Sevenoaks Hockey Club juniors welcomed England’s tough tackling defender Fiona Crackles – who won an Olympic bronze in Tokyo earlier this year.
Last Friday, Fiona came down to the Hollybush astro to coach the Futures and Elite Development Programme players and then held a Q&A session.
It was a fantastic session with both boys and girls keen to ask questions. Fiona shared her top tips for being a defender (it’s all about the footwork), how they used a greenhouse tent, a heater and a stationary bike to get acclimatised for playing in 40 degree temperatures in Tokyo, and what life was like in the Olympic village –most importantly the food!
Talking to the players – a mix of those selected for England Hockey Performance Centres this year and the new Futures players – a development programme at SHC to cater for players aged 11-13 with the potential to move towards England Hockey pathway representation, she advised them to keep working hard and putting in the effort, because, you never know where it might lead.
Commenting Jacqui Hudson Junior Chair at Sevenoaks Hockey Club said:
“It was a real privilege for us to have such an exciting player as Fiona who has literally burst onto the international hockey season in the last 18 months. We have an exciting programme of guest coaches including GB Goalie, Ollie Payne, in a few weeks.”
If you would like to get involved in junior hockey why not sign up to one of the half term camps at Hollybush in Sevenoaks. More information can be found at https://sevenoakshockeyclub.eventbrite.co.uk
