Nearly Half way through the season.

Sorry i haven't written for so long. What started supposedly as a rest has turned into an extremely busy few months.

Chelmsford Ladies 1's are playing better hockey each week and grounding out some results. We had an extremely good start to the season with a win away to Leicester which unfortunately followed with a few poor games and annoying results. But we've been learning as a team from our new coach - Simon, and things are coming together more each game. In fact at times we are playing some very exciting hockey - you should come and watch to see!

I've personally been frustrated with my hockey for the past few months, after our intial rest i had an injury then played a little and then fell ill! so fingers crossed i'll get a full game in on Saturday! against Ipswich. Frustrating for me and for the team i can imagine.

We need a win from our last game going into the christmas break. We are away to Ipswich on Saturday at 2pm (i think).

On our return from the Christmas break we go straight back into Indoor the favoured game at Chelm!

Have a lovely Christmas all.

Lisa
x

Tuesday 10th October

England 2 Germany 1

Back home now and getting back into the swing of a normal life albeit for a few weeks!

We were really pleased with our game against Germany. We played very well and worked as a unit.

Ginge gave us the lead in the first half having soaked up quite a lot pressure from the Germans. Then just before the end of the first half i found myself in an acre of space with the ball at the top of the 'D' and smashed the ball into the goal, Rachel Walker from Olton helped my strike into the goal with a deflection over the line so a great team effort. Katy Roberts kept us in the game in the second half with a penalty stroke save so in all it was a great game for the Chelm girls!

It was frustrating to see the Spanish smashed by the Argentinians but equally as satisfying. The Dutch won the final as predicted and rightly so. They are number one in the world!

Watching the final and medal ceremony gives you so much motivation to continue training so hard i want to be there!

We have a few weeks break from hockey whilst the National League starts but we'll be back before you know it.

The last night proved to be a good night out and we all enjoyed letting our hair down finally but after little alcohol for 6 months or so it certainnly proved to be a cheap night!!!

Stay tuned for Chelm updates - Tufty is it posisble to archive this and get a new blog up and running for the league?

Take care all, many thanks for your messages - keep them coming.

Lisa
x

Sat 07 Oct England 0 Japan 2

Now we are just left wondering - when will we learn?

Danny has been consistently telling us its the little things that make the difference between being in the Worlds top 6 and not, and its these little things that are slipping by. 1 goal sat between us and a semi-final now we are straing at a best place of 7th. Which we have to take, and have to ensure a good performance. I want to walk out of this tournament proud as possible to have given everything even when the chips were down. Its about taking as many points as possible from the tournament and about our performance as a team and as individuals. What we can learn from one game till the next and who has the emotional stability to get it right.

So we play Germany again tomorrow.

The Japanese game we´d have won if it went on posession. But what did we do with that posession? Nothing that set the world on fire! There was the difference the Japanese took their chances. They could have had another couple of goals if it wasn´t for the brilliance of Katy Roberts in goal who made two crucial saves in the first half.

There is talk of us ´not turning up for the game´apparently, i certainly didn´t view it like that. The first half we imposed our game on them as asked of us. We had a lot of posession but simply didn´t create from that posession. We made a view glaring errors which gave them some clear cut opportunities which Katy kept us in the game. The second half started as the first but Japan broke through our defence and once again we were on the back foot we could only then look to throw everything forward. The Japanese defended execeptionally and all we could do was keep trying. By throwing all we can forward we left ourselves open to penetration which the Japanese took. So critics may say we didn´t turn up for the game i´d argue with that statement but say we need to work on more aspects of play before we are ready to take on the Worlds Best Teams again.

I´m still very excited about the future we are improving all the time and we are learning from every experience and thats what counts from now!

Thanks for all those messages (Steve, Emma, Hayles, Hils, Nick etc..) i´ll keep my blog running for Chelm so please stay tuned!

Lisa
xx

Thursday 5th October England 1 Spain 1 Gutted!

Hi all, thanks for all the comments again and thanks for your positive vibes.

Well what can i say other than - GUTTED! Sorry I didn't write yesterday i hope you weren't looking for my write up! I really wasn't in the mood last night.

I can't write about the game i'm afraid i really dont have the energy or desire its one of those games that i wont forget in a hurry but wish i could!

