September Newsletter
AISC September Newsletter Update
Message From The President
Welcome everyone,
As we finally wrap things up, I trust most of you are enjoying your time off from a busy hockey season. Our U16s have just completed their Ricky Burgess and Grant McCleod Tournament at North Harbour.
I attended the National Hockey Tournament (NHC) in Christchurch in mid-September, where our Auckland women took out the title with a 5-0 drubbing over Manawatu. Canterbury had the same result over North Harbour in the men’s section. Our Auckland men finished third in their match against Wellington, ending in a shoot-out after a 1-1 draw at full time.
It was great to see our AISC boys representing their respective provinces with pride.
I was delighted to attend our junior prizegiving, and it was special to see all the first-year children together with their friends. It was also great to see the newly elected and established life members attend and hand out awards to their respective teams.
Our five registered cricket teams are working hard in the nets for their upcoming season, commencing Labour Weekend. The lads would appreciate any support from the sidelines.
For those of you on holiday, enjoy the break and be kind to your parents.
Thank you all for your input and involvement. We are all part of this ever-evolving cog that defines us.
I look forward to seeing most of you at our upcoming senior prize giving.
Raj Pancha
President
Hockey Update
Message From Our Hockey Director
As another hockey season comes to a close, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to every coach and manager who has given their time, energy, and expertise to our Junior, Youth, and Senior hockey programs. Your dedication to developing skills, fostering teamwork and building character is the backbone of our club, and your efforts have been felt in every training session and every match. We also sincerely appreciate the ongoing support from families, volunteers, and officials who keep the wheels turning in our club, which has a proud history.
Our club is incredibly proud of the players who earned representative honours across Juniors, Youth and Seniors this season. From the Junior ranks, those selected showed a solid foundation of skills that bode well for the future. Our Youth players, balancing high-level representative commitments with development, demonstrated growing tactical understanding and resilience. Our senior representatives highlighted the depth of talent and the competitive edge that elevates the entire club.
The Junior season was truly a highlight, with a strong focus on development, participation and enjoyment that paid dividends on the field. The Funsticks Beginners were split into two teams, ensuring players received as much game time as possible. The aim was to build confidence, introduce the basic skills, and lay the groundwork for a lifelong love of the game. The Funsticks Advanced continued to hone and develop hockey skills, challenging players to push a little harder and think a little smarter about their movements and decisions. The Mini Sticks achieved great results across the board, reflecting the enthusiasm and creativity of our younger players as they learned to run, pass, and shoot with increasing precision. The Kiwi Sticks battled all season, showing resilience and steady improvement through the rounds. Team KC Patel narrowly missed out on reaching the final, a great result for our younger team. The Kwik Sticks were particularly successful, delivering some exciting hockey and demonstrating the benefits of sustained practice and smart game sense. Team Keshaw advanced a grade mid-season, a clear marker of progress and readiness to test themselves at a higher level. Team Kanji won the minor championship in the Red grade, a testament to their consistency and teamwork from the very start of the season. Across these programs, the thread was clear: enthusiasm, persistence and a steadily growing technical base propelled our players to real results on the field and, more importantly, sparked a lasting love of learning and healthy competition.
Youth hockey carried that momentum forward, with standout achievements that will be remembered in our club’s history for the way they reflected ambition and teamwork. Our Youth Girls won the Championship 1 grade, a result that speaks to the strength of our coaching, the courage of the players, and the depth of our squad. It’s a triumph that showcases the expanding skill set and leadership within our girls’ program, and it will inspire the next generation of players to aim even higher. On the boys’ side, the Youth Boys advanced to the Premier grade and finished in the top four, a significant step up and a clear indication that the pathway is working as intended. These outcomes underscore the breadth of talent in our youth ranks and the value of the club’s focus on development across all ages.
