Women's Field Hockey

[IANW]

The International Hockey band wagon has rolled into England for a competition later this month. That means that I've managed to grab a couple of training games this week.

1.

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England's Hollie Webb beats the dive of New Zealand's Sally Rutherford to score in the shoot out by IanAWood, on Flickr

2.

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Alex Danson gets her head up to check options ahead by IanAWood, on Flickr

3.

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Anita Punt takes the ball from Alex Danson by IanAWood, on Flickr

4.

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Run girls run by IanAWood, on Flickr

5.

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Alex Danson takes a flyer to avoid Sally Rutherford following her save by IanAWood, on Flickr

 

[Aqualung]

would be fun to photograph at the pro level...can you bring the shadows up in #2?

 

[IANW]

Chris will see what I can do tomorrow after third match in the series.

Will be photographing the USA women's team when they play in London later this month in the final qualifier for the World Cup next year.

It is a hard sport to get right when the sun is so bright given that the players are bending over.

Here are some of the pictures from the opening game of the series

1.

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Maddie Hinch goes to ground to cover Cassandra Reid's strike by IanAWood, on Flickr

2.

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Charlotte Harrison keeps an eye on her shot at goal by IanAWood, on Flickr

3.

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Eyes for the ball by IanAWood, on Flickr

4.

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Ashleigh Ball attempts to reach around Sian Fremaux to the ball by IanAWood, on Flickr

5.

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Maddie Hinch intercepts with her stick by IanAWood, on Flickr

6.

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Maddie Hinch has to juggle the ball by IanAWood, on Flickr

7.

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Bianca Russell's sweep deflects the ball up and over her by IanAWood, on Flickr

 

[Russ_]

Go New Zealand!! Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, Charlotte Harrison.....

Oh yeah, the photos aren't bad either.

btw, it's just "hockey" :wink:

 

[IANW]

Russ to you and me it's just Hockey but to the American membership it's field hockey!

Here are a few of Charlotte from yesterday's game

1.

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Charlotte Harrison sets herself to strike on the reverse by IanAWood, on Flickr

2.

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England Captain Kate Walsh calls the shots on what she expects of her teammates in defence by IanAWood, on Flickr

3.

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Charlotte Harrison set to receive the ball on the back line by IanAWood, on Flickr

Petrea Webster is easy on the eye as well

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Susannah Townsend holds up Petrea Webster's run for the ball by IanAWood, on Flickr

 

[JohninSpain]

Great shots.
I thought playing for your country was top (pro) level. ;-)

 

[Russ_]

It's not "pro" here unfortunately.

 

[IANW]

The only place that you could say that Hockey was professional in that players are paid to play is Holland. In other countries a few players are paid little more than expenses and this year we saw the start of the Indian Hockey League which hopes to see the game become professional. The women and men who play for England are paid a small salary as centrally contracted players by UK Sport to support them as they train for World Level competitions.

Things have improved a little over the last thirty years in the UK when Junior Internationals had to buy their kit from the Hockey Association.

It is a shame but the problem is that to get Hockey on the television in the UK they have to pay the broadcaster rather than demand a fee. Until you can get a paying crowd you will not be able to pay players.

 

[JohninSpain]

I know it,s only football that seems to get money invested in it, all other sports suffer poverty in expenditure.
I suffered the gymnastics experience in the UK.

 

[Russ_]

The Kiwi women's team were quite popular here on the tele during the Olympics, they're a good looking bunch!

 

[IANW]

Russ it was not just the Home TV that enjoyed the Black Sticks at London, Giles Coren was quite taken by them. The Argentinian and Dutch women's team were slightly ahead in terms of good looks but they were definitely Top 3.

JohninSpain Women's sport is something that fails to get investment in anything like it deserves and a relative small amount of money can have large effects just look at Track Cycling and Rowings performance in London 2012.