Its now all about finishing in the top 6 as we orginally set out to do and that means beating the Japanese tomorrow so onwards.

Please please keep those positive thoughts and vibes coming we still need them.

Sorry to be short and brief.

A gutted but positive about tom
Lisa!

Tuesday 3rd October England 1 Germany 0

So Olmpic Champions 0 England 1. A great performance by us that gives us the necessary three points to keep us in the running for a Semi-Final Spot.

We have to make sure we take three points from the Spanish game tomorrow to get into the Semi-Final of the World Cup.

The game today was really good, a fast hard tough battle but very enjoyable. The first few minutes were very tense and we were a little tentative. We won a penalty corner early on which I was having to inject - thankfully my first injection was accurate although i had to retake as the Germans ran out too fast, the second was again accurate but again the Germans ran out too quick at which point their number one runner gets a green card (a warning) and i also get shown a green card. The first time i push out in a proper international match and i get a green card for holding (apparently!) oops! The third i was so worried about holding i took too quickly and pushed it all wrong which resulted in a 90yrd sprint for me back to defend. I was mighlty annoyed but i'd get my chance again. Germany then won their first corner which we defended well. I got into a little bit of a tussle which i have to say really wound me up so I retaliated a bit and not surp[risingly Danny took me off soon after. He let me cool off on the bench for 5 minutes or so and then i was back on to rest Helen Richardson at CH. Whilst i was off the pitch the Germans got another penalty corner and Beth Storry made an awesome save which the rebound fell to a German girl - Mel Clewlow (canterbury) made a diving save to stop the girl putting the ball into an empty net. A key moment.

So at half time it was 0-0 the second half started and we were immediately into attack and won a penalty corner i was injecting again and this time no card! it was accurate. Crista Cullen drag flicked teh ball at goal. Both Lucilla Wright and I were there to follow in. Lucilla managed to scoop the ball into the back of the net only to hit a German girl on the line., A penalty stroke was given. Helen Richardson cool as a cucumber stuck it into the back of the net. We continued to have many attacks and we also defended like our lives depended on it. The minutes dragged out but gradually the time depleted and we'd won 1-0.

Awesome!

So now onto the Spanish.

You all must have been sending thouse vibes so please please please keep them coming.

And to anonymous who doesn't know me thanks for your comment it was very much appreciated. Glad you are enjoying watching and enjoying the blog.

Thanks to all those who leave messages.

With love from Madrid,
Lisa
xxx

Sunday 1st October England 1 (should have been 2) India 1

Well now, who saw it?

You could say an interesting game!!!!!!!

So was it or wasn't it i know your asking. Well we are 100% sure it was. Kerry definetly touched the ball before it crossed the line, she knows she did. So the new 3rd umpire does it help? What could you all tell from the TV we get the replays on the big screen but they aren't very clear what did it look like from the comfort of your sofa's?

So that's what it comes down to. This tournament is posing to be extremely close in every match in both groups. At the top of the sport its the slightest, smallest detail that can make all the difference.

We will be looking back at the video tomorrow and learning from our mistakes and where we could have played better. In the hoe that come Germany we can get the three points required and turn this tournament back in favour of us. It isn't over the fat lady sings!!

For those who didn't watch it your probably wondering what the hell i'm on about. So i'll start from the beginning - We started the game well we knew we had get it and give it not let the Indians crowd the ball carrier as we know they are very god tacklers and stealers of the ball and have an extremely fast counter attack. We also know they can get quite physical!!!! So the more you can stay out of their reach the better (if you get my drift!!) We had a few chances and a few penalty corners in the first half, but unfortunately didn't convert. Then the Indians right before the end of the half had a fast break into our bottom left defending side, the ball got expelled into the air and one of the Indian girls took a swipe in the air, all of our defenders were expecting the whistle rightly or wrongly, it didn't come the girl hit the ball in teh air which fell to another Indian who put it into the goal. We immediately swarmed teh umpire to ask her to confir with her colleague, she did and on the whistel of half time the goal was disallowed.

The second half as to start, but in true cricket style the oppo didn't want to take the pitch they were not happy with the dececision from the end of the first half! Eventually they were told they had to come onto the pitch. They did. The game started. We had the colleywobbles (great sayinging) for first few mins but managed to settle.

