Vinay Patel
With the academic year fast approaching, accompanying it will be the sporting action of the Green and Gold. It might come as a surprise for some, if I were to tell you that Olympians are in action against the University of Nottingham, on a weekly basis. However, regularly competing against Olympic athletes is the norm for UoN’s elite hockey players, with both first teams playing in England’s Premier Division. I got the opportunity to have a chat with the Head of Men’s Performance Hockey, James Bateman, as we discussed what will certainly be a massive year for UoN Hockey!
After being planted at the bottom of the league table after 11 games, the Men’s 1s secured important wins over the University of Exeter, East Grinstead and Brooklands Manchester University to maintain their Premier Division status.
The Men’s 1s also topped Phase 3 and used that form to with their first BUCS Gold in eight years to round off a remarkable turn of form.
Following the relegation of Brooklands and Exeter, UoN remain the only university side in the Men’s Premier Division. James Bateman reveals his hopes and ambitions for the Men’s 1s in the upcoming season, ahead of Saturday’s season opener against Old Georgians.
As pre-season draws to a close, what are you looking to achieve with the men’s side this season?
“The men’s side are looking to consolidate our style of play as we go into this weekend. We have had a really good block of pre season that has been short and sharp but the boys have trained really hard. We’re really excited to see the fruits of our labour and what happens this weekend.”
After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, what will the side look to do differently?
I’d be absolutely over the moon if we can break into the play-offs at the end of the season
“I think the nature of a student side is that [avoiding relegation] will always be the position that we’re in. We always have quite a high turnover of players so I think, every year that we stay in the Premier Division in an achievement and we will be looking to learn from last season’s experience. I’d be absolutely over the moon if we can break into the play-offs at the end of the season but the first priority is retaining Premier Division status and then we can build from there.”
How does it feel to be the only university side in the Premier Division and what does this say about UoN Hockey as a whole?
“I think it just shows where we are as a university sport. We’re really looking to kick on and progress by developing young players. It really is testament to the programme that’s been in place for the last few years and the investment we’ve been given from the university.”
“It’s fantastic and just shows the equality of men’s and women’s sport, that we have both programmes on equal footing in the university’s eyes. That’s fantastic and really shows the value of sports, that we can keep developing young people to be able to go onto the next exciting part of their lives.”
Max Anderson, Harry Stone and alumnus Conor Williamson have all represented England at under-21 level, the latter of which was selected to play in the EuroHockey Championships over the summer. Max and Harry are also in the GB Elite Development Programme (EDP), which is a programme that helps young athletes transition into senior international hockey.
How does having the likes of Max and Harry, with their respective experience, elevate the side as a whole?
“It’s brilliant because they get tested in international environments and we’ve been lucky enough to have Ted [Graves] joining us as well, who’s in the EDP currently. So we’ve got a number of boys who have played international hockey and a lot of the lads have played for the under-18s, at the EuroHockey Championship over the summer, and that’s fantastic experience for them.”
It’s fantastic to be able to have that experience of playing international sides and bringing that back to our group
“They can really develop their leadership skills with us as they’re pushing on for those international places and build into the under-21 EuroHockey Championship next summer. It’s fantastic to be able to have that experience of playing international sides and bringing that back to our group to help us progress as a squad.”
With the Olympics approaching, could this be one of the most important campaigns in years?
It’s really big news and a really great story that we’re allowing our players to go and play in Europe
“I think it’s really interesting how the national league has adapted. It’s really big news and a really great story that we’re allowing our players to go and play in Europe. So the likes of Zach Wallace and Tom Sorsby, who are Nottingham alumni, are able to go and play in Holland and still be in the centralised programme.”
“I think it’s fantastic for the sport and it’s only going to help GB’s chances as we look to try and push forward and win the medal next year in Paris. So I think it’s a really exciting place for the programme at the moment and it’s great that we can help, develop and play our part through participating in the Premier Division.”
The Men’s 1s kick off their campaign with a home game against the Old Georgians, on Saturday, 16th September at 6.30pm.
As the Women’s 1s also competed in the Premier Division last season, notable wins over Reading and Holcombe secured their spot in the top-flight for another season.
The intense and competitive nature of the Premier Division effectively moulded the side, who also went unbeaten in their BUCS triumph.
James gave me an insight on how the side will look to push on in the Premier Division, as well as retaining their BUCS crown for a third consecutive year.
Amid the significant personnel changes last season, how important is it that the side is more settled, in order to achieve their season objectives?
