Photo credit and copyright: Danny Simpson
The Club was formed in 1934 as Rawdon and District Hockey Club. After the war the club became Horsforth HC and under that name had a ‘golden era’ in the mid sixties when the Club provided seven players for the Yorkshire County Team. The Captain David Higham amassed over two hundred county caps and also played for England.
The Club later moved to play at Farsley Cricket Club and the name changed again to Farsley HC. A new pavilion was built on the Ground in conjunction with the Cricket and Bowling Sections and was opened in 1972.
With the move to playing on Astroturf the Club was relocated to Horsforth School and the name was changed to Leeds Hockey Club. Under this banner the club went from strength to strength, growing to a point where we fielded six Men’s teams and five Women’s teams playing in the Yorkshire and North Region Leagues.
In 2006 the Club moved again to the fantastic facilities at Sports Park Weetwood at the University of Leeds – our current home. From here the Club began to form exciting partnerships with both the University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University, now Leeds Beckett University.
In 2014 the Club merged with the performance teams of the University of Leeds Men’s HC and the whole of Leeds Beckett University HC.
In 2020 the Club merged with the performance team of the University of Leeds Women’s HC, also know as Leeds Gryphons, who became LHC Women’s 2XI.
April 2020 saw the Club successfully obtain charity status with the mission statement:
“TO FOSTER AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT OF HOCKEY FOR ALL AGES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDING FACILITIES FOR PLAYING HOCKEY, OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECREATION, UMPIRING AND COMPETITION.”
We now field eight Men’s teams, seven Women’s teams, one Men’s vets team, one Mixed team and we have a thriving Junior section.
So whether you are a working adult, a local student or an aspiring junior player – you are welcome at Leeds Hockey Club. Join the club now and help write the next chapter in our history!