Field Hockey
This season is my fourth playing for Whitchurch Hockey Club. Each season the club is growing more and more. Showing that hockey is still growing in popularity, particularly among youths.
I started playing hockey when I started secondary school in 1994. Straight away it was my favourite sport out of all the other sports we practised. Team sports, unlike other sports I feel help to build confidence and communication skills with other people. Team sports also allow you to integrate with other people you may not usually associate with in day to day school life. I feel it’s a shame it’s always overlooked by soccer and rugby. So in 1996, fuelled by my experience of hockey in school I wanted to play it more and at a higher level so I joined Whitchurch Hockey and Rugby Club and have been with them ever since. I play for the Whitchurch 2nd and Whitchurch Colts.
Whitchurch Hockey Club has many teams for the size of the area, these include; Ladies 1st, Ladies 2nd, Men 1st, Colts (females Under 18s) and Badgers (mixed Under 16s). Field hockey traditionally played on grass, but now where money allows is being played on artificial, all-weather turf pitches, enabling play all season. There are weekly training sessions followed by matches most weekends, usually on Saturdays.
The main form of hockey played in England is Field Hockey. It is taught as one of the curriculum sports in secondary education in most schools around Britain. Due to under-staffing and lack of funding from the government throughout most secondary schools in England, this sport can only be introduced to boys, at Bishop Heber, in Year 9 whereas it is introduced to girls in the very beginning. Some schools don’t allow boys to play hockey at all. They’re also unable to have a male school hockey team. This is where local hockey clubs, like Whitchurch come in; it allows males and females to further their interest in the sport.
I feel playing hockey for Whitchurch has not only been good in that it has increased my knowledge and ability to play the sport, but it has also increased my social circle out of just school friends. This would be true for any that decided to join any out of school sports club.
Do you think hockey enthusiasts are treated fairly in your country?
Gemma Lancaster Bishop Heber Community School
Storm99103@aol.com
