Ben Pitchley has announced he will step down from his role as general manager/head coach of Romford Junior Ice Hockey Club at the end of the month.
Pitchley made his debut for Romford Raiders towards the end of the 1990-91 season and finished with 582 appearances in a gold and blue jersey to his name, second most all-time behind only Danny Marshall (926).
The long-serving defenceman, who was also capped by GB U21s, was granted a testimonial before calling time on his playing career, having scored 59 goals and 160 assists over the course of 15 seasons.
He helped Raiders win the English League Division One South title (1997), English Premier League play-offs (2001) and EPL Cup (2002, 2005) and also coached junior teams at the old Rom Valley Way rink, with spells at Bracknell, Slough and with the England U13 squad.
But Pitchley, whose son JJ followed him into the Raiders ranks, has decided to call time on his involvement with the sport.
In a lengthy statement, he said: "This has been one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make regarding my coaching career, but for the time being it feels like the right one, as I need a break.
"I need to get some balance back into my life, as hockey has taken over so much of it during the last 30-plus years.
"Running a junior club is a full-time role, pretty much 24/7 and is something I’ve done non-stop for the last 10 years, here in Romford and Slough, plus previously for four years at the old rink in Rom Valley Way.
"During this time I’ve put hockey first on plenty of occasions that I shouldn’t have, due to not wanting to let kids, parents or the club down. And yet after all these sacrifices I've made over the years, there are still people that feel they are entitled to more from me.
"My aim when I came back to Romford was to put junior hockey back on the map in the area. To get Romford kids into regional/showcase programmes and then get the same happening with national teams.
"With the club getting a player into the England U13s team that travelled to Quebec [in February], this has been achieved, and the Romford Junior conveyor belt is back, albeit slowly, after five years in the new rink.
"I’d like to thank everyone that has been a part of this club's success during my time here, over the past five years, all the coaches, managers, parents and most importantly the players, as without you all, the club doesn’t function.
"To the people behind the scenes, that do so much helping me to run the club - you know how you are - thank you!"
Pitchley played a leading role in staging the Raiders Legends match at the Sapphire Ice & Leisure Centre in August 2018, when the likes of club founder Gord Jeffrey, Rob Stewart and many other stars from the past lined up against the current squad to help officially welcome the sport back to Romford.
He celebrates his 50th birthday on April 24 and, having given special thanks to the work done by Troy Walkington, Erskine Douglas and Alison Taylor, will spend his last day at the rink as GM/head coach on April 28.
"It's time for me to be a husband for Mrs Pitchley, a dad again for my two grown-up kids, a grandad for my granddaughter, and not let hockey consume my life, as much as it has done," he added.
"Club hockey has played a massive part of my life for the past 30-plus years, but for now, it's going on hold. For how long, I’m not sure."
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