Holly Hunt calls on Hampstead faithful ahead of East Grinstead clash

Lucas Ball
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Holly Hunt calls on Hampstead faithful ahead of East Grinstead clash

Hampstead & Westminster’s Holly Hunt can’t wait to get back playing at Paddington Recreational this weekend and believes the Londoners’ game against East Grinstead should provide plenty of pace and flair as she called on the home faithful to show their support.

Hampstead got off to a winning start against Wimbledon on the opening weekend of the England Hockey Vitality Women’s Premier Division, while their opponents were 4-1 victors over Loughborough Students. More points on Saturday will see the West Sussex go unbeaten for two years in the top flight.

“We were really happy with how we played [against Wimbledon], we thought we played really well – but there were still moments where we didn’t play so well,” said Hunt.

“We know that there are things to improve on but just with this new league structure it’s just going to be important to pick up wins quickly no matter the opposition. There are so many teams that will be hard to beat so to get off to a winning start is a huge positive.

“It’ll be really nice to have a more normal home game. Hopefully there’ll be a bit of an atmosphere.

“East Grinstead are obviously a really good side, they’ve got lots of good players so it should be a good game to play in and for the crowd to watch. It’ll be a nice occasion to be back at Pad Rec.”

Hunt’s response when quizzed on their visitors’ biggest threats is one of respect, but also a confidence that her side have enough to counter the Sussex side’s main tactics.

“They’ve got Sophie Bray, Ellie Rayer too,” she added. “They’re a very fast side – they’re also an experienced side and have players who’ve been there for a long time.

“They’ve got lots of pace so I think that will be their biggest threat but then we’ve got quick players too. It should be a good match-up.”

Hampstead & Westminster vs East Grinstead takes place at 2pm at Paddington Rec.

Talented goalkeeper learning to walk again after seizure

Lucas Ball
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Talented goalkeeper learning to walk again after seizure

A fundraiser will be held this weekend for Cliftonville Hockey Club’s Gabriella McAllister, who suffered two massive seizures earlier this year and is having to learn to walk again.

McAllister, 16, had made it through the gruelling England Hockey under-16 trial process prior to the seizures and had been tipped as one to watch.

She has a condition called Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and these two seizures initially left her unable to speak or walk – though she has since regained her speech and the use of one leg.

Her father, Pete, has had to quit his job as he takes on the responsibility of caring for his daughter, with care costs mounting up.

McAllister regularly suffered seizures as she grew up, though their effects were much less severe than the two in January.

Speaking with KentOnline, he said: “Even all through this she was playing hockey. She would do whatever she could to play; it’s her life and it’s her dream to wear the England rose.

“She went to the England trials, which were over five days, and I told her to ‘just enjoy the ride’, but then she started getting through each trial and was selected in the final three players.

”Then in January she had a double seizure out of the blue. Her mum went up to her room and she was having one – we had to just stand there and wait for her to come out of it.

“When she did she had no idea who we were and we thought ‘that’s a bit different’ – then she went back into a second one and when it stopped she couldn’t speak.

”Her whole world just went in that moment.”

As a result of the costs, family friend Charlotte Rintoul set up a GoFundMe page which has so far raised nearly £2,500.

There is also an event at Broadstairs Cricket Club this weekend to raise more money – with tickets priced at £5.

Ahead of the fundraising event, Rintoul said: “They’re a friend of ours. It’s my partner who’s more involved, he’s a captain at Cliftonville – that’s how I know them.

“It’s been quite tough on them, bless them. They’re the type of family that just work really hard.

“He’s [Gabriella’s dad] really hard working and set that in Gabriella, she’s always been like that. She was working really hard towards becoming a goalkeeper for England and GB, and she got in with a few other people.

On the fundraising, she said: “It was so crazy. After three days or so, I had a message from my in-laws saying ‘have you seen how much money you’d raised?’ and I hadn’t really checked but we’d already got to £1,000 by that point.

