GB Women Help Sport Relief

Members of the Great Britain women’s hockey team rose to the challenge of supporting Sport Relief on Tuesday as they dribbled their way to the fastest mile with a hockey stick and ball in a time of four minutes and four seconds, smashing their target of Svetlana Masterkova’s one mile track record of four minutes 12 seconds.

The six participating squad members, Reading’s Laura Bartlett, Alex Danson and Emily Maguire and Leicester’s Crista Cullen, Hannah MacLeod and Kerry Williams - ‘dribbled’ the mile in a relay format in an exact time of four minutes, four seconds and 87 milliseconds.

The Sport Relief ‘Stick and Ball Mile’ took place during the squad’s training session at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre in Buckinghamshire and was filmed for the BBC’s South Today programme.

Cheered on by their watching Great Britain teammates, each member of the group ran one half of the pitch per shuttle before passing the ball on to the next athlete. In total they ran 17.6 lengths of the pitch.

Defender Crista Cullen explained afterwards why the squad had been so keen to take part: “We’re at a very exciting stage of our preparations ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London and it is nice to be able to take part in Sport Relief to benefit the young people of this country and others around the world, many of whom will hopefully be inspired by the Olympics.”

Forward Alex Danson added, “It was great fun doing the Sport Relief Mile in our own unique way. We were ecstatic to break the world record but more importantly we are so happy we had the opportunity to do our small bit for such a great charity like Sports Relief. It shows how anyone can take part and have a lot of fun, but best of all, it doesn’t have to just involve running!”

You can rise to your challenge by entering the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile on 21 March. Just 60 miles north of Bisham Abbey NSC, Milton Keynes is playing host to one of the largest Sport Relief Miles in the UK, with other Miles happening all over the UK. To find and enter your nearest Mile visit Sportrelief.com

Craig Parnham joins Elite Coaching Programme

Great Britain hockey coach Craig Parnham has been selected to take part in UK Sport’s new Elite Coaching Apprenticeship Programme.

The Elite Coaching Apprenticeship Programme (ECAP) has been designed for coaches not currently leading a national programme in their sport but who have been identified as having the potential to lead an Olympic programme in the future.

Congratulating Craig on his acceptance onto the programme, Great Britain Performance Director David Faulkner said, “We are all delighted that Craig’s potential has been recognised by UK Sport after a robust and thorough selection process. He is a highly regarded coach in the Great Britain and England set ups and now has an opportunity to develop that potential in the programme.”

An Assistant Coach to Danny Kerry for Great Britain and England, Parnham, 36, is also the Head Coach to the England Under 21 women’s team, whom he led to their best ever finish at a Junior World Cup in August 2009 when they finished fourth in Boston.

Parnham will be supported in the programme by Great Britain Head Coach Kerry. UK Sport’s Alan Olive will act as his mentor.

The ECAP is a two year programme during which time participants undertake personal development workshops specific to supporting them and their development requirements. It builds on the success of the Elite Coach programme, which began in 2004, and which Parnham’s fellow Great Britain coaches Karen Brown, Danny Kerry, Jason Lee and Bobby Crutchley have all either completed or are in the process of completing this year.



http://www.ne14hockey.co.uk/article/craig-parnham-joins-elite-coaching-programme/1291/

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GB Women lose last test in Argentina

Argentina 3 v 1 Great Britain 2009-12-18 20:00

No Venue | Friendly (National Ladies) | Match Report(s)

ARGENTINA: Maccari 19 (PC), Noel Barrionuevo 21, 26 (PC, PC)

GREAT BRITAIN: Crista Cullen 58 (F)

Great Britain’s intensive five match test series against Argentina came to its conclusion on Friday evening with a 3-1 defeat to Las Leonas in Salta. Three penalty corner goals had given the South Americans a comfortable half time lead before Great Britain rallied with an improved second half performance in which Crista Cullen scored, knocking home a loose ball. Shortly after scoring, Cullen received a blow to the face and left the field before travelling to hospital for further medical examination.

After Thursday’s 2-1 win Great Britain’s athletes would have been hoping for more of the same in their final test fixture but the intensive schedule since arriving in Argentina a week ago took its toll.

In a positive opening ten minutes Great Britain created and then squandered two good early chances when quick breaks put them through on the goalkeeper. And GB paid for those unconverted opportunities midway through the half when Maccari scored for Argentina with the aid of a deflection from a penalty corner before the hosts trebled their lead. Following Maccari’s opener, Noel Barrionuevo netted her third and fourth goals of the series with penalty corner drag flicks in the 21st and 26th minutes to effectively put the result beyond Danny Kerry’s young side by half time.

The Head Coach asked his team for more as they returned for the second half and they duly delivered, playing with more determination and control, keeping out Argentina’s attacks and creating opportunities of their own.

Eight minutes into the half Nicola White saw yellow, earning her a five minute suspension but GB were still intent on playing hockey.

Leicester defender Crista Cullen saw her shot from a penalty corner saved at full stretch by Argentina goalkeeper Laura Aladro but later Aladro could do nothing to keep out Cullen’s next effort; Cullen scoring after the ball fell to her in front of goal after good work from Alex Danson.

There then followed a significant stoppage after Cullen took a hefty blow to the face and she left the field of play to be taken to hospital for further treatment.

Late in the game Sally Walton also served a suspension for a yellow card but Argentina failed to capitalise against a resolute GB defensive.

