Viper 10 Sportswear is fortunate enough to work with and supply playing kit and leisurewear to university sports clubs and societies all across the UK. Viper 10 would like to take this opportunity to show one of our university sides some love and delve into what makes the students involved with Oxford Brookes University Hockey Club (OBUHC) such a special bunch.
OBUHC are currently the largest club or society at Oxford Brookes University, catering to around 200 members, consisting of 8 BUCS teams – 4 male and 4 female, as well as 2 ‘social’ teams.
Last year saw OBUHC win the university’s ‘Club of the Year’ award following an impressive 2017/18 season that saw 7 of the 8 competitive sides that were allegeable for promotion achieve promotion! Alongside these league successes, both the Men’s 1stteam and Ladies 1stteam have won the Big BUCS Wednesday back-to-back for the last 2 years!
Organised similarly to a fully functioning government, OBUHC have a committee made up of 18 members that oversee the running of the club, manage finances and organise social activities. When it comes to coaching, the standard is also of the highest quality with OBUHC benefiting from the knowledge and expertise of the likes of Sarah Thomas (former GB Hockey player) and Danny Newcombe (former Wales Hockey Head Coach).
Playing their home games in the heart of the Oxford Brookes campus, based next to the sports centre and sports bar creates a truly special atmosphere and according to OBUHC’s Ella Clayton, this leads to matches ‘bringing in big crowds and big noise every week, creating a real 12th man’.
OBUHC’s vigour on the field is unrivalled, apart from when it comes to their partying off the field! Renowned as one of the most social clubs around, OBUHC hold a fancy dress night once a week; as well as a pub crawl on the opening Wednesday of the year and a host of other organised socials, including an annual Christmas Dinner, Smart Socials, Committee Races, Super Sixes (charity 6 a-side Hockey Tournament for a local mental health charity: Mind), Sports Awards evening and Curry Socials – Safe to say that the social secretaries are continuously busy organising a jam-packed social calendar!
Viper 10 think that Ella says it best when trying to contextualise the OBUHC culture– ‘The social side of the club is what draws so many people to OBUHC and makes all the members’ university life so memorable; definitely living up to our university’s reputation – “Brookes Not Books”’.
If you thought OBUHC stopped there, think again! To top offa year filled with epic socials, the entirety of Brookes Sport go abroad on an end of season tour, followed by the annual varsity clash with Reading University. An event that is very much looked forward to by all involved, Varsity is a day full of music, crowds, drinking and maybe a little rowdiness…this year Reading visits Brookes, after which the athletes head to ‘Fishies’ where the Brookes athletes show their Reading counterparts how to ‘booze’.
From a Viper 10 Sportswear perspective, it has been a true pleasure to work with the Oxford Brookes University Hockey Club and we look forward to seeing the relationship continue to flourish and grow. The entire V10 team would like to take this opportunity to wish OBUHC the best of luck for the rest of the season, not that you need it! Keep smashing it OBUHC!
Photo: Erin Forsyth
