Every year the subject of play-ups and fees comes up, and every year it leads to difficult decisions to be made; We want our most able players to be stretched, but we also need to make sure that the club is financially strong to meet the needs of all of our players, no matter what their ability. This year, we have decided to make is as simple as possible; Any player who plays a game outside their own age group will be charged a flat rate of £5. We do not expect exceptions. The fee will be paid to the manager of the team that is played up to on game day. That’s a lot less than in previous years, but we know that some parents didn’t take advantage of play-up offers because of the cost, and we want to prevent that happening. On the other hand, playing up is a privilege, not a right, and no player should be expecting to play up on a regular basis and certainly play-ups to the detriment of the players in the older team will not be entertained. Its something to take advantage of when and if the opportunity presents itself.

Alison Frost
GM Sutton Sting Ice Hockey Academy