Recently The Top of the D paid a visit to Reading Hockey Club. Whilst there, I was lucky enough to catch up with Reading and Great Britain Forward Alex Danson. As many of you will know, Danson is one of the standout players for club and country and was selected for the 2011 FIH All Star team. You wouldn’t know it to talk to her, though: she is humble, friendly and down to earth. Here’s what she had to say about her team-mates, her club, signing autographs and about how much she loves hockey. Continue reading →

You know, whenever I tell someone I play hockey, their response is always one of a choice of three:

1.) “Hockey? That’s a girl’s game, isn’t it?

2.) “Why? Weren’t you good enough at football or rugby?”

3.) “I used to hate hockey at school. Always cold, on the grass, people hitting your shins. I hated it.”

For some reason, during my younger days, these responses used to wind me up. I’m not sure why, call it the petulance of youth. As I’ve got older, I actually find myself laughing at these and thinking how much these people have missed out. Continue reading →

As we’ve mentioned previously on this site, players involved in the Great Britain squad don’t get to play for their clubs regularly. Bearing this in mind, the players left over often become central to a club’s ambitions. This is especially evident at clubs like East Grinstead, with Mark Pearn, Ashley Jackson, Barry Middleton, Mark Gleghorne, Iain Lewers, Glenn Kirkham and Niall Stott all involved with Great Britain recently. Continue reading →

No matter which sport you are talking about, at some stage the age old row of club vs. country will rear its head. Hockey is no different. Should players prioritise their international ambitions over their domestic club’s aspirations? With a full International Hockey Federation (FIH) calendar running alongside the domestic schedule and with players building up to the Olympic Games in London, the issue has never been more pertinent. What are the effects on domestic clubs and their players of this hectic schedule of playing and training? Continue reading →