I'm really sorry but going to have to go as just had the message from administrator will be back later to tomorrow - keep you all in suspense sorry......

BYEEEEEEE for now

Ok i'm back sorry for the long delay. So .......... but managed to settle........ We then played some exceptional hockey. Really quick interpassing that cut through the indian defence and won numerous penalty corners non of which we could convert. The Indians fianlly came back at us with antother of their quick counterattaks and won a penalty corner. They left slip hit the corner which unfortunately clipped Helen Richardson on the foot, the umpire gave a penalty stroke. We appealed saying the ball was going wide but she was adamant she had given the correct decision. I was very confident with katy in the goal (being a penalty stroke expert!) that she would save the stroke. She got extremely close but the Indian took it well and levelled the score to 1-1. Early on in this second half we went down another key member when Jennie Bimson took a swipe across the face cutting her left cheek in a similar fashion to Kates knee injury and again we somehow managed not to win the decision.

We were not going to let this affect us and again played some good hockey. We broke through numerous times. A great chance fell to Al Danson who showed some exceptional skill in beating the GK but then lost her positioning within the 'D' and pulled the ball wide of the goal. It was a devasting moment for her, but we continued to apply the pressure. With two minutes to go Crista took a very quick free hit just outside the attacking 25 Kerry Williams ran towards the ball and was in 'D' when it touched her stik and flew into the bottom left corner of the indian goal. we were 2-1 up.

Or where we! The third umpire was called into action, a new ruling for the mens and womens world cup. The video replay was played over and over and they eventually came to the conclusion that the goal should not stand. So with 2 min to play still at 1-1 we still applied great pressure, we won another pc but again could not convert. It simply was not going to be. It has to be one of the most eventful games I have played in. It had the crowd gripped.

So with a win a loss and a draw we now stand 4th in the group with two games to play. The Germans and the Spanish. David Faulkner ventured this morning that we are exactly in the same place as they were when they played in the Olympics 1988 - and we should all know what happened there - they won the GOLD! So don't think we are dead and buried yet we aren't we still have everything to play for and we need to win twice!

So if you haven't sent you positive thoughts and vibes then now is the time!!!

Till tomorrow,

Adios
xxx

29th September 2006 England 0 Holland 1

Oh Dear - a loss!

we were so annoyed. The day started just as well the China Match day. But it wasn't to be.

I don't know what to say really. We started the game and the dutch to be fair had the majority of play for the first half. We were on our back foot. We had a shot from Al but they took the iniative for most of the half. I had worked myself up into a frenzy perhaps putting too much pressure on myself from the minute i woke up and started the game very badly, very uptight and not relaxed i just wasn't playing my normal game at all. Still i gradually got into the game and found my feet well actually fond my stick and worked out what the ball was!!

Towards the end of the first half our captain kate Walsh was taken out of the rest of the game with a nasty swipe having just nicked the ball of one of the Dutch girls. Thankfully she is now walking about the hotel but we are still not sure how much damage was done. We were all getting flashbacks of the World Cup Qualifier!

The second half was much different. We started playing a lot faster. It was quite frustrating as the Dutch kept on breaking play down and the umpires just weren't stepping up to the mark it seemed. The dutch got away with all sorts. Even a big fat foot in the circle right under the umpire but no play on play on. Now i'm not one to come off the pitch and blame umpires and to be fair Holland over the course of the game probably should have won but just what if, what if the umpire had given the corner!!!! Still we can't live on what ifs and the game is over. We lost, we didn't play great. I didn't play great. But we have to move on, move onto the next game and get ourselves back into the tournament. At the end of the day (it gets dark!) Holland are number 1 in the world and the pressure was and is on them. That was never really meant to be a 3 pointer for us, we just have to get ourselves into the right frame of mind to play the next game.

So back on the recovery horse- nutrition, active recovery, hydration etc etc and we will stand to fight another day.

Please don't stop those positive vibes and thoughts, please share them using the message service below, we need all that we can get.

Till next time,

Love Lisa
xxxx

27th September 2006 - ENGLAND 3 China 2 YIPEEEEE!!

Hi All,

Many thanks for you comments, just read them all and both Al and I got very excited with each comment.

