Team Bath Buccaneers has a 5 year development plan. Its key principles are:
1. One Club. TBBHC embraces a One Club philosophy, valuing all members equally. Whether you are a high-performance player or club player, senior, student, or junior of any gender, everyone plays a crucial role in the Club's success.. We are stronger together.
2. Ambition. TBBHC is an ambitious Club. We are one of the top 30 Clubs in England and Wales and one of the most successful in the West of England. Ultimately, we want to be one of the very best Clubs in the country. We are aiming high.
3. Partnerships. The Club recognises partnerships are key to achieving its ambitions. TBBHC will work with its major partner, the University of Bath, as well as England Hockey, the West Leagues, Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) and local schools and companies to achieve mutually beneficial objectives.
4. Trying to Be Better. Whether as a Club or as individual player, coaches and officals, we are always striving to improve. TBBHC wants to create a positive learning environment for its players to improve as well as be open to new ideas and technologies in the running o the Club. We will benchmark ourselves against other Clubs and Sports, in the UK and abroad.
5. Having Fun. Ultimately, playing hockey is about enjoying the buzz and spirit of this great game in competitive but fun environment. The Club will promote the playing of hockey in a spirit of enjoyment and respect, but with style and competitive focus.
Ethos
Team Bath Buccaneers HC is a club for everyone whose strength is built on the diversity of its playing membership, its partnership with the University of Bath and the University of Bath Hockey Club and the quality of the coaching and facilities that it has access to. We intend to harness these strengths as it continues its development as the biggest hockey hlub in the West and aspires to become one of the best clubs in the country.
TBB HC has very strong representation amongst club, student and youth players and has strength in depth in playing numbers with 8 mens, 7 ladies, 5 masters, 2 Indoor, 6 Summer league and over 20 junior teams. We intend to continue to develop this strength in depth across all sections of the club, as well as broadening our appeal to supporters and family members to encourage greater participation.
TBBHC wants to play a brand of hockey that is Fast, Fearless and Fun. We see this as being technically and tactically creative, having a positive attitude and enjoying the game. We believe in achieving excellence in coaching and promoting a culture of player development and learning in support of England Hockey’s aims.
History
Origins:
Back in 1955, I doubt that the founding fathers of Bath Civil Service Hockey Club had dreams that by 2005 the club would be only one rung from the very top of the English Hockey ladder. However, as the current proud Chair of the club, I am writing a brief 50 year history whilst our teams go about their preparations for another hectic and competitive season. The club can be proud of the steady upward curve of its progress and the many highlights along the way.
The club developed out of the mixed Admiralty Hockey club and relied almost entirely on membership from the ranks of the many thousands of MOD staff in the city to raise only one side. The club colours were agreed as emerald green and scarlet. Founding and life member Ron Gray, a keen lifelong supporter until his passing, recalled that annual subs were set at 15 shillings. Home matches were held at the Civil Service Sports ground and 8 fixtures were played in the first season.
The Civil Service Club:
In 1970/71 the Civil Service Club moved two miles along the road into a purpose built clubhouse and sports ground (now the present day Sulis Club). The club could now boast that they had some of the best facilities in the area. The committee, led by life member and former club president Tony Sheppard, and included yours truly, set about the challenge of building a club to match. Bath was and still is an ideal centre for hockey with most local schools playing the game. The club realized that youth was the way forward and built up a junior section with strong links with most schools. The club grew rapidly from two sides to four with a “will travel” fixture policy to get the standard of fixtures required.
In 1977 the club name was changed to CS Bath Buccaneers which, whilst reflecting the early nautical connections, presented the right image of a go-ahead club open to all. As with all clubs the advent of league hockey was to be a major turning point and the club progressed steadily to achieve promotion to the Premier Division of the West and Wales League in 1983/84. By now the CS had been dropped from the name and six sides were fielded each week including two development sides; the “Sabres” and “Blades” which gave priority to talented u-18s and u-16s players.
Champions!
The first team were rarely out of contention but had to wait until season 1994/95 to win the West title and make their first attempt to achieve English league status via the play offs at Olton. They were to fail on goal difference. However, this spurred the club to greater efforts and some lateral thinking!!
Bath Ladies HC:
The club needed to get bigger and broaden its outlook so a merger with Bath Ladies was successfully completed in 1996. The ladies brought 100 years of history and bags of enthusiasm to the club.
