Over the past couple of weeks, The Hook has been running a reader’s survey to get a better idea of what you like and don’t like about the website. From this, over 530 of you responded, providing invaluable information which can be used to develop the site further and there is a hope to have an improved version of the site available in August.
Beyond the statistical data garnered, over 200 comments, advice and requests were also posted; here’s a flavour of the comments which I hope will guide the development of the website in the future and meet your expectations. I’ve endeavoured to post as many of your comments as possible.
I’ve added a couple of my own thoughts but the main comment from my point of view is the future of the site is in your hands; offer your services, whatever they are to help grow The Hook. There are plenty of ways to get in touch; email hookresults@yahoo.com, leave a comment, a message on Facebook or on Twitter!
1) Increased coverage
Survey responses: The majority of requests were to expand the coverage of the website.
This included the expansion to cover women’s division two; first teams outside of divisions one and two; more stories on the schoolboy leagues; club underage hockey; weekly club feature interviews; junior club teams; women’s division two goalscoring charts; more coverage on hockey outside Dublin; more international coverage from large events like the World Cup and Olympics; interviews with key members of the Irish hockey community (players, coaches, administrators) and greater Masters coverage.
The Hook’s response: There were over 60 requests along these lines. Currently, I would love for The Hook to be in a position to expand beyond the current breadth of coverage but it is not feasible without some new contributors.
As such, if you know of a budding journalist, photographer or stats nerd who would like to get involved with the site, I am really keen to hear from them. In the past there have been a string of requests on the site for people to offer their services but barring the incredible contributions of the photographers and copy from a small handful of notable people, nothing substantial has come of this. Maybe I have not advertised this well enough but if you’re reading this and want to help out, I would love to have you on board.
Along these lines, here are a couple of suggestions that will certainly be taken on board:
* “More guest interviews/slots would be good addition (eg the Ray O’Connor series) – Amazing amount of content from one person (with some contributions) – need to stomp on the people who ask for the impossible without providing anything”
* “Guest articles could be good addition; changes from the norm and gives a different insight, a Secret Hockey Player along the lines of the Secret Footballer would be brilliant, may be by a f ormer international/high level player
* “Maybe consider a ‘Stats Input’ App that Clubs can enter updates and data on Players, Teams performance, Key events and fans/supporters attending matches.
* “Create some formality around a network of correspondents for The Hook would help deliver total coverage on all aspects as to maintain as a hobby for one person is a massive effort. Similar to recent masters coverage Helen Johnston writing a piece and getting it published with credit is good. An exceptional service to the Hockey Community given the range and depth of stories that are covered.”
2) All-Ireland site
Survey responses: “Help Munster men’s hockey to survive and get rid of centralisation.” “Time to go All-Ireland lads, this site is the best hockey site in Ireland and we need you to provide coverage for Ulster”; “I’d like the hook to become an all-island service. It is invaluable and in Ulster we are jealous of what the Leinster hockey public have! Go global!!! Please”
The Hook’s response: As above, we had an Ulster contributor for a while two seasons ago; unfortunately they were no longer able to commit to writing a weekly column but I’m all ears if anyone wants to take up the mantle. There is work in the pipeline for a new independent Ulster website at http://www.passbackhockey.co.uk/ which is planning to launch in August 2013.
3) The Comments:
Survey responses: A hugely divided issue, for the most part your suggestions were split along with those requesting less restrictions/”censorship” of comments and those who desire more accountability for the comments posted.
Here’s a flavour of them:
* More accountability: “Comments should include real name. Anonymity gives many a license to add rubbish.”
“Would stop comments unless people are willing to put their proper name behind it. If you have something worthwhile to say, you should be able to stand behind your comment!! “
“The comments section can be a forum for insightful comments but you also get your fair share of idiotic comments or people just trying to stir the pot, if there was a way to make it more transparent then you would get more honest comments.”
* Less restrictions: “Possibly an expansion of the comments section. It seems overly policed with concerns about litigation which is understandable at one level, but the site has become a very valuable forum for the teasing out of issues in Leinster and Irish hockey and it would be great if this could be expanded in some way.”
“I would prefer to leave comments anonymously rather than give my email”
“Preferred when the comments section was less censored. People could vent and express real feelings etc”
The Hook’s response: The site is currently working on a new format with the comments section one which I hope will have a few upgrades to increase its value. First of all, the idea is to a have “Thumbs up/thumbs down” option as suggested by a couple of people to increase the self-regulation of the site while I will also look into a “report abuse” button. As for accountability, one option would be to allow people comment via Facebook or Twitter accounts or to register for the site. I will check the feasibility of this once the other changes are implemented.
Others asked for a Forum or a message board to be posted to keep issues alive after stories have been pushed off the front page. Again, I will explore same.
Just one person felt that the comments were policed well!
“I think most people take the comments with a pinch of salt some contributions are excellent and some are nonsense. In fairness to you I think you do a good job policing them.”
