2021 Review – Arden

As we prepare for the 2022 season, our Clubs take a look back at their 2021 successes! Arden, based in the Midlands, tell us all about their 2021:

After the previous season had multiple set backs from Covid-19, we were determined to organise training as soon as we could for our members and local UKPA members who were unable to train with their own clubs. We hosted weekly Arden trainings throughout the season and also organised training days down in Essex and Suffolk, for many of our Eastern players!

We were also motivated to organise plenty of social events throughout the season. We introduced ‘The Great Arden Bake Off’ for the first time this season. Players would compete against each other with desserts, at chosen tournaments during the season. At each tournament, three different judges would choose the top two bakers of that round and all the chosen winners would fight it out in the final round, which took place at Nationals!

Throughout the year, many of senior players stepped up into new and harder divisions. We also saw many of our primary juniors progress into new age divisions, some even competed in open juniors throughout most of the year. 2021 finished off being our most successful year in Arden, winning 22 divisions throughout the whole season. This year we have been beyond proud of all of our members, the tournament successes and the personal goals our members achieved!

After two years of planning, due to interruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic, we finally got to organise the Arden Chairman’s Challenge! We hosted a day of training on the Saturday, Arden Awards Night in the evening and the tournament on the Sunday. The tournament consisted of standard polocrosse rules, as well as alternative rules for teams to gain bonus points. Teams were created of mixed ability; each team had a high, medium and low goal player. So everyone had an opportunity to play with members they wouldn’t normally. The weekend was a massive success and will definitely be an event hosted annually from now on!

Our 2021 season was the most successful, enjoyable and cake filled year Arden has had and will definitely be the most rememberable!