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The England Hockey squads are set for a busy start to 2011 with a number of indoor tournaments and training camps ahead of the FIH Men’s Indoor World Cup in just over one month’s time.
The England Hockey men are set to take part in two invitational international tournaments in January, in Vienna and Leipzig, before naming the 12 man squad to compete at the FIH Indoor World Cup in Poznan, Poland. The England Hockey women are also set to play in the 25th Leipzig Messestadt Cup.
The Rohrmax Cup in Vienna takes place from 6-9 January and will see England’s men compete against the likes of the USA, Austria and a number of European club sides. Two weeks later, at the Leipzig Messestadt Cup, England Hockey will field men’s and women’s sides under a ‘London’ team name, competing against teams including ‘Amsterdam’, ‘Canberra’, ‘Moscow’ and ‘Prague’. Both tournaments are uncapped.
Running alongside the international programme is the domestic super sixes National Indoor Hockey Championships and its showpiece super sixes Finals, which concludes at London’s Wembley Arena on Sunday 30 January. Should their respective clubs progress to the Finals, a number of England internationals are likely to appear at The Fastest Show in Town.
England returned to the international stage of the indoor game in late 2007 with the specific aim of using it to develop athletes’ skills. With the European Championships taking place in August 2011 and London 2012 looming ever larger on the horizon, the development of England’s athletes for the outdoor game remains the priority.
England men’s indoor coach Andy Halliday said: "The indoor game is ideal for developing many of the core skills of outdoor hockey. We see it as a great opportunity for our international squad players to experience the added pressure that the indoor game presents. We will be using the two tournaments in January for player development with most of the outdoor group involved at some stage. We will then select our World Cup team when we return from Leipzig. The Indoor World Cup provides another great learning opportunity on the road to 2012. We relish the challenges ahead in our first appearance at this prestigious competition."
The FIH Indoor World Cup runs from 8-13 February.
England Hockey Indoor Schedule January and February 2011
6-9 January - Rohrmax Cup (Vienna, Austria) - England Hockey men
13 January - Training Day - England Hockey men
18 January - Training Day - England Hockey men
21-23 January - 25th Leipzig Messestadt Cup (Leipzig, Germany) - England Hockey men
21-23 January - 25th Leipzig Messestadt Cup (Leipzig, Germany) - England Hockey women
27 January - Training Day - England Hockey men
28 January - Training Day - England Hockey men
8-13 February - FIH Indoor World Cup (Poznan, Poland) - England Hockey men
8 February - Training Day - Great Britain Hockey women
22 February - Training Day - Great Britain Hockey women
England Hockey Men’s Squad for Rohrmax Cup, Vienna
Nick Brothers (GK) – Reading Hockey Club
George Pinner (GK) – Beeston Hockey Club
Richard Alexander – Surbiton Hockey Club
Andy Bull – Loughborough Students Hockey Club
Darren Cheesman – East Grinstead Hockey Club
Simon Egerton – Bowdon Hockey Club
James Tindall – Surbiton Hockey Club
Richard Mantell – Reading Hockey Club
Barry Middleton – East Grinstead Hockey Club
Richard Smith – Loughborough Students Hockey Club
Alastair Wilson – Beeston Hockey Club
England Hockey Men’s Squad for Leipzig Messestadt Cup
Nick Brothers (GK) – Reading Hockey Club
James Fair (GK) – Cannock Hockey Club
Nick Catlin – Loughborough Students Hockey Club
Jonty Clarke – Reading Hockey Club
Glenn Kirkham – East Grinstead Hockey Club
Iain Mackay – Reading Hockey Club
Simon Mantell – Reading Hockey Club
Barry Middleton – East Grinstead Hockey Club
Rob Moore – Wimbledon Hockey Club
Richard Springham - Reading Hockey Club
James Tindall – Surbiton Hockey Club
England Hockey Women’s Squad for Leipzig Messestadt Cup
Maddie Hinch (GK) – Leicester Hockey Club
Beth Storry (GK) – Reading Hockey Club
Ashleigh Ball – Slough Hockey Club
Alex Danson – Reading Hockey Club
Gemma Darrington – Leicester Hockey Club
Susie Gilbert – University of Birmingham Hockey Club
Beckie Herbert – Leicester Hockey Club
Chloe Rogers – Leicester Hockey Club
Chloe Strong – Slough Hockey Club
Natalie Seymour – Canterbury Hockey Club
Georgie Twigg – Clifton Hockey Club
Sally Walton – Bowdon Hightown Hockey Club
Source: England Hockey Board Media release