Senior hockey delivered a season filled with positive results and valuable learning experiences. The Premier Men’s team came within a whisker of the AHA final, losing the semi-final in a shoot-out — a heartbreaker, but one that reflects how competitive this team has become. Our Division 2 Women prevailed to win the minor championship, a strong demonstration of depth and dedication across the squad and a reward for the hard work put in by players and coach throughout the year. The Men’s Premier Reserves competed well every week, showing grit and consistency that kept pressure on every opponent. The Division 1 Men’s finished fifth, a solid result in a highly competitive league. Meanwhile, both Division 3 Men’s teams competed favourably in the major and minor championships, proving that determination and competitive spirit are thriving even in the social grades. Across the seniors, the culture was one of resilience, teamwork and improvement, with players supporting one another and coaches identifying pathways for ongoing growth.
As we prepare for the off-season, let’s carry forward the lessons learned this year:
- The value of structured development pathways in Juniors.
- The ambition and discipline in Youth.
- The focus and resilience in Seniors.
I’m enormously proud of what each player, coach and manager has contributed, and I’m grateful for the patience, support and encouragement shown by our wider community. We’ll continue to build on the foundations laid this season, refining our coaching curricula, expanding opportunities for player development, and ensuring that our club remains a welcoming and competitive home for everyone who loves hockey. Here’s to a well-deserved off-season, and to the next season when we’ll come back ready to chase new goals, celebrate more successes and, above all, enjoy the game together.
Remember: it’s never too early to start preseason training. 😉
Sanjay Soma
Hockey Director
Youth Boys Team Report
This seaon marked our club’s first entry into this grade in quite some time, and it has been a rewarding journey. From the outset, the team demonstrated a strong willingness to learn, grow, and support one another. Many of the players were meeting for the first time at the Festival of Hockey, where early introductions quickly developed into genuine teamwork.
Despite being new to the grade, the team performed admirably, finishing with a record of three wins, five draws, and two losses. We narrowly missed out on a podium finish, losing the third and fourth playoff game 1-0. While the result was disappointing, the overall performance throughout the season was commendable.
The number of drawn matches reflects a solid defensive foundation and a competitive mindset, but also highlights an area for development: goal scoring. This may be an opportunity for the club to consider further investment in attacking skills at the junior level to help build a stronger pipeline of goal scorers.
Throughout the season, we pushed the players hard, demanding focus, discipline, and continuous effort. Not once did anyone shy away or suggest it was too much. The boys turned up every week with a clear desire to improve, and their commitment was evident in every training session and match. That kind of attitude speaks volumes about the character of this group.
We are also excited to see some of our players move on to new opportunities, and we look forward to watching them continue to develop their careers. At the same time, it has been encouraging to see our younger players grow into leadership roles within the group. Their development, both on and off the field, gives us great confidence in the future of our club.
There are players in this group who have the potential to go all the way. Their natural ability, combined with the work ethic they have shown this season, sets them apart. As a club, we should do everything possible to foster this talent through coaching, mentorship, and opportunities to play at higher levels, so they have every chance to reach their full potential.
We are proud of what this team has achieved and look forward to what lies ahead. With this level of commitment and spirit, the future of our club is in good hands.
Sanjay Rama, Nilesh Vaidya, and Deepak Lala
AISC Strategic Plan Update
Thank you to all who have contributed to the strategic plan development to date, whether it be through filling in the member survey, attending a workshop, or joining the planning committee; the hard work has paid off. We have now completed the AISC Strategic Plan, and it is in its final stages of being ratified.
Please take a moment to review the 2025 version. This document is intended to be a living guide that informs the club's purpose and vision, identifying key focus areas and outlining key performance indicators for success in each of these areas.
This strategic plan has been provided for review by you, the community, and is open for comment for two weeks from the date of this newsletter, closing on Friday, 17th October. Please pass comments, whether they be in support or otherwise, back to secretary@aisc.org.nz
AISC Event Calendar
We would love to see you at some of the upcoming events:
Senior & Youth Prizegiving: Saturday 4th October – Michaels Avenue Community Centre
NZISA Golf Tournament: Sunday 19th October – Russley Golf Club, Christchurch
AISC AGM: Sunday 30th November 2025 – Venue & Time TBC
This wraps up our September update. Should you have any questions or queries, please feel free to reach out to any of our Executive team or contact us at info@aisc.org.nz
Warm regards,
AISC Executive Team