We are soooo happy a great start to the tournament. But as we were reminded quite rightly straight after the game we have to keep our feet firmly on the ground and make sure we get ourselves fully recovered over the next day before taking on the Dutch on Friday.

Al (Alex Danson my roomie.) woke up this morning with a good feeling. I will listen to her in the future! We were both hyper first thing this morning and from after breakfast we just couldn't wait to get on the pitch. We had our team meeting at 10.30am by the time this finished we were all well and truly prepared to take on the CHinese. We'd been preparing for this for months. Lunch was early at 11.30am and from lunch till the time we left the tunes were turned up, the hair straightening irons were heated and water bottles were prepared. We weren't going to let anything be amiss before we started this game.

We finally left the hotel at 1pm and arrived at the ground at 1.30pm. The weather was sunny sunny sunny, nice and warm which is always a good omen we play well in heat. As soon as we got to the ground we were into the changing rooms and weighing in (check our hydration!) then immediately out and into the warm up. Having completed the running warm up we were then onto the stick and ball. I have to say this was a little lax, i think the nerves and apprehension of the build up was getting to us all. Danny asked if we were all ok - but i think collectively we knew, we knew we just needed to get into the game and hear the first whistle go to start.

Finally the time came. The whistle went, and we were off, harrying, closing down the CHinese as quickly as possible. We knew from stats that they start games hard and fast and we were determined to match this. We did and imposed oursevles on the Chinese from the off. The game was fairly end to end but with not so many chances in either 'D'. In the 12th minute we finally broke through their defence from a long corner that Crista Cullen (Leicester) powered into the 'D'. The Chinese defence miss trapped the ball and left it sitting up nicely for Al to slam home. The Chinese responded after another 8 minutes or so with a penalty corner which their PC specialist flung into the goal with a drag flick. The game got a little frantic for a few minutes but once it settled we again broke through and Chloe Rogers found herself free on the right hand side of the 'D' she calmly placed the ball across the goal for Lucilla Wright (Olton) to put into the empty net. The ball seemed to cross the line in slow motion. We finsihed the first half two one.

During half time Danny & Karen ensured that we maintained concentration, gave us a few tiny details to our play and then sent us out on a highly emotional 'COME ON'. It was great to see the emotion within him and all of us responded brilliantly from this. We started the second half just as well as the first, at a pace to match the Chinese despite our start it was the Chinese who found the back of the goal first from a free hit outside the 'D'. They hit the ball in and the CHinese girl took a deflection in the middle which wrong footed Beth Storry (Holland club team!). The game stood at 2-2 until about the 57th minute when Crista Cullen scored a slip left drag flick at a penalty corner won by Chloe Rogers. It was a great moment. The last 13 minutes seemed to fly by thankfully although i'm sure that wasn't the case for the supporters on the sideline! The last 3 minutes we kept it on the right hand side in our attacking 25yrd to play time down. It worked and we won 3-2!

A really solid performance from all and a well deserved win.

As i said before we can't get carried away we have to perform as well if not better on Wednesday against Holland and between now and then we have to do everything to ensure we get the best recovery - rest, nutrition, hydration, active recovery etc!

Thanks for all those who have passed on their positive thoughts.

I have to make special recognition of Bam & Jem from Al, its great that you are reading the site and not from CHelm hockey club or my family. Lets hope more follow your lead!

Thanks to all my family for their thoughts and vibes and all those from Team Chelm.

Love to all back home.

Over and Out
Lisa
xxx

26th September 2006.

Its the day before the tournament begins. We have now had our last training session and it all starts from here. The mood in the camp is excited and nervous but very jovial and light. The nerves for me are really beginning to kick in now, everytime I think about the game tomorrow i get these waves of jumbled - excitement, apprehension, fear; but i think it's all good. I can't beleive we are actually here time flies! I am definetly ready to start the tournament, i'm injury free and just prepared to take on whatever and whoever is thrown at us.

We had the opening ceremony (well more of a opening gathering of all the teams and officials) at the ground today, it hit home that the tournament was starting.

The ground is finally taking shape with all the stands erected and all the signposts and banners decorating everywhere. It looks like it should be a great spectical.

I will be sure to come back online tomorrow to let you all know how we got on.

Keep those fingers crossed and keep feeding those positive thoughts.

