Oral History Interview: Laurie Alcock

Partial Transcript: ALCOCK: Laurie Alcock [pause] born just before the Second World War in 193--October 1939, or conceived before the First W--Second World War.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock states his name and date of birth. He gives a brief overview of his introduction to hockey culminating in his current position as President of Cannock Hockey Club.

Keywords: Cannock Hockey Club; Date of birth; Joe Smart; President; Rugeley Grammar School; Tom Smart; World War 2

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Player Teams--Boys--Club Teams--Men--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: What position did you play when you started?
ALCOCK: Right wing. Right wing or right half, it tended to be right wing. I used to be a sprinter.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock recalls how his interest in athletics and his subsequent pace impacted on his early hockey selection.

Keywords: Aldersley Stadium/Aldersley Leisure Village; Athletics; Bronze Medal; Olympics/Olympic Games; Peter Radford; Right Half; Tettenhall College; Winger; Wolverhampton--United Kingdom (UK)

Subjects: Olympic Games--1960 Rome Recollection of Others--Non-hockey Athlete

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Did you go to county trials?

Segment Synopsis: Alcock discusses reaching junior and senior county level but not making it to territory level. He deviates to recall the mixed staff team at the school where he worked, playing against Jane Swinnerton and alongside the sprinter Kathy Cook.

Keywords: Athletics; Birmingham--United Kingdom (UK); Centre Half; Competitions Committee; Grammar School; Grass; Harborne Hockey Club; Howard Davis/Francis Howard Davis; Jane Swinnerton; Kathy Cook/Kathryn Cook/Kathy Smallwood/Kathryn Smallwood; London--United Kingdom (UK); Loughborough University; Midland Counties Hockey Association (MCHA)/Midlands (territory); Peter Howells; Peter Marsh; Secretary; Staffordshire (county); Teaching; Trials; Wales; Winger

Subjects: Life Outside of Hockey--Career Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager Recollection of Others--Non-hockey Athlete Recollection of Others--Player Teams--Boys--County Teams--Boys--Territory Teams--Men--County Teams--Mixed--Work

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: How did you get in to, er, the administrative side?

Segment Synopsis: Alcock discusses his route into administration which rose out of his teaching career and which eventually lead him to become Secretary for the Midland Counties Hockey Association (MCHA).

Keywords: Chairperson; Development Officer; East Region Hockey Association (ERHA)/East (territory); Graham Chesterman; Grammar School; Longton Grammar School; Midland Counties Hockey Association (MCHA)/Midlands (territory); Midland Region Hockey Association (MRHA)/Midlands (territory); Peter Howells; Queen Marys Grammar School; Rugeley Grammar School; Secretary; Staffordshire (county); State School; Teaching; Upper Longdon--United Kingdom (UK); Walsall--United Kingdom (UK)

Subjects: Administration & Finances--County Administration & Finances--School Administration & Finances--Territory Life Outside of Hockey--Career Recollection of Others--Administrator Teams--Boys--School

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You've seen a lot of changes over that time, particularly in the, the boys. If, if you, you were involved in the, in running the Schoolboys from '63 to '80...
ALCOCK: Yeah, a tremendous amount.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock recalls his administrative involvement with schoolboys and junior county hockey in Staffordshire. He discusses the players that came through who would go on to play international hockey and recalls a specific anecdote concerning future England captain Soma Singh.

Keywords: Bodmin--United Kingdom (UK); Chris Mayer; Denstone College; Easter; England; Imran Sherwani; Kalbir Takher; London League; London--United Kingdom (UK); Malcolm Wood; Soma Singh; Southgate Hockey Club; Sports Hall; Staffordshire (county)

Subjects: Administration & Finances--School Indoor Hockey Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager Recollection of Others--Player Teams--Boys--County Teams--Boys--School Teams--Men--International Tournaments--Club Tournaments--School

Partial Transcript: ALCOCK: In those days the organisation of fixtures was totally different. There wasn't leagues. You basically got the clubs who decided who they played.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock discusses how club fixtures were different prior to the introduction of league hockey. The recalls the impact of block fixtures on the social scene at Cannock Hockey Club.

Keywords: Birmingham--United Kingdom (UK); Block Fixtures; Cannock Hockey Club; Club Match; Fixtures; Fixtures Secretary

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Club Social & Friendships Tournaments--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: And when did leagues start affecting...
ALCOCK: Midlands started, er, percentage league in [sighs] you're going to ask me a date and I can't remember.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock discusses the genesis of league hockey in the Midlands elaborating on its advantages and disadvantages. He goes on to discuss the current state of league hockey in Midlands region and proposes how the issues it faces with regard to the "open league" system, might be successfully resolved. He also gives his thoughts on the structure of the National League.