“On the girls’ side, I think head coach Matt [Taylor] has done a really good job of continuity planning and so they’ve only lost a handful of players. After losing only three players last year, they’ve gone from strength to strength. So the side that they had last year was superb and they did really well in the Premier Division, while going on to win BUCS Gold, which was fantastic.”
I can see them just going from strength to strength this year
“I can see them just going from strength to strength this year. They’ve strengthened in a few areas and have got a few more players joining them, providing some extra experience and I’m really excited to see what the girls can do this year.”
England’s hockey camp continues to be flooded with Green and Gold, as Maddie Axford, Claudia Swain, Maddie Long and alumnus Katie Curtis all represented the England under-21s in the 4 Nations Tournament over the summer. With the Junior World Cup being hosted in Chile just before Christmas, the girls will surely be in contention for England’s squad.
How important is a strong start to this campaign in relation to being selected for England’s Junior World Cup squad?
“I think it really helps their development because this is a really important block for them, as it’s a Junior World Cup before Christmas. So this block of games, in terms of playing in the Premier Division and starting BUCS is going to be massive, as that will be the competitive hockey that builds them up going into that Junior World Cup. So I’m really excited to see how they rise to that challenge, as I know they will do, as they prepare and battle for selection into that Junior World Cup squad.”
Both sides mentioned momentum, as well as unity in their season review, so how much emphasis is placed on off the pitch camaraderie, as well as on?
“It’s massive. We live by our values as a club of respect, integrity and progression and that applies, both on pitch and off pitch. We’re a really tight knit club, both the men’s and women’s section and we support each other. We take great pride in being able to support each other and that off pitch camaraderie is massive.”
Now we will have the opportunity where the boys can support the girls and vice versa
“We’ve been successful in changing our fixtures this year to be able to play a double header weekend, so that we can support each other. That was something that we learned last year. It wasn’t possible to be able to support each other in Premier Division games, but now we will have the opportunity where the boys can support the girls and vice versa. That off pitch camaraderie, as you say, is fantastic and it just allows us to grow and support each other and enjoy each other’s success.”
How important is maintaining the standard of youth development (e.g. EDPs, youth international tournaments, university hockey etc.) in order to further the success of GB hockey?
“The EDP programme is very unique in world hockey, in that it’s a programme that’s designed to help future Olympians and the universities play a really important part in that. In the EDP programme, it’s not consistent with our regular one in that they can regularly see their players, instead being camp based but maintaining regular touch points with them.”
“However, their day-to-day hockey and environment is at the university and we play a huge role in being able to support that: from a psychological, nutritional and physiotherapy perspective, to on the pitch from a hockey perspective.”
Our students [will] be able to have a dual career and [succeed] academically, whilst also [breaking] into that EDP environment
“So all of those areas wrap around support for our students, to be able to have a dual career and really have success academically, whilst also striving to break into that EDP environment. Then hopefully, as Connor and Katie did last year, progress from the EDP environment, through the support of the university into the senior environment, which is fantastic to see.”
The Women’s 1s kick off the double header, as previously mentioned, with an opening game against Loughborough Students, on Saturday, at 4.30pm. So head down to David Ross to show your support and you’ll find them on Pitch 4 at the Hockey Centre!
And if you’re still wondering why you should be following Green and Gold’s elite hockey sides, James has got the answer:
Why should our fellow readers and incoming students consider following UoN Hockey?
“I think it’s fantastic to see elite sport up close and personal and hockey’s a fantastic sport in which you’re very connected with the top players. So this weekend, for example, when we’re playing All Georgians, you’re going to have Ashley Jackson playing for them, who is a triple Olympian and one of the greatest players to ever represent England and GB. There’s a whole host of players that play there and that’s the same every week, with every opposition that we’re playing.”
As we build into an Olympic year, with Paris next summer, it’s just an exciting way to start following […] the players
“You’re regularly getting the experience of being able to see Olympians up close and personal. As we build into an Olympic year, with Paris next summer, it’s just an exciting way to start following and learning about the players, as we get excited heading into Team GB’s hopeful quest of getting a gold medal.”
Impact Sport are honoured to be able to cover UoN Hockey, as both sides battle it out in the top flight and stay tuned this semester, as we look to issue weekly interviews with first team players ahead of their Saturday double-headers! We’re all looking forward to kick off what will surely be a huge year for Impact Sport and UoN Hockey!
Vinay Patel
Featured image courtesy of Jayden Seah via Unsplash. Image use license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of @uonmhc via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 2 courtesy of @uonlhc via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 3 courtesy of @uonlhc via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
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