“It was just a wow moment, it’s amazing to help.”

F1 great partners England Hockey to reduce sports-related injury in young

Rod Gilmour
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F1 great partners England Hockey to reduce sports-related injury in young

Former F1 team boss Ron Dennis has launched a foundation to address sports-related injuries in 11 to 18-year-olds, partnering with England Hockey and other major sports with a multi-million pound investment over the next decade.

Podium Analytics, which launched at Downing Street on Wednesday, has linked up with the University of Oxford to forge changes in sport and physical education and will directly address the severe lack of data relating to youth sport injury.

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Slough HC set to celebrate 100th anniversary

Hockey Paper staff
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Slough HC set to celebrate 100th anniversary

Slough Hockey Club will celebrate its centenary on Sunday, holding a day of celebratory games with food, drink and entertainment and hosting players both and present. 

An extensive list of honours both at national and European level alongside indoor dominance both from the women and the men has kept the club battling with the best in the country. The women won the first Typhoo sponsored National League season that was introduced in 1990-91, having not lost a single game – a dominance that continued for years to come. 

The men also have a series of league titles under their belt, having first won what was then the Men’s National Inter League championship in 1975-76, and includes a four-season dominance between 1979-1983.

There was one final title win in 86/87 before being relegated from top flight in the 1994-95 season, a height they have failed to get back to since.  

The club has also been a breeding ground for international talent with many players having represented the legendary pink and blacks.

The men’s list of internationals includes Ian Taylor, Paul Barber, Balwant Saini and Suti Khehar. 

The women’s list is extensive and include: Karen Brown, Sue Knight, Mandy Pottow, Sue Chandler, Jo Thompson, Mandy Nicholson, Lesley Hobley, Jane Smith, Kate Richardson-Walsh, Alex Danson-Bennett, Fiona Greenham, Sarah Kelleher, Anna Bennett and Beth Storry to name a few.

All players, managers, coaches and officials both past and present are welcome to join in the celebrations from 11am on Sunday at the club’s Upton Court Park base in Slough. 

Players and umpires: Let’s approach post-Covid hockey by respecting all participants

Hockey Paper staff
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Players and umpires: Let’s approach post-Covid hockey by respecting all participants

Let’s set aside all the GMS-related issues and confusion caused by the new Area hockey structures and focus on the fact that we can once again play the sport we all love, writes DAVID ELLCOCK

I have a feeling that there might be a lot of pent-up energy released over the next few weekends as players, coaches and umpires get back to doing what we enjoy so much. This may bring problems, as things won’t always go as expected and people will look for the first person in the firing line for them to vent their frustration upon. 

For many umpires, this too often feels like them, as players and coaches mouth off at the slightest indiscretion.

So, here’s my plea. 

As we re-start playing, let’s all take a moment to reflect on the fact that none of us could do what we love, without everyone else involved in the game. Yes, that missed foot might be frustrating, but is it anywhere near as frustrating as yet another Zoom quiz with Aunty Mary, or another slice of that ‘delicious’ banana bread that your partner has made every single week for the last 18 months? 

Remember that the umpires will be as out of practice as the players. We’ll all need a couple of weeks to shake off those months of cobwebs.

But, this is not just a plea to players. It’s also a plea to umpires. Too often we hear the snide comment that ‘we’ know the rules, but the players don’t. That we are somehow the guardians of all that is good about the game.

Can we stop this, please? There are no more than a handful of players who don’t know the rules of hockey at all, and very many who know them inside out and back to front. 

OK, so those of us in the know watched on in amazement as the Dutch failed to bring on their sub goalie in the opening game of the Euros when Paco Vasquez showed Pirmin Blaak a green card at a PC, but be honest: how many of us had to reach for the rule book just to double check that we were right? 

(To confirm, Rule 2.3.a says, “substitution is permitted at any time except within the period from the award of a penalty corner until after it has been completed; during this period substitution is only permitted for injury to or suspension of the defending goalkeeper”, so the Dutch could have brought on a sub.) 

