SIMIAN Sponsors Deeside Dragons

SIMIAN were thrilled to get behind ice hockey team Aspray Chester Deeside Dragons as the match day sponsor for their match against Nottingham Lions on 19th March 2023.

Some of you may know that our Managing Director, Simon Hughes, is a huge ice hockey fan. He hung up his own skates 28 years ago, but now you’ll often still find him on the ice coaching the Deeside Dragons Junior Team from their base at Deeside Ice Arena.

The rink at Deeside, which has played host to couples training for the hit TV show Dancing on Ice, was closed during the pandemic and temporarily converted to an NHS Nightingale Hospital and vaccination centre. When the rink finally reopened in December 2022, players hadn’t had an opportunity to train and work was needed to regenerate the club after such a long hiatus.

At this time Simon offered his support to the Deeside Dragons Junior Ice Hockey Club, as an assistant coach to try and help regenerate the Junior teams at Deeside.

He said,

“I stopped playing Ice Hockey 28 years ago and have always wanted to coach. Despite my best endeavours to encourage my own kids to play, they pursued badminton and netball instead. I am proud of what they have achieved in their chosen sports and now they are more independent, I thought it was time to put something back into the sport I still love.

My work and family commitments take priority, but I’m pleased to be able to assist the excellent coaching team in the Dragon’s organisation when I can. They seem pleased to have me involved and will be supporting me with some formal coaching qualifications in the summer.”

Deeside Dragons are a volunteer-run club competing in the EIHA’s NIHL1 North Division. The pandemic and temporary closures of the ice rinks were a blow to the sport but there is huge interest and support for ice hockey in the region. Fortunately, many players have returned to the game and there is a great level of interest and participation from beginners too.

The team have had a fantastic first season back on the ice and we were pleased to be able to support them as sponsors on what turned out to be an incredibly exciting match. It was a victorious night for the Dragons beating Nottingham Lions 11-2.

#BeMoreDragon. Bring on next season!