New look for Belper Ladies Hockey Club
BELPER Ladies will have a much-changed first team squad when their season starts on Saturday.
Nine of last year's successful team, which posted a well-merited third place in National League North, have departed and need to be replaced.
Four players – midfielder Alice Sharp (England U21), defenders Joanna Lane and Sophie Hawkins (both England U18) plus keeper Sabbie Heesh (England U21) are off to university, which was planned for.
Unforeseen was Cannock Hockey Club's success in the EHL play-offs that saw them qualify for the Premier Division. This situation has led to the departure of Jessica Wood, 20, (England U21) and Joanna Leigh, 17, (England U18) to play for them in the top flight.
Last year's captain and leading Belper goalscorer Alicia Robinson, 20, (England U18) has decided to move to Midland League Division 2 side North Notts because of personal circumstances.
Midfielder Kerry McCollum, 24, returns to Loughborough University where she now works and another midfielder, Elizabeth Hunt, 22, (England U21) will seek a club nearer to her Oxfordshire home.
This means a number of young players from Belper's Fast-Track Academy will have to step up .
Sixteen-year-olds Natalie Tipper, Rachel Griffiths, Kim Wilson and Charlotte Middleton plus Kathryn Lane and Becky Hawkins, both 15, will have big responsibilities on their young shoulders. Tipper, Griffiths and Wilson all played for last year's U16 Mercia Lynx squad (Midlands Regional Team), at the England Hockey Futures Cup and Middleton has represented Wales at U16 level.
In addition, from the second team comes Kirsty Macleod, 19, who has first team experience. A number of these young players were key participants in the Belper Badgers team (average age 15), which secured promotion to the Midland League.
Good news is that former Belper captain and keeper Kathryn Bradbury, 25, returns as a direct replacement for Heesh following her successful shoulder operation.
From last year's team, central defender Anke Kozuch will be a key player together with Anna Toman, 17 (England U18).
In addition, striker Charlotte Hobbs, 17, will be starting her fourth season in the National League and Belper will look to her as their main source of goals.
Wales U18 international Rhiannon Rogers, 17, will also need to take on scoring responsibilities but is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Jessica Horn, 15, (England U16) will have a vital role in midfield.
Belper head coach Tim Barlow said: "I have every confidence that these skilful young players will quickly adapt to the demands of the National League. Together with the experience of our established stars, I am looking forward to an exciting, if not challenging campaign."
Belper begin their campaign on September 18 but have two pre-season warm-up matches. Firstly on Saturday against Boots HC and then next week against Birmingham University. Both matches start at 1.00pm at Belper Meadows.
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Weather for Belper
Friday 25 May 2012
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