Grove Menzieshill Hockey Club is a recipient of National Lottery direct club investment (DCI) funding, which supports the development of world class club sport.
The club has increased its youth membership from 72 to 149 over the past two years and put hockey at the heart of the community through a number of pioneering and innovative initiatives.
Grove Menzieshill were named by the European Hockey Federation as EHF European Club of the Year 2016 for small clubs.
Young people are at the heart of this club. Two young volunteer coaches have been appointed to support DCI-funded coach Gavin Byers, a senior Scotland international player.
Grove Menzieshill also has its own hockey ambassadors initiative led by young people to actively engage the next generation in hockey and grow club membership.
It's official: Carly is a rising star
The work the club has done in education and development of officials and umpires has borne great fruit, with former Grove Academy pupil Carly Edward (19) now an international umpire who was mentored through the club and Scottish Hockey.
“The link between the school and the club was so strong that I just felt like I was playing hockey all the time,” says Carly.
“When I was 14 I was approached by the coaches who asked me to umpire a men’s game, and ever since then I have just been doing more and more games.
“I’ve had so much support and development from the club and through Scottish Hockey. As a club, Grove Menzieshill are always there for you. It’s such a family club.”
A community of school links
Grove Menzieshill has links with seven Primary Schools and three High Schools in the Dundee area. sportscotland invests in a Regional School Sports Competition Officer in Tayside & Fife and the club supports this work with direct coaching support to Under-13 and Under-16 teams from Grove Academy.
Grove Menzieshill delivers lunchtime and after-school clubs in conjunction with Active Schools and supports the participation of pupils from two schools, Braeview High and Fintry Primary, which are situated in a deprived area of the city.
Gavin Byers says: "Grove Menzieshill Hockey Club is a club that prides itself on having close ties to the local community.
"The club regularly deals with local schools and businesses as well as enjoying involvement with community activities.”
The club, which forms part of the Forthill community sports hub, also works closely with the Local Authority sports development team on the provision of hockey activity in Dundee.
One of the facilities used by Grove Menzieshill is the pitch at DISC, which received a £194,539 sportscotland grant during the 2010/11 investment year.
Find out more
About #PlayingOurPart
- A series of three films created by sportscotland to promote the 2016-17 annual report (right)
About hockey
- Visit the Scottish Hockey website
About community clubs and school sport in Scotland