Would we have got that right in real time? Under all that pressure?

Let’s approach the start of post-Covid hockey with a determination to respect all participants in the game, whatever happens on the pitch. Let’s recognise that we all bring different things to the game, and that none of us could be out there on the pitch without everyone else’s participation.

A pipe dream? Maybe, but Covid has caused us to reassess many aspects of our lives, so why not this? 

More umpiring coverage

Decision making can align stars with your hockey team

Todd Williams
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Decision making can align stars with your hockey team

Golf and gardening are two popular pastimes for people of my age – and I am fortunate enough to be able to combine both. Interspersed with the normal challenge of getting the little white ball up the fairway, onto the green and into the hole, I am also able to find plenty of time for clearing long grass, trimming hedges, pruning the odd flower and skillfully, albeit accidentally, removing awkwardly-placed branches.

Whilst doing far more gardening than usual on the golf course, my patient partner (and probably not coincidentally) told me a story about a friend of his that had recently played a round with his golf pro. Apparently the expert guidance had enabled this bloke to get round his local course in a full 13 strokes less than his normally chunky handicap. The most remarkable part of the story though was that the improvement had nothing to do with the pro fixing his swing, short game or putting. In fact, my friend told me all the golf pro had done was stop the player when he was about to hit a shot and show him a better, less risky option.

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‘No hope’ for Afghanistan hockey, says women’s captain

Rod Gilmour
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‘No hope’ for Afghanistan hockey, says women’s captain

There is “no hope” for women hockey players in Afghanistan following the ban on sport by the Taliban government, as the men’s game aims to get back on track.

Afghan women’s captain Khadija Achakzai told The Hockey Paper that she had been in “serious danger” after the Taliban’s stance on women’s sport caused a global backlash earlier this month.

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England yet to confirm Junior Hockey World Cup participation

Hockey Paper staff
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England yet to confirm Junior Hockey World Cup participation

England are yet to be confirmed as entrants into the upcoming Junior World Cups in India and South Africa due to the pandemic.

The Junior World Cups are scheduled to be held for the men in India and Potchefstroom, South Africa for the women in November-December.

An England Hockey spokesperson said: “We are reviewing the situation regarding the Junior World Cups in India and South Africa.

“We have requested further information from the FIH before we make final decisions.”

The venue of the men’s edition is yet to be confirmed but the Times of India has reported that Odisha and Lucknow are the likely favourites.

The 21st edition of the junior showpiece had orginally been set for Guwahati. The tournament is set to run between Nov 25-Dec 5.

Last week, Australia and New Zealand pulled out of the Junior World Cup, as well as other elite competitions, with their next action abroad taking place in July 2022.

Up to four additional teams could be announced as Pro League replacements for the third edition of the global men’s and women’s tournament.

7 reasons why you should bet on the NHL

Hockey Paper staff
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Introduction

The NHL is one of the more underrated major leagues out there. Spanning talent from all over North America, the hockey league brings the action for fans and bettors alike every season. While the NFL, NBA, and MLB are better known in sports betting circles, several things make NHL betting fun and rewarding.

Here we’ve outlined several of the reasons that every bettor should consider placing a bet on the NHL. You can learn more about betting on the NHL by looking at how their odds are presented and when the playing season starts.

1. It’s An Enduring Sport

Hockey is one of the oldest sports that has been played on all kinds of terrains throughout history. Ice hockey may be a recent take on the sport but it’s also one of the oldest of the modern league sports, being over a century old. While baseball has approximately 50 years over ice hockey, the NHL’s Stanley Cup is the oldest sports trophy that professional athletes have competed for in North America.

2. It’s Still Expanding 

Along with being old, the NHL is still expanding its influence. The now-defunct Western Hockey League has left unclaimed territory that the NHL is growing into. In 2018, they secured an expansion franchise in the Seattle area, creating the Seattle Krakens in 2020 and preparing them for the 2021-2022 season. Having grown from 6 teams into 32, they’re likely to snap up future opportunities to grow the industry and the sports betting industry with it.