University of Bath:
A partnership and an action plan, with the support of main sponsors Sitec, was agreed with the University of Bath in 1999. The club moved to the University of Bath Sports Training Village (which by co-incidence is on the original site of the club) and created a role of Head Coach with a sole target of bringing English League Hockey to the club. Bobby Crutchley took up the challenge.
National League Hockey:
Three years later Crutchley had built a team to win the 2001/02 West and Wales League title and successfully negotiate the always competitive EHL Play offs at Milton Keynes. In that same season the team had knocked mighty Reading (who went on to win the Premier League that season) out of the HA Cup to give notice that they were not going to just make up the numbers!
Over the same period of time the club has been able to consolidate its base with all men’s and ladies sides highly placed in their local leagues. The club colours were changed to navy and yellow to fit in with the ‘Team Bath’ image and to enhance the merchandising possibilities.
Play Off Heartache:
EHL reorganization saw us given promotion to Premier Two in season 2003/04, finishing runners up but just failing to make Premiership status agonisingly losing on penalty flicks to Premier League Canterbury in the play offs. We have maintained our second tier status (now EHL Western Conference) since, utilising a combination of local and student players in addition to some international talent such as 2004 South African Olympians Wayne Denne and Jody Paul. The latter joining as Head Coach in 2006/07 to fill the void caused by Bobby Crutchley’ s move to England Hockey full time.
Season 2006/07 also saw the merger with the University of Bath Hockey club under a new Team Bath Buccaneers Hockey club banner. The University now concentrates on BUCS mid-week hockey to allow a single focus on club hockey at weekends. The club now runs 8 men’s and 6 Ladies sides every weekend.
Jody Paul’s side went on to win West Conference in 2009/10 and have a second crack at the Play Offs for Premier League hockey held at Cannock. A 2-1 victory over Premier League Brooklands, a last-minute winner for Canterbury in a tight 4-3 defeat, and a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Deeside Ramblers saw Buccs lose out agonisingly on goal difference.
A second West Conference title followed in 2011/12, and a third unsuccessful meeting with Canterbury in the play offs. The men’s first team now find themselves in South Division 1, following another League restructure, and remain one of the top teams in the country and consistently in contention for the play offs.
Ladies Champions:
The Ladies have continued to gain strength and the 1st team won the West League title in 2008/09 to gain automatic promotion to the England Hockey League.
The Ladies 1sts have had a somewhat yo-yo League experience in the following seasons but now are firmly placed in the EHL West Conference, finishing R-Up in 2021-22 with the help of Head Coach. Jody Paul
Strength in Depth:
The men’s regional sides are placed in higher leagues than their equivalents in most other clubs and the A team won promotion in 2007, and again in 2011 to be one of the few non 1st XI teams in England to reach Regional Premier League status. With promotion to the EHL now allowed to 2nd XI’s they are well placed to take that step in the near future
The Ladies have strength in depth and with sides 2-5 placed higher in the West League than most of our rivals. The 2nd XI won the England Hockey Trophy in both the 2005/06 and 2008/09 seasons and looking to gain promotion to the EHL soon
The Men have competed in Indoor hockey for many seasons and have achieved England Premier Indoor League status on several occasions with the R-Up Trophy at the Copper Box in 2018 being the highlight
Both the men’s and ladies 1st team squads contain a host of junior and senior internationals and it’s hoped that there are many more in the pipeline.
Junior Talent Centre:
The commitment to youth development is as strong as ever. The U8 to U18 boys and girls sides competing well at local and national level. In 2007 the U15 boys took bronze in the English Hockey Cup. In 2013 the Boys U12’s were National Champions and in 2014 this was matched by the U18 Boys with the U18 Girls winning the Plate, which they did again in 2018. In 2020 after a disrupted season due to the Pandemic the U18 boys booked their slot in the EH Knock Out Championships and came away with a silver medal. All teams are still very competitive in all competitions
The Academy has grown from around 120 members to over 350 currently. The club has achieved Club Mark status and in June 2022 awarded a licence to run a new EH Talent Academy (16-18 Age Group). Discussions continue regarding EH Talent Centre status. (12-14 Age Groups)
Water Based Pitch:
The club signed a new 10 year partnership agreement (now ongoing) with the University of Bath in 2010 and a new water based pitch, The Sitec Pitch, (now Pitch 2) was added in 2011 to the excellent sand dressed Pitch 1 completed in 2009. This was upgraded in 2020. In 2013 a 300 seater stand was erected aside the Sitec Pitch. This all provides the club with some of the most outstanding playing facilities in the UK
In writing this history I am aware of all the things that I have had to leave out and all the very many unmentioned people who have played their part. The club’s strength is the character and commitment of its members and the fun we have trying to “make things happen! “
Nick Kendall
History/Background
Bath Buccaneers have been based at the University since the 1999/2000 season when a partnership agreement with the University was signed with the aim of jointly developing top quality BUCS and Club in Bath. A joint full-time coach was employed for the first time.