4) Video content
Survey responses: Basically, you wanted more videos. Here’s a sample of the suggestions of what you wanted:
“Even hockey videos that show great goals/passing etc not necessarily by an Irish clubs or international teams, but obviously all the better if they’re Irish!
“I know in Holland each home team puts together a highlights package if they have video’d the game and post it on a website.”
“Unfortunately video coverage (highlights) have a long way to go (more cameras required to show both teams field position/movement and action on the ball) and the need to place video cameras further away from the side/end line (locating a camera close on requires rapid panning, zoom and refocus) and without a more “remote” camera overall teams movement on the pitch is somewhat lost.”
“The Hook TV – including the continuation of the great interviews with players/coaches/managers that took place at the IHL finals weekend a number of years ago.”
“I would have thought there would have been better access to international videos as they’d be all recorded? Is there someone in IHA that you can work a relationship with to access more material? Also more videos of skills etc, that people upload to on Youtube.”
The Hook’s response: Again, the issue is contributions. Many clubs video their games and if they would like me to edit and add graphics, clips can be sent to my Dropbox account (attached to the stevie_findlats@yahoo.com email address). Currently, Tristan Seaton-Stedham sends on selected clips from events that he covers and they get posted to Youtube and then embedded into the website. This also worked quite well with the Irish U-16 squad’s management team.
One issue is some clubs do not want to have video of their team in action on display for all to see and so are reticent of “giving away their secrets”.
However, if you or your club want to post direct to a video website like Youtube or Vimeo, just drop me an email with where it is and I’ll embed it into The Hook. For next season, I hope to add voiceovers to the highlight videos. As for the criticisms of camera angles and so on, we are very much limited by expense of additional cameras and the setup of particular pitches which may restrict camera placement.
Again, any aspiring camera men or videographers who want to get involved, drop me a line at hookresults@yahoo.com!
5) Usability/Mobile website
Survey responses: Plenty have requested a mobile website, iPhone app or similar suggestion for iPad, tablets, Android phones etc. In addition, here are a few more suggestions for The Hook’s usability as a website.
“Make it more user friendly. Sometimes I can’t find articles that others are talking about and I access it a lot more via Twitter with the status updates rather than going on the actual site, it’s easier and I can access what I want and ignore what I am less interested in.”
“Make the league tables more accessible for non-division one/two sides.”
The Hook’s response: With current trends, a mobile/tablet-optimised website is certainly a priority. The other suggestions are duly noted and I’ll look it into making necessary changes.
6) Content
Survey responses: Perhaps these are related to coverage requests but here are suggestions on what the site could do better or cover differently:
“There is a real lack of understanding among the hockey public on what it takes to succeed at international sport. Knowing club sport is a world apart from knowing elite international competition, which is clearly reflected in the comments section. Perhaps The Hook could do some articles looking at other sports and other countries to show just what it takes to even get to a worlds of Olympics, not to mind get on the podium.”
“Main articles about upcoming matches are too long. A clearer layout and separated into easily readable parts would make it easy to read. A faster update of results.”
“I would like to read a bit more about the Masters Panels, women and men, as they especially show how strong the bond among (inter)national hockey can be and be an example for ‘old’ young players what is possible after their ‘highlight’ as a young player. I haven’t played for over 20 years, applied, worked very hard and hope now, after playing in Chelmsford in the green shirt, to be selected f or Wakefield. If so, I would be really proud but also have shown, what is possible after a coaching career, as a late starter player, too. “
“I respect how much you try and remain impartial but occasionally I’d like to hear your opinion. No doubt there would be some morons commenting but 99% of people who come to this site would value it.”
“Information/rumours on coaches moving clubs pre season.
“I would sacrifice some of the Leinster club coverage to see more articles on world hockey, e.g. international tournaments not involving Ireland/foreign leagues like the Hoofdklasse, Indian Hockey League etc.”
“More interviews at international level. We need to get beyond repetition from IHA and other websites.”
The Hook response: On the rumour front, this will not be happening. It basically would cause much more damage than good in what is a pretty close-knit community.
We’re working on what I hope is a clearer design; as for the speed of results, I have an idea of what I want done but I’m not currently sure if it is feasible so will refrain from posting for the moment.
As for opinion pieces, I think it might be more worthwhile if I was invite columnists. If you have a bee in your bonnet and want to post an article on something, email as before – hookresults@yahoo.com.
7) Other responses
i) Last season (2011/2012), there was a feed for all of the results, mostly the tweets, but I haven’t seen it this season
The Hook: I loved this; unfortunately the service I used (coveritlive.com) now charges for the privilege. I am looking into a new method of doing the same thing
ii) A “home” link at the top of all pages – when following a link from Twitter or Facebook, the address has to be retyped to get to the home page.
The Hook: No need to retype the web address; just hover the mouse over The Hook logo and click and it will bring you back to the homepage.
iii) Umpires questions
The Hook: Ray O’Connor is always available to answer umpiring questions from the Leinster hockey public. Fire on your queries to hookresults@yahoo.com and we’ll get these going again.