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Women’s hockey talking points: Calls for self-funded England indoor teams

Bowdon's Sally Walton is England's top indoor scorer - Copyright 2018 Simon Parker, all rights reserved
Bowdon's Sally Walton is England's top indoor scorer - Copyright 2018 Simon Parker, all rights reserved

Sally Walton, regarded as one of England's best indoor exponents, believes England Hockey should “take a leap of faith” and make the shortened format a significant part of the domestic calendar.

Since retiring from international hockey in 2015, Walton has been a revelation in the women’s indoor game, scoring 115 goals in 60 games. In the last six seasons, the 38-year-old has finished top scorer four times. On Sunday, she will compete at London’s Copper Box for Bowdon Hightown as they attempt to regain the Jaffa Super 6s trophy - and their place back in Europe - in an event they have won twice in the last five years.

The national indoor denouement will follow the recent EuroHockey Nations Indoor tournaments, with England a notable absentee in elite events. Returning to the European indoor stage in 2008, England have slipped down the women’s rankings and now sit 18th, while the men are ranked 16th.

England Hockey said the decision to axe international sides this year was based on UK Sport’s funding criteria, which is primarily aimed at success in the outdoor game. Meanwhile the six-month FIH Pro League and domestic outdoor structure means that, according to performance director Ed Barney, the national governing body “has found it increasingly challenging to accommodate a meaningful indoor international calendar.”

Walton said: “I understand the frustrations around funding and I’m sure they would play indoors if the money was there. But it’s a shame as there is prestige playing for your country.

"If we could have a blanket where weeks are for an indoor leagues, there are no missed opportunities.That opportunity is not there now for the players who could really excel at that format.

“If you were to ask players and how they value the indoor programme and the buzz of trying to make the Copper Box finals, it really does motivate people.”

Walton, who has also captained England indoors, reasons that one way to instigate an international return would be for national teams to be self-funded, a scenario which befalls over-35s teams and upwards on the popular outdoor Masters’ circuit.

She said: “It would be a big decision if self-funding was an option. The England over-35s are all self-funded by players and it still goes on. It shows how valuable it is and the honour of representing your country. If they opened it up to people [at elite level] it would be snapped up to put on an England shirt, even if it meant digging into their own pockets.”

Bowdon’s own indoor programme starts during the outdoor season in November, with amateur players choosing to travel long distances for training. “That highlights how important it is,” added Walton. “We put in the hard yards and extra miles to represent our club.”

Walton believes that the same commitment should be shown by England Hockey to make the indoor product more exciting, akin to the well-supported EuroHockey events organised at this time of year.

East Grinstead - Women’s hockey talking points: Calls for self-funded England indoor teams - Credit: SIMON PARKER 
East Grinstead are favourites for Super 6s double Credit: SIMON PARKER

This season saw two league weekends played at Phoenix Sports Centre in Telford before the Copper Box finals. Walton said: “You almost need to take a leap of faith with it, the same way netball did with the Fast5s. It’s about finding the Super League feel and adding excitement to it.”

After losing to Buckingham in last year’s semi-finals, Bowdon are tipped to meet defending champions East Grinstead in Sunday’s final after finishing top of the Premier Division, with set-piece specialist Walton netting 21 goals in eight games.

“I’m lucky that I’m at the end of a routine where I can score the goals, but if the ball isn’t injected properly, I can’t do my job,” added Walton. “We have to win the corners and it’s lovely to be top goalscorer, but it’s all a team effort.”

Indoor passion lifts RGS Worcester

Walton’s penchant for the indoor game is heightened by her role as head of hockey and athlete development at RGS Worcester, where the under-16 and under-18 girls’ teams qualified for the national indoor schools’ finals. “As a school we really value it,” said Walton.

England Hockey hope to see upwards of 2,500 in attendance at the Copper Box, with East Grinstead, champions across both genders, looking to take 300 supporters. Meanwhile, 30 Worcester school children will travel down to witness Walton and Co’s incisive skills.

“The no hitting and lifting at indoors forces you to work on your ability to manipulate space, your speed and thought and speed of action,” she said. “Because you are constantly involved, there is no hiding on an indoor pitch. You are on high alert and thinking whether it will come to you or break down and what you do then. It really accelerates your learning.

“From the four years I’ve been at the school, it’s really taken off and had a big impact when we put the kids back outdoors.”

Despite the international departure, England Hockey said it “recognises the massive value that indoor hockey can play particularly in individual skill development.”

Barney added: “We have seen the invaluable role that it has played in the development of a few of our internationals. Sophie Bray and Sam Ward would be two players for whom international indoor hockey was an incredibly valuable piece of the journey. We will continue exploring what opportunity there may be in future years.”

‘Danson return has lifted squad’

Great Britain defender Laura Unsworth says that Alex Danson-Bennett’s return to the central programme after recovering from long-term concussion has given added impetus to the squad.

“She has still got a few more tests to pass but she is just delighted to be surrounded by her team-mates again,” Unsworth said before GB’s recent departure to Australia. “It’s great to have her back in our environment with the experience she brings to our squad.

“I saw a stick in her hand the other day, hitting balls like she had never been away, so it will be fantastic to have her back.”

GB men and women begin their Pro League campaign in Sydney on Saturday when they take on Australia in a double header weekend.

In a bid to raise funds for the Australia bushfire emergency, the women's squad has also set up a three-week raffle for a club or school across the world to win 26 new sticks. Over £4,000 has been raised after the squad launched the appeal last week.