I am afraid I have to tell you the sad news that Chris Bennett passed away on the 4th January. Chris was a huge part of FEHC and the hockey world. He was a player, and a coach for both the men’s and ladies’ sections taking the ladies 1s into their cup victories in 2018 and 2019 - double time cup winners and league winners - and was also instrumental in many league promotions. He was also a Hampshire JAC coach so was well known throughout the County.
He used some great sayings as a coach including ‘team of pencils’ - one pencil is easy to break but 11 pencils together are hard to break. As a player he would often tell the team regarding a feisty opposition ‘leave it to me, I’ll get under their skin!’ I am sure there are plenty of other anecdotes which will rise to the surface as we remember him.
The Club played an important part in his life; he met Janette, his wife through the Club, both his children have played for us at various times. Introduced by Nick Corner, Chris was a prickly player in the 1st XI, he went to Kenya in 1988 on our African Hockey Tour and continued to contribute both n and off the pitch in many ways. He continued to play as he got older, albeit at lower levels but always tried to coach and give advice to all the team and was always prickly!
As a club we will be holding a minute’s silence before all home matches on Saturday and we will also go ahead with the Chris Bennett annual charity game on 13th April that was started last year. We will let you know of any funeral arrangements or charity donations once we have the information.
He will be hugely missed and our sympathies and thoughts go to Janette, Ryan and Jodie at this sad time.