Till tomorrow,
A nervous but excited Lis!
xxxx

Thanks for the comments Hils & Big Sis!

I forgot to say thank you so much for you comments.

I'm glad Geebs has started clapping lessons if its anything like her walking lessons she'll have picked it up in no time at all!!

Big thanks for the sky details, set your sky plus if you have it!!!!

See you in a week or so Muir family.
xxx

Sunday 24th September, 2006. 3 days to go!

Welcome back to my blog and a big Hola from Espanol (Spain - sorry my fluent Spanish maybe too much for you all!!!)

I dont have long to write as we only have ten minutes left on the internet connection - we (my roomie Al Danson and I) are trying to sort out internet for the few weeks we are here but it doesn't seem to be working at the moment. So you will have to bear with us for the moment. Hopefully by the tournament starts we will be up and running so i can upload and keep you all updated whenever i feel like.

So far the holding camp has been fairy good. We have trained everyday and played the Koreans in a practice match. We drew with the Koreans 1-1. It was a good game and we felt we got a lot from it. We are addressing a few minor details and have another practice match tonight v Japan. Then a last few training sessions to put the icing on the cake and hopefully that will lead us in well to our first match V China.

The pitches we are playing on are both really nice and play quite quickly. The venue is getting more and more like a world cup venue by the hour! Each time we go to the pitch there is something else built. At the moment it is all boding well!!

Well Sorry to cut it sort and not tell you all more but have to get going otherwise i'll cut off!!

Hope you are all well. If i forget to say - good luck to the ladies 2's in their first league match.

Take care and don't forget positive thoughts!!
xx

Day before we leave!!! - YIPEEEE

Hello again,

Its the day before we leave and i'm about to start packing. We finished our last training camp at Bisham yesterday lunch time we have a day to prepare ourselves and then off we fly tomorrow morning very early!!

We are all very excited and looking forward to the next few weeks ahead of us. A week today and we will be preparing for our first match against China. It feels like this has come around so quickly.

I hope all of you were following the mens World Cup. They were ranked 11th in the World going into the tournament and finished 5th a fantastic achievement - congratulations to all.

Everyone keeps asking if we are feeling the pressure having the men finish so high. I really don't and i think the team would agree. The mens world cup on Euro Sport just made me more excited about getting out there and into the tournament. It showed that at that level its the smallest of margins that makes the difference between winning and losing.

My last training session didn't exactly go to plan - i got a ball in the face whilst practicing attacking corners and cut my cheek so had to have my face glued and this morning i have a beautiful coloured eye and its likely that i'll be a scar face for a while at least! (there goes my successful modelling career - as i'm such the perfect height to be a model!!!!!)

Well i hope you all tune in to the blog over the next few weeks. Unfortunately the internet access is very expensive in the hotel so I may not be able to write as often as i would like but will try as much as possible.

Will be back soon and from the sunny climes of Madrid.

Positive thoughts appreciated.

Lisa
x

Yep it works well, and I even get to test it in a new window before it goes live!

Hope this makes for easier reading.

The archive stories from the Commonwealths and the World Cup Qualifier are easier to find aswell now. So when you have a spare half hour or probably longer have a read and see how the England Team got on earlier in the year.

Ta Ra for now!

Just Checking the New System

Hi to All,

I'm just checking out this great new system Tufty has implemented. You can all even leave comments now if you want!

So let me know your thoughts, any i'll also try and field any questions that you may have providing they are clean, sensible and predominantley about hockey!!! I'll obviosuly have the right to refuse!

Lets see if this works .............GO!

World Cup Selection

I'm so sorry for not writing sooner. It has been a very busy couple of weeks, it feels like I don't get 5 minutes to sit down. If I'm not training with the team, I'm training on my own doing fitness or busy trying to earn enough money to afford to live!

It's been a very exciting couple of weeks with the selection for the World Cup and then travelling out to Madrid for a recce. Selection was now over a week ago. Once again another nerve racking day was ahead of me. We were told selection would come out at noon but unfortunately I wasn't near my computer during the day as I was having to get a new passport having had my old one stolen whilst on holiday. At about half eleven in the morning I couldn't wait any longer to see if it had arrived, so I got my sister swinging into action on the internet to check my e-mails to see if the team had been announced. It had, I sat in the car on the other end of the phone my sister slowly and painstakingly read out the team, I'm sure she must have scrolled down the letter first to check my name was on the list but finally she got to the W's in the list and sure enough there was my name. I was selected for the World Cup. I was so excited. The smile couldn't have been wiped off my face for the rest of the day. What was even more exciting was that there were three selected from Chelmsford HC in the team. Katie Roberts and Chloe Rogers were also selected. A great achievement for the club.

