Third Place for the Sting but confirmation that the Clubmark Club is the best place for ice hockey in the country, and all within three years from starting-up.

Sutton Sting were awarded 3rd place in the National Sports Club of the Year Awards.  The glittering awards ceremony took place at the Grange City Hotel in London and was hosted by Eleanor Oldroyd from Radio 5 Live.

The Sting were up against some high profile and very experienced opposition and it was clear from the presentations that the judges had a hard job to select the Club of the Year from the 6 finalists. In the end it was a very strong submission from Richmond Volleyball Club that took the top honours and their work in the community to diverse and minority groups was obviously a key factor which swung the votes their way. Congratulations to them!

But the Sting put up a great display of the credentials achieved in a very short space of time since the Club was established in April 2006. It was clear that the Sutton club has demonstrated the type of organisational and playing development that sets it apart from the other ice hockey clubs to make the Sting the best club for ice hockey in the Country, a fact recognised by the 3rd place award. It is also clear that performance on the field of play, or on the rink in the Sting's case, is not the be-all and end-all to running junior sports. Sure it is nice to win and this has been the case for the Sting U12's but for everyone else its the fact that Sutton Sting has a competition structure that provides opportunity for all people to get involved in ice hockey.

Speaking after the event the Sting's Mr Fix-it, Gary Apsley, said,

"Third is not first and I can't say I'm not just a bit disappointed, however I am a realist and to achieve this award at this time in our history is absolutely magnificent".

Club Head Coach Rob Saunders said,

"Sure we would have loved to have gained the top honour but you know Third Place is a lot better than last place and when you think there are 150,000 Clubs under the CCPR's banner, little old Sutton Sting is right-up there with the very best in the land and that will do for me!"