IN the inaugural season for the Hockey Wales Men’s Development league, Abergavenny Hockey Club have made a great start.

With three wins and a draw in their matches to date, the team has started to gel together and grow in confidence.

Results are not the highest priority though; more so is the fact that this initiative has allowed players both young and old to play competitive hockey in an environment that is designed exactly for them.

League rules allow for up to three players from the men’s First XI to play, these players are then on hand to help out in the match and provide guidance. But the priority of the matches is very much to allow new players with an opportunity.

The men’s section of the club is very keen to recruit new players. The club would like to stress that all players are welcome, irrespective of age or experience. A common perception is that the sport might be a "girls’ game" but the club would encourage men to come along, give it a go, and dispel that myth once and for all. The sport is a fast paced one, drawing many parallels to football in terms of team style and formation, without the complication of offside and of course, with a smaller ball and a stick.

There is also no need to "register" with the club at the start of a season, so no one should be put off coming along at any time. Just because you might see that the season is under way, this should not prevent you from joining. The success that the development team has seen to date, underlines that opportunities are available for competitive hockey, to anyone. The club hopes to be able to return to running two league teams in the new future; this will only be possible if they can recruit new players at this point of the season.

So, as Christmas approaches and resolutions are made, please put the men’s section of Abergavenny Hockey club into your thoughts and plans.

All men’s training takes place at the leisure centre AstroTurf on Tuesdays. For boys in Year 9 and 10, training is at 7:30-8:30pm and men’s training is from 8 until 9:30pm.