International hockey comes to Nottingham
The Samsung FIH Champions Trophy kicks off in Nottingham this weekend (10-18 July 2010) – Georgina Caldwell asks England midfielder Helen Richardson how it feels to be playing on home turf.
GC: Nottingham is the first UK city to host the Champions Trophy. What does it mean to you to be playing in such a prestigious tournament on home soil? Do you think it will give England the edge?
HR: It’s fantastic that the Champions Trophy is coming to the UK. With the 2012 Olympics fast approaching it’s a great opportunity for the British public to get to see the top teams that will be on show in London. I personally always love playing at home, there’s always a great atmosphere and you get an extra buzz from the crowd, which can sometimes feel like you’ve got an extra player!
GC: How does Nottingham measure up to previous hosts? Have you had a chance to see the sights?
HR: I’m actually a local girl so I know Nottingham very well indeed. It’s an amazing city and I know there is lots for all the visitors to do. As for the Highfields Sports Club, where the tournament is being played, it’s been transformed with a 2,000-seater stadium, fun zones for the kids, shops and much more. I know they will do a brilliant job and I can’t wait for it to get started.
GC: The pressure must be on. How do you prepare before a match?
HR: We feel extremely prepared for this tournament due to our centralised training programme which has been in place since October. More recently however we’ve been swotting up on the opposition by looking at video edits. We will always have a briefing before the game so we all know the tactics. Nutrition and hydration are important aspects that we need to get right as well. We debrief every game thoroughly before moving onto the next so we can learn from any mistakes and consolidate positive things.
GC: Can Women’s Hockey save England from a trophy-free summer?
HR: We certainly will be trying our best and we’ve set our targets high. We feel prepared, ready and are raring to go, come down to Highfields and have a look for yourself.
GC: FIH (International Hockey Federation) has announced the introduction of a video umpire this year. The use of technology in sport has hit the headlines recently following several shock decisions during the FIFA World Cup – are you in favour of the use of technology in sport?
HR: I think if you can get the right decision in the end then it has to be a good thing. There’s so much at stake and with the pace of modern sports it’s very hard for the officials to get everything right. I also think the crowd quite like the anticipation of waiting to see which way it’ll go!
Helen Richardson has 114 England caps and scored 12 goals for England so far. Why not take the train to Nottingham to find out whether she can do it again?
