Sports Section Reports

Ben Johnson has confusingly been joined in the team by Ben Johnson a school boy (no relation). Fortunately, they play at opposite ends of the pitch from one another so they don’t often have to double up. The seconds had the formidable Stuart Anderson in goals and it really was a shame for the opposition to have to play against someone of his standard (I believe a university player is still recovering from one of Stuarts more enthusiastic saves).

Stephen Mair took on club treasurer duties as well as playing in the seconds with his son Lewis. The books are in fine shape which is more than can be said about Stephen’s back. We are very grateful to those members who decided to donate their share of the club centre crowdfunding to the hockey section.

One of the saddest moments of the last year was the eventual sale of the Grammar Club house due to commercial necessity. Over the years great friendships have been formed at 86 Queens Road as well as several marriages. Some of my fondest hockey memories are having a post-match beer with friends and opposition teams and it was fantastic that we were able to continue this almost to the end, albeit under ever differing Covid restrictions. One fine parting memory was returning to the club fire-pit at approx. 10 pm to check to see if everyone had gone home; I am happy to say they had not and both the Grammar players and the University hockey team were still enjoying a beer as the embers settled.

We would like to thank David Leighton and the outgoing Club Centre committee for the fantastic work they put in to keep the place going these last few years. There are countless others over the years who have spent endless hours helping run the Centre as well as those original members who dared to dream that such a facility could and should open. Although the end of the Club Centre has come, it is most certainly not the end of the Hockey Section.

Best wishes to all past, present and future

James Williams Club Captain

Rugby

Season 2020-2021

As everyone is no doubt aware the Board and Council of Scottish Rugby voted to cancel all league rugby for Season 2020-21 in light of the public health issues regarding playing contact sport and groups travelling from one area to another in Scotland and possibly spreading Covid 19.

Former Pupils’ Section

We had completed our fixtures for season 2019-20 but as many other clubs had not, prior to the first lock down, all rugby competitions were declared null and void. Our 1st team had already secured 5th place in the Premiership, being the highest placed totally amateur club in Scotland. Our 2nd XV finished in Caledonia North 2 in 4th place.

During the first lock down a large number of players, committee members and assorted volunteers conducted an emergency food and prescription service and assisted over 300 individuals in the Aberdeen area. We mobilised before local authorities and Scottish Government launched their integrated volunteer network, and we were one of the first emergency assistors registered. All our clients were very grateful and it assisted in keeping the club spirit going amongst those involved. We stood down in July, after various local authority and government initiatives filled the void we had stepped into.

Although limited pre-season commenced in Autumn 2020 at Sheddocksley (Rubislaw was closed other than for School pupils) everything ceased due to Government lockdowns in November.

In the hiatus caused by the pandemic we have been busy digitalising all the historic documents associated with the Club, including photographs. These will be on the new website we have commissioned and will also feature as an aid to a dementia assistance programme, as well as a social media monthly feed on the history of the Club.

We have been busy preparing for season 2021/2 and have recruited further coaches (Craig McLeod, Stuart Corsar and Rod Aspe) to assist in running the squads along with Head Coach Ali O’Connor, Greg Ryan and Ian Stanger. At this year’s AGM Colin Neilson stood down as President due to his move to Edinburgh to practice as an Advocate. Howard Moles was duly elected to serve as President for 2021 onwards.

A partnership agreement between the Club and the SRU has allowed us to set up a new schools coaching programme as well as a partnership with Aberdeen University to provide coaching for their men’s and women’s BUCS Rugby Union teams. These developments will further embed the Club into the rugby structure of North East Scotland in the years ahead.

A number of senior players, who had planned to retire at the end of season 2020/21, have missed their last year of pulling on the jersey. We wish them all the best and hopefully we will see them remain connected to the Club either as supporters or coaches. A crop of new talent has been

undergoing pre-season training since May and hopefully they can replicate the performances of their predecessors.

We have also been busy at Rubislaw purchasing replacement posts, refurbishing the stand and have carried out maintenance on the floodlights as well as clearing away assorted debris around the field. A new loudspeaker system is being installed into the stand as well as a means of mounting our new electronic scoreboard.

The season kicks off on 4th September 2021 when we host Edinburgh Academicals at Rubislaw and hope to see as many supporters as possible after our 18-month suspension.

Women’s Hockey

Gordon Thomson

Chairman

Life in August 2020 was so very different to the start of any other of our thirty-five seasons for our hockey girls, as indeed it was for the whole world. It was touch and go as to whether schools would even be allowed to resume in class teaching. None of us would have believed that we would have mostly been working from home since March and that even hugging people was illegal! Lots of people put in lots of hard work behind the scenes and, once the authorities had been persuaded, AGSFP Hockey finally got permission to resume outdoor training (with restrictions!) at Rubislaw in October 2020.

There was a frenzy of activity for the committee members responsible for booking pitches, identifying coaches and contacting all the players. The Club appointed a COVID Officer and set out the rules and restrictions for the players, coaches and parents. The rules were driven by Scottish Hockey’s instructions in conjunction with other guidance from Aberdeen City Council.