The team having been selected were straight into training the weekend after selection, then two days home and we flew off to Madrid for a recce. I am now writing this having just flown back into the country. Madrid is a great setting for the World Cup its a beautiful city and the venue 'Club de Campo' is fantastic it's a mammoth sports club with polo, golf, swimming, hockey and tennis all within the same grounds. The pitch is lovely to play on. We have had five training sessions on the pitch over the course of the last few days and experienced the beautiful summer heat of Spain of forty odd degrees!!! (We are hoping for a little cooler later in the month! Apparently its supposed to be around 23 degrees a good temperature to play in!) The grounds seem no where near ready to host a World Cup yet but always the way it gets closer and closer and suddenly stands are built, signs and banners are erected and the place changes in atmosphere. I can't wait to be back. It was a great feeling just walking onto the pitch we will be playing on in the world cup and that was just for training, i can't wait for the feeling I'm gonna get when walking out for our first match.

So in exactly 17 days we will be flying back to Madrid for the holding camp and 23 days we'll be playing our first game. In these next few weeks we are really going to have to focus on world cup and everything will be about preparing to play my best hockey by the end of the month.

I hope to write a little more often now and having checked out the hotel I should be fine to keep in contact whilst I'm in Madrid.

So till the next time.

Adiós.

England 2 Germany (Olympic & Champion Trophy Champs) 1

The camp at Cannock this past weekend didn't exactly run to plan but the final result of our game on home turf against the Olympic Gold Medallists was extremely promising.

The typical English summer weather played a great part in the amount of hockey we played during our four day camp at Cannock this past week. We arrived on Wednesday last week and after 40 minutes on the pitch were faced with an extreme downpour and thunder storm and a waterlogged pitch, hampering our training and being tackled by water so we abandoned training and headed back to the hotel. The session the next day followed a similar pattern but at least we were able to get a full hour on the pitch this time!

Our first game against Germany on the Thursday night ended in a one all draw. We were reasonably happy with our play and felt we were playing much better than we had when we played Japan - at least we actually held the ball for more than a couple of passes! We scored first though a great rebound on a corner from Mel Clelow (Canterbury) but unfortunately Germany equalised through a deflection with seconds on the clock.

Again Friday's training was a wash out and we trained indoors with an hours Pilate's session taken by Rachel Walker (Olton). We also had a meeting from UK Doping about the 'whereabouts' system. This system has been designed to test all elite athletes outside of competition. So drug testers can turn up anywhere to test us at home, at work, whilst we are training! anywhere basically there is no escape and to aid this process we have to tell them through an online system where we are each day for at least one hour a day five days a week. If we don't comply we get three strikes and were out and deemed as a drug user with the consequences that go with that accusation. Its an extremely important aspect of being an elite athlete and we have to take responsibility for ourselves.

Saturday saw our two one win over Germany. The first half was particularly poor from us but we stayed in the game and gave ourselves the opportunity to turn it around in the second half. Kerry Williams (Leicester) opened the scoring for us from a Mel Clelow cross and then Jo Ellis (Doncaster) or Figo also known as scored an awesome reverse stick goal after some great team inter-passing. Germany then came back and scored a corner but couldn't find the second equaliser and we were determined not to let in a goal in the dying seconds again!

I thankfully am getting back into it and managed to play the majority of both games. Despite feeling particularly match unfit! I didn't have my best games in the world but surely if selected it's all about peaking at the World Cup!

We are back to Bisham today for training again and selection is towards the latter stages of the week. So fingers crossed.

Thanks to those that came up to Cannock to watch - Olly Rogers and Taff!

For now - byeeeeee!

Welcome Back to The Blog

Hello, avid blog readers!

I have agreed in preparation for the World Cup to continue my blog and obviously selection pending I will continue the blog throughout the World Cup, providing there is an easy Internet service.