Prior to this date the Club, although well established and successful in the West, had not achieved EHL status. The University had no record of any success in BUCS.
For season 2006/7 the University Hockey Club merged with Buccaneers to form Team Bath Buccaneers to compete in weekend club hockey while independently competing in BUCS hockey as before.
Today the partnership sees Team Bath Buccaneers Mens and Ladies 1st Teams competing in the EHL and both University 1sts Teams competing in the BUCS National Premier Division.
Partnership principles
TBB HC Lottery
TBB HC Teamo Lottery - Supporting Team Bath Buccaneers Hockey Club
We are delighted to introduce a new online sports lottery to provide our club with a simple and easy way to raise much needed additional funds.
How it Works
Each lottery ticket costs £10 per month for two entries, with 50% going to our club for every member we have registered and subscribing. 30% will be paid out in prize money and the remainder covers running costs and player acquisition
Every time you play you will be contributing directly to the funding of Team Bath Buccaneers Hockey Club, as well as being in with a chance of winning Your Teamo Lottery £10,000 jackpot, there are also thirteen monthly prizes from the £1,600 prize pot.
In addition to the above prizes, £100 can be won by a Team Bath Buccaneers Hockey Club member each month when we reach 100 paying members, £250 each month on reaching 250 paying members and £1,000 on reaching 1,000 paying members each month.
Where your stake goes
50% of your stake goes directly to Team Bath Buccaneers Hockey Club
30% is payable in winners' prizes
20% used in administration of the lottery
Sign up today and in return for your £10 monthly membership fee you can play a role in supporting Team Bath Buccaneers Hockey Club, plus have the chance to win some fantastic prizes.
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The TBBHC 200 club will continue for those members on Standing Orders with monthly draws.
Funds raised this season will be used to enable more people to play hockey by providing bursay funding for memberships and equipement.
12 monthly draws of £10
4 quarterly draws of £20
6 monthly draws of £50
1 Christmas Super draw of £100
If you would like more information abut the 200 club, please contact Marty Pellow or email paymentstbbhc@gmail.com
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Previous Winners!
Monthly winners
July 22 Mark Whiteley - £10
Aug 22 Rupert Sadler - £10
Sept 22 Ruby Butterfield - £10
Oct 22 Nikki Maclean - £10
Nov 22 Stephen Herring - £10
Dec 22 Stu Wyer - £10
Jan 23 Nick Kendall - £10
Feb 23 Jus Renwick - £10
Mar 23 Ruby Butterfield - £10
Quarterly winners
Sept 22 Paul 'Big Bear' Matthews - £20
Dec 22 Ian Cordwell - £20
Mar 23 Julian Anderson - £20
6 Month Draw winners
Aug 22 Rob Cooke - £50
Dec 22 Melanie Vance - £50
Why hockey?
Hockey offers an opportunity to get involved with a growing, youth oriented sport that has a growing profile across a range of medai platforms and key involvement in the Olympic Games.
Major countries include Germany, Holland, Spain, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Argentina, USA, Canada, China, Russia and South Africa.
There are over 120,000 players and 3,000 clubs in the UK
National coverage including new extensive TV coverage on Channel 4 and Discovery+
Why become a partner of Team Bath Buccaneers HC
Partnering with a hockey club in Bath, such as Team Bath Buccaneers, can offer several benefits for a business:
Sponsorship Options
Costs
The costs of sponsorship options can vary widely based on the level of exposure and the specific package you choose. Here are some general estimates:
These costs are approximate and can vary based on the details of the sponsorship agreement.
Our Partners
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