After the match Danny Kerry was disappointed with the way in which his side had played for the opening spell: “If you only play for one half of a hockey match you’ll lose,” he said. “We were rightly behind at halftime. In the second half we got the goal and played better but the damage had already been done.”

Speaking at the conclusion of the week-long test series Kerry added, “Coming to Argentina has certainly been worthwhile. I have found out a lot about the players, such as who has the self motivational skills required to play five intense matches in seven days. I have discovered who can put in the performances, which will certainly help my thinking around selection as we progress towards the London 2012 Olympics.”

Scottish goalkeeper Abi Walker missed today’s match through illness. The squad will now fly home to the UK in time for Christmas. Great Britain’s centralised training programme will resume in February after the domestic indoor season.

GB Women win in Argentina Test

Argentina 1 v 2 Great Britain HT 1-1 | 2009-12-17 18:00
No Venue | Friendly (National Ladies) | Match Report(s)

Scorers

ARGENTINA: Silvina D’Elia 11 (PC)

GREAT BRITAIN: Kate Walsh 23 (PC), Hannah Macleod 51 (F)

Great Britain claimed a well deserved and memorable victory over Argentina in Salta on Thursday evening with goals from Kate Walsh and Hannah Macleod, her first for GB, completing a superb comeback after the hosts had taken the lead in the 11th minute.

The victory is no less than the young Great Britain side deserve having shown marked signs of development over the first four matches in the five test series. Great Britain are ranked seventh in the world (based on the Nominated Country, England’s, position) while Argentina are ranked second.

Throughout the series Las Leonas have won numerous penalty corners and events continued in this vain with the umpire awarding the hosts a set piece in the very first minute of the match. Great Britain have defended corners well though and the danger passed as quickly as it had arrived.

An unsuccessful British corner came and went before Argentina took the lead through Silvina D’Elia in the 11th minute; the goal was her third in three consecutive matches.

Great Britain worked well to get themselves back level midway through the first half when captain Kate Walsh scored from GB’s second corner of the game. The ball to the top of the circle was slipped left twice to Reading’s Walsh who slapped home for the equaliser.

The goal boosted GB who put Argentina under pressure at another corner immediately afterwards but Argentina survived the scare, eventually clearing the loose ball.

Just prior to half time, Walsh’s Reading teammate Helen Richardson had a drag flicked effort well saved by Las Leonas goalkeeper Succi while at the other end GB cleared a Noel Barrionuevo effort.

Into the second half and Great Britain piled on the pressure in search of their first win in the series. Bowdon Hightown defender Sally Walton nearly put the visitors 2-1 ahead in the 42nd minute but she was thwarted by Succi. Then Katie Long’s cross into the circle found Beckie Herbert but she failed to convert.

Two Argentinean corners followed GB’s spell of possession but the defence stood firm. At the other end Alex Danson had a chance inside the circle but shortly after it was Hannah Macleod who scored what would become the winning goal. A quick break down field saw Macleod’s first effort saved by Succi but the clearance rebounded back past her and into the goal to make it 2-1. The goal was the 25 year old Leicester forward’s first for Great Britain.

With just over ten minutes remaining Argentina’s search for an equaliser was not helped by the yellow card shown to goal scorer D’Elia and GB looked to control the match as it entered its final stages.

Even after the return of D’Elia, and with all of the hosts’ players, bar the goalkeeper, in the GB half Great Britain held firm for a memorable and thoroughly deserved victory.

After the match Head Coach Danny Kerry was pleased with the outcome and with the progression his young side had shown in the week since they arrived in South America: “I thought the win reflected the balance of play tonight. It was a very thorough and professional performance and we deserved to win. You can see from the way we played that the young players in particular have learnt a great deal from coming here.”

The fifth and final test takes place at 18:30 local time (21:20 GMT) on Friday.

GB Women win in Argentina Test

GB ladies head for Argentina

Great Britain Hockey has today announced that the Great Britain women’s team will visit Argentina this winter for a test series against the world’s second ranked team.

The series against Las Leonas is being played in Salta in northern Argentina, alongside the men’s BDO Champions Challenge I.

Final details of the trip, including the number of matches to be played, are yet to be confirmed, however the visit will last 12 days with the squad departing on Wednesday 9 December and returning on Sunday 20 December.

Head Coach Danny Kerry will announce his squad for the series on Thursday 26 November.

Leman Re-elected as GB President

Following a recent selection process the Great Britain Hockey Board is pleased to announce the reappointment of Richard Leman as President for the next four years.

Richard was first appointed to the Great Britain Hockey Board in 2005 as England Hockey’s representative and took over the role of President in January 2008.

His career highlights include winning Olympic Bronze in Los Angeles in 1984 and Olympic Gold in Seoul in 1988. He won a total of 228 caps for England and Great Britain and was Player of the Year in 1984.

Richard is hockey’s representative on the British Olympic Association’s National Olympic Committee and also sits on their Board. He is heavily involved in hockey from grass roots to the elite level, in particular with the administration and development of East Grinstead Hockey Club. He is also currently the Chair of East Grinstead Sports Club.

Speaking about the role, Richard said: “I am honoured to be reappointed as President of Great Britain Hockey at such a key stage in the development of our sport. We are lucky to have such a great team of professional and volunteer supporters throughout Great Britain and with the funding supplied by UK Sport and the National Lottery everyone is pushing hard to give the athletes of both the men’s and women’s squads the best possible chance of success in 2012.”