Keywords: "Doubling Up"; Accountant; Beeston Hockey Club; Bridgnorth Hockey Club; Bridgnorth--United Kingdom (UK); Cannock Hockey Club; East Region Hockey Association (ERHA)/East (territory); England Hockey (EH); Fixtures; Grass; Hockey Association (HA); Lichfield Hockey Club; Lichfield--United Kingdom (UK); London League; Loughborough Students Hockey Club; Loughborough University; Michael Lowe; Midland Counties Hockey Association (MCHA)/Midlands (territory); Midland Region Hockey Association (MRHA)/Midlands (territory); National League; North Hockey Association (NHA)/North (territory); Open League; Southern Counties Hockey Association (SCHA)/South (territory); Staffordshire (county); Telford & Wrekin Hockey Club; Telford--United Kingdom (UK); Treasurer; West Hockey Association (WHA)/West (territory)

Subjects: Administration & Finances--County Administration & Finances--Territory Amateurism & Professionalism Associations--National Associations--Territory Club Liquidation & Mergers Ludlow Hockey Club Playing Surfaces Teams--Boys--Club Teams--Girls--Club Teams--Men--Club Teams--Women--Club Tournaments--Club Umpiring--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You've been involved in, in, er, England Hockey competitions...
ALCOCK: Yes. I was Chairman of comp--I went on to competitions.
SOMERVILLE: ...How did you get involved in that?

Segment Synopsis: Alcock recalls his administrative roles with the Hockey Association (HA) prior to its amalgamation with the All England Women's Hockey Association (AEWHA) in 1996.

Keywords: Chairperson; Competitions Committee; England Hockey (EH); Grassroots; Hockey Association (HA); Management Committee; Match Secretary; Midland Counties Hockey Association (MCHA)/Midlands (territory); Regional Representative

Subjects: Administration & Finances--National Administration & Finances--Territory Association Liquidation & Mergers Associations--National Associations--Territory

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: How much change did you see whilst the Hockey Association was still in being over those years?
ALCOCK: [sighs] Well, of course the thrust--the Hockey Association was still running but there was the thrust from Sport England for government funding to be to one governing body.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock recalls his role in the merger of the All England Women's Hockey Association (AEWHA) and the Hockey Association (HA). He discusses the positives and negatives of the merger and its impact on the game. He also speaks of the strength of mixed hockey in the Midlands and how it remained relatively unaffected by the merger of the HA and AEWHA.

Keywords: All England Womens Hockey Association (AEWHA); Cannock Hockey Club; English Hockey Association (EHA); English Sports Council; Hockey Association (HA); Leicestershire (county); Midland Counties Hockey Association (MCHA)/Midlands (territory); Midland Counties Womens Hockey Association (MCWHA)/Midlands (territory); Midland Region Hockey Association (MRHA)/Midlands (territory); Northamptonshire (county); Oxfordshire (county); Secretary; Sport England; Terry Podesta

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Grants & Funding Administration & Finances--National Administration & Finances--Territory Association Liquidation & Mergers Associations--National Associations--Territory Recollection of Others--Administrator Teams--Mixed--Club

Partial Transcript: ALCOCK: Th--the 2000 Olympics were in Sydney and it was the first Olympics where they were going to used water-based pitches and the old Hockey Association had approached Sport England to say we need, we need water-based facilities.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock recalls how Cannock Hockey Club came to have state-of-the-art AstroTurf pitches laid in the build up to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Keywords: AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Cannock Hockey Club; Chris Spice; Director of Player Performance/Performance Director; English Hockey Association (EHA); Great Britain; Lottery Funding; Olympics/Olympic Games; Sport England

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Grants & Funding Administration & Finances--National Olympic Games--2000 Sydney Playing Surfaces Teams--Men--International Teams--Women--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: What do you think has changed most with the new organisation under England Hockey?

Segment Synopsis: Alcock details the financial situation that lead to the bankruptcy of the English Hockey Association (EHA).

Keywords: Accountancy; Annual General Meeting (AGM); Audit; Chairperson; Chief Executive Officer (CEO); Competitions Committee; David Collier; England Hockey (EH); English Hockey Association (EHA); Grant Thornton; Management Committee; Mike Corby/Michael Corby; Pat Thompson/Patrick Thompson; Pauline Whetton; President; Stewart Newton; Tennis; Vice-president

Subjects: Administration & Finances--National Associations--National Recollection of Others--Administrator

Partial Transcript: ALCOCK: I think my, my biggest achievement, er, we set up a Veterans' Steering Group because that was the time that I'd started playing Masters hockey which was the LX Club.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock recalls his involvement in setting up the Veterans' Steering Group to encourage Masters hockey and give authority to both men and women's international Masters teams. He touches on England Hockey's (EH) decision to disband its Masters Committee and discusses the positives and negatives associated with self-sufficiency. Finally, Alcock recalls his pride at the England and LX Hockey Club's successes at the 2010 Grand Masters Hockey World Cup in Cape Town.

