Simmons, a club member since the beginning has gone on to become Head coach of our U10s. Ali MacPhee, another ex junior, is a regular linesman on the junior and English Premier League circuits.
Players have travelled worldwide, from Guildford, in the pursuit of hockey. The club has sent teams to tournaments in Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Denmark Holland and Belgium. Individual players have travelled to Canada, USA, Czech Republic, Romania and Slovenia in the pursuit of the game. We have had club members from Canada, USA, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Scotland.
The club annually enters teams in the Southern A League. Due to numbers, this season, a team has also been entered in the U12 B League. A future wish is to be able to enter teams in both A and B Leagues in all age groups. Currently this is a long way off.
We have around 140 members. Available ice time prevents any further expansion. About 150 youngsters attend the, separate, Spectrum hockey program and most want to join the club.
Our aims are important. At the top end it is to develop players of a standard to play for the Flames. Understandably, this is only for the few. The intent is to promote fitness, team spirit and good attitude amongst the members. We like to think we are keeping kids off the street by providing a fun and exciting activity. The club is open to boys and girls of all ages from 5 to 19.
Thoughts for the future:
• Continue to increase the focus of the club on local kids
• Improve the opportunities for ex Juniors to play at senior level in the club
• Encourage and develop junior players to become referees and club coaches
• Achieve recognition by the governing body as a centre of excellence