The final efforts before the return to the pitch focussed on producing COVID kit bags for all the different training groups. A set of multi coloured (so we knew which kit bag was for which training group!) bags were purchased. After much discussion on what each bag should contain, the COVID kits were then invented. Each bag finally contained: COVID spray (for wiping equipment); single use masks (for use in first aid moments); hand sanitiser; disposable gloves (for first aid moments); and plastic bags (for disposing of any first aid waste). Only once these many

Former Pupils’ Section hours of effort and countless zoom meetings did the Club get back on the turf. The relief for all was significant. The turn-out of players was exceptional (and within the rules thankfully for the COVID Officer) and even though the restrictions made the experience bizarre everyone was thrilled to be back at Rubislaw.

When North District confirmed a set of friendly fixtures were to be arranged, the girls were elated. Clubs were not permitted to travel outwith their own health board region. This meant no trips to Inverness or Elgin but the two team Captains knuckled down and pulled squads together. The games were such a joy for all concerned. The friendly nature of the fixtures coupled with the unbridled relief of ‘doing something (almost) normal’ again resulted in some exciting hockey and lots of fun for everyone.

The Club succeeded in presenting two teams each week of the preChristmas friendly season and grateful thanks go to the players, Murray Bissett (coach), Gillian Bain (Umpire Secretary), James and Emma Williams (for all the pitch bookings), all the umpires (we could not play without you all) and of course all those who kept COVID registers to keep everyone playing.

The indoor facilities were all still off-limits and so 2020-2021 gave us a season with no indoor training or matches. Devastating for those for whom indoor matches are a highlight and in fact the way the weather evolved there would have been very little in the way of outdoor training or matches from January to March either! A whole year after the nation had been asked to ‘stay at home and save lives’ and the subject of getting back onto Rubislaw was on the agenda again. Training resumed (with noncontact restrictions in place) and then finally in April hockey was allowed for adults under almost normal conditions. For the first time ever the Club trained right through until the end of the school session in late June. Sincere thanks to Helen Bruce and Claire Drummond for leading the training sessions. There were no matches between clubs during this time but there was plenty of hockey and lots of attendees at training which bodes well for the coming season.

Youth hockey was amazingly well attended at all levels. The Club had to register all the primary school and Aberdeen Grammar School players with Scottish Hockey as Active Schools were not operating normal activities through the pandemic. By the end of June 2021, Emma Mair (and her merry band of coaches – thanks in particular to coaches Peter Goldie, Alasdair Freeman, Brian Fitzpatrick, Emma Williams, Andy 63

Martin, Lewis Mair, Rebecca Freeman, Rob Bruce and Gillian Bain amongst others) were delivering hockey to 130 different youngsters every week. Some of the youths were attending several sessions and some of the coaches were attending several sessions every week for which the Club is very grateful.

In May and June several U10, U12, U14 and U16 match play sessions took place across Aberdeen City and it was hugely satisfying to see all our young hockey stars in AGSFP colours. It is still not clear what season 2021-2022 will bring but the good news for us all is that there is lots of young talent on the books. Thanks to all those who made the youth events possible for this group.

In summary, our sincere thanks go to all the AGSFP Club members involved in the NHS, education and other key workers, you all went above and beyond this year and we are forever grateful.

As ever, if you are keen to take up hockey again or have never played before you are very welcome to come along to training to see how you get on. Training is on Tuesday evenings at Rubislaw from 7.00pm – 8.30pm and hopefully starts around the third Tuesday in August. This coming season we are planning to offer P6/P7/S1 and S2 the chance to play in another weekly session from 6-7pm on Tuesdays before senior training time.

Emma Mair, Secretary - emma.mair14@gmail.com

Annual Dinner

Following the last-minute cancellation of last year’s Dinner at the start of Covid lockdown a provisional booking was made with the Royal Northern & University Club for Friday 26 March 2021. This could not go ahead because of the continuing Covid restrictions. It is hoped that, subject to the relaxation of dining guidelines, a Dinner can be held at about the same time in 2022.

New Integrated Database Driven System

Membership Platform Update

Following research carried out on a number of suppliers and much discussion, the Club Executive decided on ToucanTech as the vehicle for our new Membership Platform.

The platform was set up with a go live date in mid-November 2020 and there has been a tremendous uptake of members registering. All that is required to register is an internet address and a visit to agsfp.com. If a member does not have their own unique internet address it is possible to register under another person’s address e.g. spouse. The site is still being developed, but already contains much information on the history of the School and Club. News stories and monthly updates are being issued by email to members.

Once registered, contributions to the site may be submitted for publishing on far-ranging topics from memories of Schooldays, how careers have progressed, calls for reunions and any other topic that may be of interest to others in our Former Pupils community. It is also possible to interrogate the site and to send a note to other FPs registered on the site.

A further development was the creation of sites for our existing Centres –Canada, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and York. This allows the Centres to communicate easily with their members and to have their own unique area for their members to utilise.

One area where current members can assist as we build on the existing structure of the Platform is by inviting Former Pupils, be they school friends, relatives, neighbours or whatever, to register at www.agsfp.com and help contribute to our Former Pupils Club. Details regarding current subscriptions may be found on page 67 of this Magazine. We have already repatriated some ‘lost’ members where contact had been lost as a result of changes of address. Your assistance with this very important task will be much appreciated.

When we think of the new Platform we have to remember none of this would have been possible without the generosity of one anonymous FP benefactor and our thanks are due again for his support to our Club in bringing us up to date with modern technology which benefits us so much.

General Data Protection Regulation

The attention of Club members is drawn to the following Privacy Statement in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation which came into force on 25 May 2018.

About us

The Aberdeen Grammar School F.P. Club is a small not-for-profit organization. No officials receive a salary. Any reimbursement is on a receipt only basis.