Keywords: Bob Purhouse/Robert Purhouse; Canterbury Hockey Club; Cape Town--South Africa; Chairperson; Competitions Committee; England; England Hockey (EH); English Hockey Association (EHA); European Masters Championship/EuroHockey Masters Championship; Germany; Gold Medal; Grand Masters Hockey World Cup; Homosexuality; Ian Wilson; International Masters Hockey Association (IMHA); International Travel; Laura Geeson; LX Hockey Club; Manager; Midland Region Hockey Association (MRHA)/Midlands (territory); Netherlands; Old Loughtonians Hockey Club; Oxford Hawks Hockey Club; Ray Jeff; Selectors; Sharon Geeson; Southgate Hockey Club; St Albans Hockey Club; The Hague--Netherlands; Veterans Steering Group; Vice-president; World Grand Masters Association (WGMA)

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Grants & Funding Administration & Finances--Masters & Veterans Administration & Finances--National Associations--Masters & Veterans Associations--National Associations--Territory Recollection of Others--Administrator Teams--Men--Masters & Veterans Teams--Women--Masters & Veterans Tournaments--Masters & Veterans

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: We've talked about club hockey...
ALCOCK: Yep.
SOMERVILLE: ...And how it's changed over the years...
ALCOCK: Yeah.
SOMERVILLE: ...The timing of matches, the social side etc. Which do you think is better for the game?

Segment Synopsis: Alcock reflects on the impact of artificial pitches and how they have affected the organisation and social side of club hockey.

Keywords: (UK); Aldersley Stadium/Aldersley Leisure Village; Alton Hockey Club; AstroTurf; Beeston Hockey Club; Cannock Hockey Club; Cricket; Lichfield Hockey Club; Netherlands; Nottingham Highfields Hockey Club; Old Silhillians Hockey Club; Old Wulfrunians Hockey Club; Rugby; School; Stafford Hockey Club; Staffordshire Rugby Union Football Club; Staffordshire University; Stoke-on-Trent--United Kingdom; Wolverhampton & Tettenhall Hockey Club

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Club Administration & Finances--Grants & Funding Club Liquidation & Mergers Playing Surfaces Social & Friendships Teams--Men--Club Teams--Women--Club

Partial Transcript: ALCOCK: Er, the biggest challenge hockey's got is on the girls' side with the growth of, er, s--girls' football. Schools are playing football. School--the number of schools that play, erm, play hockey has diminished.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock reflects on the decline of hockey in state schools. He details the struggles they face to compete citing examples from a schools tournament hosted by Cannock Hockey Club.

Keywords: Bromsgrove School; Denstone College; Football (Soccer); Graham Chesterman; Imran Sherwani; Midland Region Hockey Association (MRHA)/Midlands (territory); Newcastle-under-Lyme School; Nunnery Wood High School; Old Wulfrunians Hockey Club; Repton School; Rugby School; Son; Staffordshire (county); State School; Trent College; Warwick School; Warwickshire (county); Wolverhampton Grammar School

Subjects: Education and Schooling Indoor Hockey Teams--Boys--Territory Teams--Girls--School Tournaments--School

Partial Transcript: ALCOCK: [laughs]
SOMERVILLE: I saw an article that you'd won, er, an award as a volunteer.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock discusses his volunteering outside of hockey and recalls the awards and recognition he's received for his work as a volunteer.

Keywords: Athletics; England Hockey (EH); English Schools Athletic Association (ESAA); Treasurer

Subjects: Awards--Hockey Recognition Volunteering

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You've obviously kept yourself extremely busy with...
ALCOCK: Yeah.
SOMERVILLE: ...Both still involved in hockey both playing, administering and...
ALCOCK: Yeah, I'm playing with both my son and my grandson at the moment.
SOMERVILLE: ...And athletics.

Segment Synopsis: Alcock reflects on his hectic volunteering schedule, speaks of friendships and reunions and revisits his participation in the World Grand Masters describing it as his career highlight.

Keywords: Athletics; David Whittle; England; Grandson; Great Britain; Hockey Association (HA); King; Kuala Lumpar--Malaysia; LX Hockey Club; Manager; Midland Region Hockey Association (MRHA)/Midlands (territory); Royal Thames Yacht Club; Secretary; Son; Staffordshire (county); Sultan; World Grand Masters Association (WGMA)

Subjects: Associations--Territory Fitness & Injury Recollection of Others--Administrator Recollection of Others--Celebrity Reunion Teams--Men--Masters & Veterans Tournaments--County Tournaments--International Tournaments--Junior Tournaments--Masters & Veterans Tournaments--School Volunteering

Partial Transcript: ALCOCK: But [indistinguishable]...
SOMERVILLE: Is there anything about the modern game that you don't like that you wish you could turn the clock back on?

Segment Synopsis: Alcock praises the modern evolution of the game, highlighting rule changes and the standard of skill involved. He recounts a particular anecdote concerning a ten-year-old Nick Bandurak.

Keywords: Cannock Hockey Club; Club Match; Free Hit; Goal; Hat Trick; Junior Match; Nick Bandurak/Nicholas Bandurak; Obstruction; Offside; Self-pass

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Player Rules Tournaments--Club Tournaments--Junior