3. It’s Explosive

Explosive is a word often reserved for daring NFL or NBA plays, where players at the top of their game engage every muscle in their body to play with an unrivaled physicality. With that said, you won’t see those players throwing punches at each other, and if they did it would almost destroy their career.

Ice hockey is different. Fighting is outlined in the rules of NHL hockey under rule 46, which details penalties that may be applied to fighting players. Despite those penalties, fights are still tolerated by officials and even encouraged for entertainment purposes. This adds an extra layer of entertainment to following the sport.

4. The NHL Is Embracing Sports Betting

Historically, the major leagues have had a frosty relationship with sports betting and those who facilitate the practice. While it’s a free form of entertainment today, it was once driven underground by legislation, restrictions, and public scorn, much of it driven by leagues like the NFL. The NHL didn’t encourage sports betting for a long time.

There are still restrictions in place, mostly around insider betting, but the NHL followed the NBA’s suit by providing data to sports betting providers to create more accurate data and odds lines. Just this year, they’ve announced a renewed partnership with Betway as their official sports betting partner. When you gamble with the NHL, you’re in good company.

5. Different Ways To Bet

Like with many of your favorite sports, ice hockey can be bet on in multiple ways that appeal to different bettors. The main three are money line betting, over/under betting, and puck line betting.

Money line betting is where you bet on who wins the game while over/under betting has you estimate the number of goals scored during a game, no matter who wins that game. Puck line betting is where the favorite team is handicapped by 1.5 goals, which are added to the non-favorite team. You can win a small profit by betting on the winning favorite or a larger profit by betting on the winning non-favorite.

6. Don’t Have To Pick Teams

One of the benefits of those over/under bets covered above, you don’t need to pick a team to win. You don’t need to analyze teams and their players so much, only how many goals are typically scored when that team takes to the field. This means you can follow games without getting embroiled in fan rivalries, so you can enjoy the sport for what it is and avoid any of the potential negatives of the betting scene.

7. They Offer Live Betting

Many sportsbooks offer live betting on the NHL that enables you to place bets much closer to the game, sometimes even after it starts. This is great for hedging or making last-minute plays now that you’ve seen the temperament of the team. You don’t need to read tea leaves to figure out how a team will play when you’ve already seen their form.

England Hockey backs Watch Your 1s as we campaign for more crowds

Hockey Paper staff
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England Hockey backs Watch Your 1s as we campaign for more crowds

England and Great Britain Hockey has once again backed our Watch Your 1s competition and campaign as we launch for a second season with a top prize of £500.

The #watchyour1s campaign is geared towards all UK clubs, from Premier Division down to regional teams, from Bowdon Hightown down to Bodmin, while this year we have opened up to Ireland.

Our campaign also calls for clubs to offer enticing match day excitement alongside the top sides’ action.

“I support this campaign – it’s brilliant and it’s exactly the kind of thing we want people engaging, watching the sport,” said Nick Pink, England and GB Hockey’s chief executive.

England Hockey says it is in “massive competition, more than we’ve ever been” against other sports – which is why we are campaigning to boost engagement around clubs across the UK and Ireland.

England Hockey’s message to clubs is: Who can come to watch? What else is around the facility that will encourage families to watch? 

Star names have also backed The Hockey Paper‘s campaign since launch, including Barry Middleton, the former GB captain and caps record holder.

He said: “Getting people going to watch and be involved is a good idea to me. It’s how we bridge the divide between watching the international and the domestic game that’s one of the challenges for the clubs.

“We are behind the European clubs in having the facilities to make people want to be there and making it an event, rather than just the die hard being there. The more we can embrace that the better.”

Clubs have already got on board with our #watchyour1s hashtag on social media this season, which is great news ahead of our official launch this week.

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