Chris Duppa-Miller
Chris has been a member for 60 years, played some 1,000 games, then umpired for 17 years (so some ~300 games) and was instrumental in the foundation of Warwick Hockey Club as we know it today:
Chris moved to Leamington at the tender age of 18 and joined Lockheed-Leamington Hockey Club with three teams and very few employees playing. Chris became Chairman and, by the early 1970s, fearing that the playing fields that were owned by Lockheed, would be sold, Chris recognised the need to proactively look for another venue. Chris oversaw the move to join Warwick Cricket Club at what is now our home. The club house was enlarged, adding changing rooms, showers and kitchen, with members painting the simple carpentry. Chris and other members brought their lawnmowers down to cut the rough outfield to create playable grass, set out 3 pitches, made goals and corner flags. Ever resourceful, old red cricket balls were commandeered and painted white for hockey!
Each week the pitches were re-marked out with painted white lines, the balls re-painted, sandwiches prepared for teas. The tea-urn had to be turned on at half-time! Selection meeting was held on Monday evenings and a postcard was sent to every player with their particular team match details.
Chris recognises the massive leap forward for hockey with the arrival of astro pitches, plastic balls and new shaped sticks fabricated with new exotic materials (rather than the old laminated wood with wrapped toweling grips). Chris been central to the early development and has witnessed the growth of Warwick to become a mixed club with 10+ regular Saturday teams along with expanding the support for player development, even to include umpire coaching!
Thank you Chris for all your efforts as you have now decided to retire from umpiring.
Chris says "Time to do some gardening"
