Folkestone Optimist Hockey Club, who celebrated their 75th Anniversary in 2001, are essentially a family-orientated Hockey Club running Men’s, Ladies and Junior sides in various regional and county leagues as well as promoting social mixed hockey as part of its normal winter activities.

The Club works particularly hard in promoting a friendly atmosphere for opponents and visiting officials to its Cheriton Road headquarters and has built a reputation over the years as one of, if not the, the most sociable clubs on the county circuit.

Having astroturf, grass pitches and its own clubhouse at the same venue obviously helps to promote team spirit, an essential part of the success of the club. The International Easter Hockey Festival, run by the Optimist’s Club, is the oldest such festival in the country as has now surpassed its 100th year.

On Saturdays, the club runs seven Men’s sides, including its Development Squad the Fledglings, and three Ladies sides - all competing in their various leagues. Junior sides, both boys and girls, compete generally on Sunday mornings in Kent Junior Leagues and the club runs a highly successful local Mixed League on Thursday evenings.

So there’s plenty of hockey for everybody regardless of age, ability or ambition. We currently have regular players well into their 50s - even one or two in their 60s! All abilities are catered for from the finely-tuned and extremely fit to the ‘only here for the beer’ brigade. New members of either category or any other in between are actively sought and will be heartily welcomed.