Preparation really started the day we qualified for the World Cup back in May. We were given a hockey break back after the league finished, which is as important as the pitch time really as it gives your mind and body a small window of recovery before the hard work starts again, and oh boy did the hard work start!

At the end of this short break we played Australia and Argentina in a couple of tests. They were preparing for the Champions Trophy and we were just coming back from sometime away from the hockey pitch, so all teams were at different stages of the preparation for the World Cup, and it showed with how we played. We were in all quite disappointed with our performances but equally there were key players missing and we hadn't picked up a stick for a month. It doesn't excuse not applying what our coach had asked of us which was the case in one game but in all, the games taught us a few lessons which was best to be learnt there and not at the World Cup, and it proved we were still a long way off from number one in the world!!!!!

After those matches and camp it was again into a hockey break for a month but July was a hard physical month of simply strength and conditioning training (fitness sessions!). Two - three sessions a day of real intense hard work which whilst painful and sickening to complete made you feel great once you had finished them and gave you a great sense of well-being and achievement. Each week I felt stronger and stronger mentally and physically but I knew my body was beginning to fatigue as I drew closer to the end of this month. It's one of those battles that an athlete has to play in their head - continue to train as hard or feel guilty and take an extra rest day, mind says one thing, heart says another and legs and lungs certainly say another! Eventually, oh dear I tweaked my hamstring (should have taken that extra rest day! and as much as those around you supporting you tell you you don't hear them!) but unfortunately that was to be just the start of a bit of a downward spiral and soon after tweaking my hamstring I fell ill.

So a forced two week break off training was hard to cope with. I felt useless a month of hard work felt it was just slipping by into the distant past whilst the pending selection for the World Cup was looming ever closer. Each day felt like a lifetime and it took me a good week to come to terms with the fact that actually if I sat and did nothing it would be better and quicker for my recovery, but more importantly fortunately for those closest to me a little less annoying as they didn't hear me whinging constantly all day! Once I got my head round the fact that what was in the past was in the past and I could only affect the future I began to be far more positive and in all was the turning point as I finally gave myself the rest my mind and body needed and deserved and surprise surprise began to feel a whole lot better. Thanks to the strong support network from the EIS (England Institute of Sport) and the England Hockey Management and Players I began my road to recovery in the best fashion at the end of last week, and now under careful supervision have started training again to ensure I'm at my best for selection and fingers crossed the World Cup.

Everything I'm doing right now from the number of hours sleep in the night and day! (yippee yes that's right I've been advised to have a wld [wee lie down] every afternoon for half an hour to aid recovery) to the type of food I have for breakfast, before and after each training sessions and for each meal is essential for the most effective and efficient road to restore myself back to full fitness and surpass fitness levels of before, and learn/improve anything on the hockey pitch I possibly can before the World Cup.

I'm sure you will have all heard by now that Katy Roberts (Chelm 1st XI GK for those who don't know Chelm Ladies) has returned to International Hockey and is also vying for a place in the World Cup Squad along with Chloe Rogers.

Watch this space - as we may have three Chelm girlies in the World Cup!

For now I'm afraid I'm going to sign off. I will be back. We have matches against Germany next week so will update after those.

Get those positive vibes building we'll be needing every one of them in 44 days!

England 2 v Korea 1

We Won, We won, We Won. What a great feeling, like this winning habit lets keep it up. Well its the morning after the night before! We had a great night and I'm sure I'll get some pics up later. The hats and hooters were a hit last night and seemed the new fashion craze as everyone wanted to get their hands on a hat or hooter!

The day started with a match of Volleyball against the management team. They were taking the game very seriously and turned up to the court in sweatbands, knee pads and the same kit, they did have an imported player from Italy - Jose our liaison officer. They had all the gear but no idea the Oldies thrashed the Veterans 11-4. We were on fire. They obviously gave the excuse that they wanted to make sure we were psychologically in the right frame of mind! It was great banter and did set us up well for the day ahead.

The match was extremely tiring, but very enjoyable. It was very end to end but not much happening in either circle for the first half. Once the Koreans had scored in the second half we had to up our game, and thankfully it paid off when we scored two goals in open play the first from Becky Herbert with a deflection off a free hit outside the circle and then Lucilla Wright with a cracking strike from the top of the D that fooled all players and thankfully their GK and it dribbled into the bottom left corner.


