Claire Sage Swindon Hockey Club.
One of our own.

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It is with great sadness we share the heartbreaking news that our beloved member Claire Sage, passed away after a long illness on Thursday 16th September aged 48. She was surrounded by her loving family and husband Craig.

Claire joined Swindon hockey club in the mid 90’s and her first game was for the Ladies 2s. Claire arrived at her first game and sat in the changing rooms at Greendown with the new teammates she’d met for the first time that week. To Claire’s surprise they announced they needed to elect a new captain… One by one they went round the room asking people if they’d be willing to take on the role. Starting with Claire. Claire, being Claire, far too polite and helpful said “I don’t mind if no one else wants to” thinking someone is bound to want to and you guessed it, no one else wanted to, so she was elected L2 captain on debut! This was the start of Claire’s love with the club and our love of her.

Over the next few years Claire captained the 2’s as a formidable and solid left back. She put her stamp on the team and dictated the style of play more so than she dictated the pace of play! After impressing in the 2’s, Claire moved up to the Ladies 1’s in 1998. Here she excelled and come rain or shine (or hail or gales!) could always be spotted controlling the left, sporting a wimp shirt or, at the slightest whiff of sunshine, slopping on the sun cream.

By the time Claire made her last appearance in 2018 she had represented the Ladies 1s for 20 years. During that time Claire’s dedication to the club and her teammates was unwavering. She was a woman who loved a spreadsheet. Never was a match fee or fine not paid, printed directions to away games not available, a cake for someone’s birthday missed or the different votes at the end of the season not calculated. Claire was our super organised one, our living calendar and the one we all aspired to be more like.

It would be fair to say that speed was not something that Claire was renowned for as a defender; playing sweeper or left back. However there were occasions when she did break early on penalty corners which made us all laugh; pity this was before the rule change of sending players to the halfway line! There were the rare occasions when she would find herself in the oppositions 25, willing herself on to have a shot if she ever got into the circle. Though, somewhat unfortunately, her final stats show, for all the times she found the back of the net; she was a more prolific scorer of own goals than offensive goals.

Those who played with her in defence remember her infectious giggle every time they were out sprinted by some 19-year-old gazelle or when Joops made one of her regular donkey passes. For the many players who have played with Claire they would describe her as hugely reliable taking down those speedy right wingers, she never got in a flap and had a calming presence on pitch. She also knew how to mark . A skill some of us have still never quite mastered.

Socially, Claire was at the heart of many an occasion. She always arriving on time despite understanding the teams lack of time management. She came to the rescue on Sinterklaas evenings armed with a bag of salad and carrot sticks. The highlight being Claire’s unwanted gift (or Adi’s creative one). The Highworth night out will always be remembered as Claire took the team on a pub crawl of Highworth. An evening that ended with flashing blue lights and lots of sore heads.

Claire’s selfless dedication to the club continued as she was the treasurer for many years helping to secure the long term future of the club as we moved from Isambard School to our current home the Deanery.

Despite her health concerns and the pandemic over the last few years, Claire never complained about life and the hand she had been dealt. She just smiled that smile and said she would be well again soon. Claire will always be remembered for her infectious giggle, warm smile and of course her big hair!

Claire was an amazing, lovely, caring and honest friend, who contributed so much to Swindon Hockey club and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

Our thoughts are with her husband Craig, her family, friends and hockey teammates at this incredibly sad and difficult time.

On Sunday 19th September we invite all who knew her to meet us at the Deanery school Swindon from 10am for reflection and a minute applause before the match at 10.30am.
All welcome.

Claire Sage. One of our own.