The club’s wonderful Academy team has been set up specifically to transition the less confident youth players and Back to Hockey players like myself. Those ladies couldn’t be more supportive.
As I stood in the freezing cold and watched my daughter over the next few weeks, I couldn’t fail to be impressed by the improvement in her ability and fitness in such a short space of time.
Soon the voice in my head was saying “if just a fraction of that would rub off on me, I’d be very happy.” In addition, I enviously watched her enjoy the team banter during teas after the game, while I was cold and hungry, so I figured that if I was taking her to the game and staying to watch, I’d be better off playing!
In my first game, I managed to play ten minutes of each half. The whole time I wondered when I could be substituted off as I felt so unfit.
For my second game I played a full half, the whole time thinking I’d never make it. Now after only about four or five matches I want to play the whole game.
It was only the other day when I realised that little voice of doubt has now gone and I can’t wait to play! I’m still not as fit as I want to be, but I know I’ll get there because I love being part of the team and I know my fitness will continue to improve over time.
I love playing hockey because I forget that I’m exercising while I’m playing and that’s the key to exercise for me.
It’s the most amazing pleasure to say I play in the same team as my daughter and she now relishes in critiquing my playing on the way home in the car!
I’m still in awe of the amazing women on my team, all different ages and sizes, but all fitter than me. I remind myself and my daughter that this is how women should be: having fun, being fit and choosing to participate in sport.
My daughter has been my ultimate and unexpected inspiration and I thank her for not being embarrassed of me joining the team.
Encouraging a teenage girl to have the confidence to participate in sport is not easy, convincing myself that I can do it has been even harder, but I think we have both came out winners and I’m so proud of us both!