Katie Eleftheriou, fan turned boss of the Bracknell Bees, gives a weekly insight into running a top ice hockey team.

So what does one do when the hockey season is finished? Could watch football if I were interested, but in truth they are a bunch of overpaid whiners who roll about a lot

Real men (and women!) play hockey.

Could go shopping, but again, I’m a tad bored with it all and there is nothing (outside of Punkyfish!) that I like at the moment.

Bored….bored…bored.

So in true style I started the week with… Stick & puck! Hurrah, baby hockey!

The kids had a break for a due to the school holiday and looked really up for it.

They sprinted around looking to get rid of the excess energy built up since the last training session chasing Coach Hogg about like little demonic sprites covered in hockey armour.

Lots of little sweaty faces running around at high speed.

My little fella Xander won the “winning ways” award for best improved for the week.

He ran around the changing room extremely happy and slept very soundly with it under the pillow. Very funny.

Tuesday saw me spend some time with Sharon, Stuart’s wife, as we targeted companies for potential sponsorship opportunities. Both local and national were coveted from a number of sources.

The evening degenerated into one of wine and song as we very rarely get to spend quality time together. We did do some work, but more was needed.

Wednesday… ahhh, Wednesday. Allow me to tell you a story.

Now, always accept that there are two sides to everything and this may not represent the facts that the other party sees as truth… but….

As you may, or indeed may not be, aware, a number of trophies appeared on eBay previously won by the Bees, but retained by the previous owner.

The previous owner had sold the trophies to a chap named “Andrew” and as soon as we were alerted to this fact we were in immediate contact with him via email almost on a daily basis.

Sometimes the transfers between the parties would be numerous in number per day.

Anyway, to cut an incredibly long and winding story as short as is possible, a price was agreed upon, cash for the figure was obtained and we were to meet in the cafeteria at the rink.

Additional to the handover of the trophies was the return of the socks that the players were wearing in seasons past.

Present were myself, Stuart, handler of the cash and Brian Miller, holder of the socks.

The socks belonged to the previous licensee of the Bees and we explained that was only right and proper that these should be returned directly to him - if he never received them we would not want to be liable for their loss.

In true clandestine fashion the meeting was arranged for 7pm. (No roses or newspapers were harmed during this operation).

We waited, drank coffee and tea and waited… no one showed. We stayed chatting for a long time and then we realised that no one was going to turn up to return the possessions that all the lads of seasons past had worked so hard for.

Apparently “Andrew” was there, but in later emails, claimed to have “not liked what he saw” when he arrived at the rink. Sadly we will never know as we have never spoken to “Andrew” directly despite him having all of our contact numbers.

I am unsure why anyone would want to trade the trophies for cash and 75 pairs of very old, very worn and very sweaty socks… whatever floats your boat I guess. Still disappointment turns to opportunity and Stuart helps with the quest for future sponsors back at my pad.

Thursday sees me taking the kids to their swimming lessons, with me not really concentrating on the pool but working on the presentation package prior to us sending out the requests that evening.

They have life guards to look after the pools, don’t they?

Invitations issuing commenced that night. Stuart and Sharon came over on Friday and we discussed the key points of the presentation, who was doing what and when and what we had to obtain and arrange to make it a success. We also started to play Wii and did so until the wee small hours.

It’s amazing how much your arms can hurt during the boxing game… specially when you focus your mind’sye on a particular target!

“Andrew” contacted Stuart again attempting to resurrect the conversation, provided the socks were again part of the deal. As previously explained the socks (are you getting how absurd this is yet??) could only be returned to the previous licensee of the Bees.

The negotiations did not go well with “Andrew”  - not happy with the club’s stance. It looks as if the trophies will not be back at the rink any time soon.

Saturday sees us skating with the kids in the public session in the morning coupled with a private lesson with Alex at the rink (it’s not the Hive unless the Bees are playing!) and a chance to be homely for the first week since Christmas, cutting the grass and generally tidying up.

It’s weird the things that you will resort to alleviate the boredom of no hockey.

Sunday the kids carried on with their skating lessons, it really does help them with the hockey, and we finalised the plans for the following weeks’ presentation.