‘I hope I can be an inspiration for ethnic minority to budding hockey stars’

As Sandeep Maan stepped onto the pitch at the Masters Indoor World Cup in Nottingham this April, she became the first Asian and Sikh female hockey player to represent England at Masters level. In doing so, Maan fulfilled a lifelong ambition. Her impact, however, extends far wider than a personal bucket list, as she provided invaluable representation in a sport too often lacking in diversity.

It is a reality that, at times throughout her hockey journey, did not seem possible to Maan herself. But back when she was 10 years old nothing could stop her playing. “They used to do Council-run courses during the Easter holidays. So, I was like, ‘Mum, can I go along?’. It was on grass, but I absolutely loved it,” she recalls.