HARPENDEN hockey club celebrated another successful season at their annual Awards Dinner on Saturday. With five of the eight adult teams securing promotion and the club s Junior Programme flourishing

HARPENDEN hockey club celebrated another successful season at their annual Awards Dinner on Saturday.

With five of the eight adult teams securing promotion and the club's Junior Programme flourishing, club captain Paul Nash said: "The men's seconds have secured promotion to the challenging Division Two, while the newly created fifth team comprising colts and veterans also won promotion while giving the youngsters some great experience of adult hockey."

The only real disappointment was the relegation of the first team, after three successive promotions, but Nash remains confident that the side will have learned a great deal and will bounce straight back.

The ladies have been even more successful, with all three sides moving up a level next year. The first team won their league and will now play in Division One, the highest they have ever been, while the seconds won their second successive promotion and the thirds went unbeaten all season.

The club junior section continues to blossom with more than 150 members and four teams performing well in the Herts Junior Hockey Leagues. A record number of Harpenden youngsters are playing in the county sides.

In a tough year for his side, Todd Baines shone above all and walked away with the coveted first team Player of the Year, while skipper Jac Clark took the honours for the ladies Firsts. The Juniors of the Year were Alex Beggs and Julia Burnell. Club captain Rosemary White said: "Those two have really bright futures here, that is for sure."

Harpenden Award winners 2007/08

Player of the Year

Mens 1: Todd Baines

Mens 2: Ben Turner

Mens 3: Adam Cole

Ladies 1: Jac Clark

Ladies 2: Jenny White

Ladies 3: Lucy Clark

Top goalscorers

Men: Alex Radgman

Ladies: Karen Lincoln

Team of the Year: Unbeaten Ladies 3