A wise man once told me “the best way to learn international hockey is to play it.” Having watched Danny Kerry’s new-look team take on Argentina and the Netherlands this past weekend, those words came back into my mind for the first time in years. Continue reading
I’m sure some of you have been wondering why the blog has been so quiet since the end of the Commonwealth Games. Usually, as we count down to the start of the domestic season I’d be doing interviews, features and previews ahead of the curtain-raiser on 13 September. Continue reading
Without doubt, one of the stars of the England set up since the London Olympics has been goalkeeper Maddie Hinch. The Holcombe stopper has won goalkeeper of the tournament in three competitions over the last 18 months and has carved herself a reputation as a formidable foe in the new style penalty shootouts as well as being regarded as one of the finest keepers in the women’s game.
If you were to ask anyone who’s come up against Australia’s Rachael Lynch and Ashleigh Nelson on the hockey pitch to describe them, I suspect “charitable” would be low down on the list of words used. Away from the glare of the competitive hockey spotlight however, both the Hockeyroos are more than willing to do their bit for a good cause.
Oranje Zwart were crowned Dutch Champions for only the second time in their history just last weekend. They won their two playoff games against HC Rotterdam to reach the final stage where again, over two games, they saw off the challenge of HC Bloemendaal. A constant feature in the playoffs, and indeed the whole season was the importance of the goals scored by Mink van der Weerden. Continue reading
The Euro Hockey League KO16 competition may not have gone according to plan for the three English sides as Reading, Beeston and Surbiton all crashed out on the same day in their first game of the week. Despite this, there is still some English interest in the competition as we approach tomorrow’s final: Former England U21 star Richie Dawson-Smith will line up for THC Harvestehuder against MHC Oranje Zwart. Continue reading
The votes are in. The dye is cast and the results have been finalised. The moment you’ve all been waiting for, the time to announce the eleven players the public have chosen as their Investec Women’s Premier League Team of the Season. Here goes: Continue reading
And then there were four. The teams who have proved themselves to be the finest in the land will come together at Reading Hockey Club this weekend to do battle to determine who will be crowned champions and also grab that all-important place in Europe for next season. Having finished top of the league, Canterbury already have a European place sewn up and will face Clifton, who finished fourth, in their semi final. The other semi-final pits defending champions Reading against Surbiton. The Top of the D gives you the low-down on the teams. Continue reading
Going into the final week of this season, Canterbury were top of the league, needing a win on the final day against Clifton to qualify for Europe. They made no mistake as goals from Nikki Lloyd and Kim Young got them over the line with a 2-0 win. Continue reading
In anyone’s book, £9,046.57 is a tidy sum of money. It is also the amount of money raised so far by Sam Ward, the Beeston striker as part of the Score4Scan campaign. Continue reading
