martin thorogood

As like most involved within the club and volunteers across countless sports, I'm here because my son took a interest in the sport. 

We had been swimming one Sunday morning when we came out of the changing rooms and heard noise coming from the North Herts Leisure Centre Sports Hall, my son, at the time being only 6/7 wanted to investigate. 

I couldn't even tell you what age group was playing but my lad took an immediate interest and asked if he could try it, bearing in mind, he had never been on skates up to that point!

I contacted LRHC and was pointed in the direction of the social skate that NHLC runs, as it was then on a Saturday and Sunday afternoon (it still runs, but on a Sunday only, 4pm-6pm). 

Time at these sessions would get him started and improve his confidence before joining the club, which he did a matter of months later. 

LRHC is a family run club and gives that feeling when welcoming new players, my son has thrived under the guidance of the coaches, he now plays in two age categories, has been to Portugal four times to attend training camps with the England Academy, supported the LRHC under 15s when they competed in Eurockey in Barcelona and has made lots of friends at this club and the other clubs that we compete against, it's been a real privilege watching him develop as a skater and a rink hockey player. 

As for me, coming from a view where I'd never heard of the sport to now sitting on the LRHC Committee as the Publicity Manager, creating this new website for the club, to setting up Spond so we can see attendance numbers and plan sessions accordingly, to writing articles for the local newspaper, updating FaceBook, IG, Twitter etc to promote the club on every platform. 

I have also been a member of the Eastern Counties Rink Hockey Association (ECRHA) Committee and worked with the Marketing Team Committee at the National Rick Hockey Association (NRHA). 

I assist the National Coaching Director Carlos Amaral at Regional and National Training Sessions and also help at the Summer and Christmas Camps, while also coaching and refereeing when we are in Portugal.

At the club I am a Level Three Coach and a Level Three Referee, I coach the Under 13s team, who won a League and Cup double in the recent 22/23 Season and my refereeing level enables me to ref all age groups from Under 11s to Under 20s. 

It's a great sport and a great club and I'm proud to sit on a committee with all members pulling in the same direction to benefit the club.