Now its onto the World Cup. We can't wait to get to Madrid in the summer now, who knows what might happen, another 4/5 months development 'the worlds our oyster!' If we all show the same passion and drive that we have out here then watch out world - here come England!


Love to all that have supported us from back home, a big thank you to the Chelm girls (and men - seeing as our new coach is of the male variety) for your support and cheering last night. Will be back next week on the pitch with the green goddesses! We are at home playing Canterbury on the Sunday.

England 1 v USA 0

Can't believe it wrote this up last night but didn't save it properly. So sorry to those who have tried to read all about the game.

The match was as expected very physical. I have the bruises and a dead leg to show for it! We started tentatively and couldn't seem to string any passes together. We kept making silly mistakes and couldn't trap the damn ball. The States were playing hurry u hockey and trying to run us down, literally, which to their credit worked in the first ten/fifteen minutes.

We eventually started to create more pressure but couldn't convert the pressure into any worthy chances at goal. We won a few corners but they weren't on form yesterday. The second half saw pretty much the same as the first, the States pressured the ball carrier all the time, and whilst we created more chances and penalty corners we just couldn't score.

Their GK played well (ex Canterbury player) and they defended for their lives. So into extra time we went. We were confident of extra time if it came to strokes having played through the same in the Commonwealths. We still created chances in both halves of extra time but still couldn't take the opportunities. Being Golden Goal (the first team to score) it creates an edge of excitement as the ball gets closer to either goal. They did have one chance when Reidy had to make a crucial save. Other than that they created few chances and no penalty corners.

Thankfully in the dying seconds of the match we won a corner through great play between Chloe Rogers and Jennie Bimson as there were 8 seconds to go the clock was run down so the very last corner of the match if we didn't score it was to go to penalty strokes. It was slip left drag flick Crista got hold of the flick but the line player made a great save but in her haste and panic to clear it she swept it straight to Chloe. Chloe took it round the player closing her down then realised 5 yards from goal that she had a lot of time and space and absolutely tonked it past the GK. I was stood right behind Chloe and was first to give her hug. We were all so relieved we deserved it.

Sorry if we gave those watching online a heart attack i know mum couldn't bear to watch the written script and to go gardening! Bless her!

Now onto the final against Korea. Should be a good match. 3pm Saturday our time. Mum and Dad are flying out to watch I found out after the game, it is such a lovely thought from them. Sister Em and boyf Phil wished to come out too but unfortunately Phil is working and Em has her new little baby to look after. Having Stansted airport on the doorstep is definitely a bonus!

Thanks for everyone's support especially those from Little Canfield Village, it is much appreciated. Keep it up because I can feel your positive thoughts coming across the continent. They are obviously helping! Love to all.

The Big Show Down! - oh and Semi-Final Day.

The score in Volleyball youngsters v oldies was two all leading into today's deciding match. The matches are three games first to 11 points and two points clear. Excitement had been building all morning to the big match. With a full stadium (the management, with cameras!) the atmosphere was electric.

The Oldies dealt the first blow to the youngsters by turning up all in the same kit (red vests, white socks pulled to knees and sweatbands [wrist protectors!]) I think that gave us the psychological edge and they were on the back foot from the first serve. The Oldies took an early lead but the youngsters made the miraculous recovery to win the first game. Oldies composed under the pressure came back to win the second game.

So all resting on the last game the title of Volleyball Queens, an aggressive start from the youngsters and some good play by both teams saw quite a tight match. There were a few tough but good calls by the ref - Helen Richardson who dealt with the pressure of back chat and kept the game clean. The Oldies took the last four points of the match relatively easily as the youngsters lacked the experience of cracking under the immense pressure that rested on them. Their tall blockers weren't on the form of the previous game and we took advantage.

The photo shows the point at which the match was won you can see the anguish on their faces as they realise they have succumbed to the Older more wiser team members. What a feeling for us - we are not past it yet!!!! Will take them a little longer to nab our positions in the team! So victorious we walked from the pitch leaving the youngsters to return the net.

And onto the more important match - the Semi-Final v USA. I can't wait for the game this evening. Should be very physical so I'm mentally preparing and sharpening my elbows for a rough tough match.

Don't forget to check back later for the result.
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