The girls getting to grips with the game

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Our Back to Hockey sessions were a great success in 2016, attracting lots of new hopefuls to the club. We spoke to a couple of the girls to tell us about their experience, how they heard about it, what it was like and what’s next. This is what they said…

Name: Jules

Last played: 7 years ago

I heard about Back to Hockey when I was at the local co-op and saw a sign saying Back to Hockey and my mum said to me, “why don’t you just go for it?” So I came down and it’s been great. I have only ever played hockey at school but it was very ‘turn up and have a little play’, but not much more than that; so it’s been about 7 years since I last picked up a stick.

I play football and I’ve played a bit of netball but hockey was never really an interest until I saw the advert and I thought maybe I should give something completely different a try.

I’ve been out and bought myself a stick last week because some of the other girls had all the stuff. All the coaches had asked if I was going to carry on playing, and everybody’s been so nice, so I thought I’d go out and get the kit so I could look the part, even if I couldn’t play the part!

The club provided all the kit which was great because if you don’t want to carry on you can just turn up. They provided the sticks and everything, so you didn’t have to bring anything special, just turn up.

I found it to be really friendly here. I came on my own and I was a bit nervous pulling up on that first night, like, “who’s going to be here?” but everyone was really nice and everyone else was pretty much on their own, so in the same boat. The coaches and everybody else there made us feel welcome as soon as we arrived, it was great. Everybody enjoyed it when we started playing; the first session was great.

It really feels like I know everybody now. Even everybody who came down from the other teams have been really helpful, helping us along in the games and just been really friendly with us.

As far as fitness goes, I play football so I didn’t feel it too bad after the first session, but my back hurt a bit from bending down cos I’m not used to it; other than that it was ok. The first session was just a nice little taster, like this is kind of what you’re going to get, and since that we built up all the skills and have come on quite far really.

I’ve started to look forward to it every week now so every Wednesday it’s been like, I’ve got hockey tonight, get everything ready. Like I say, it’s just really friendly, everybody’s really nice to each other and it’s just great to come.

I’ve never even watched hockey before, it’s since I saw the advert, I thought why not just go for it. My mum likes hockey, she watches the Olympics and there has been more coverage lately but she wouldn’t come. She doesn’t like to run!

I’m really looking forward to joining the club and starting normal training; definitely starting next week. Hopefully everybody will come back and it will be great and we’ll look forward to the start of the season.

Definitely recommend Back to Hockey for anyone that just wants to have a fun session, no matter what skill level, just come down and have a go.

 

Name: Jess

Last played: Never

I found out about back to hockey through Facebook, my other half told me about it and she used to come about 10 years ago so she did know one or two of the girls. I’ve never done any sport myself though, I’ve not ever even watched sport before.

I’ve just lost quite a lot of weight and I’ve never done sport before and I wanted to get into it, so that’s why I came. I’ve really enjoyed it, so hopefully we’ll come back for normal training.

It’s great to be able to come and do a sport, I lost ten and a half stone, so I was never able to do it before, so now I’ve been coming here it’s amazing. It’s unreal to think, because it’s only been a year. This time last year I couldn’t run, and to think a year later I’m running around a pitch like I have been doing is just unbelievable.

I was really nervous the first time I came because I came with my other half and she’s quite good so I felt a bit like I was the weak link of the group but as it’s gone on I’ve got a lot more and more confident. I bought myself some shin pads but my other half has four sticks so I used one of hers, but I’m going to go out and buy myself some hockey shoes now and get proper into it.