Outstanding hockey player’s goal is the Olympics

Lauren’s passion for hockey has made her a sought-after competitor in many older squads. As well as selection into the England Hockey Performance Centre, she plays for our school; for local teams and the county; she coaches other players and has even met hockey Olympian, Lily Owsley.

Lauren says, “In the future, I would like to represent Great Britain in the Olympics.”

How did you get into hockey?

I started playing hockey when I was six, for Bourton and Sherborne Hockey Club, training every Wednesday night throughout the winter. At 10, I played my first Badgers match (U16 boys) against Stroud, and I continued to play for them for the next three seasons.

Which team do you play for now?

From September 2021, I was old enough to play adult hockey and I have been playing for Bourton and Sherborne Ladies 1st team, where I have consistently scored in most matches and settled in with the senior team to the point that I now train every week with the adults (men and women) and help coach the earlier hockey sessions.

How did you meet GB Olympian, Lily Owsley?

In the holidays, I regularly participate in performance camps run by GoCre8, where I have been coached by Lily Owsley, who won a Bronze medal that at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

How are you progressing up the hockey development system?

In 2020 (aged 13), I was selected to go to the development centre training camps for Gloucestershire and off the back of this I went for trials for the U15 Academy Centre, which I was fortunate to get in to. Unfortunately, then Covid struck and all county hockey was suspended. In September 2021, county hockey resumed and due to a change in the age grouping I was eligible to trial for the Gloucestershire U14 academy squad and I was successful in gaining a place.

What was the selection process like for England Hockey?

In October 2021 I was invited to attend Performance Centre trials, where I was up against Wiltshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Avon U15 players. After six hours of trials, I was selected as a member of the 24-player England Hockey Performance Centre squad, based in Bristol.

As part of being selected for the performance centre, I travel to Bristol for monthly training and games for the next seven months. The 16 England performance centres maximise opportunity and player development through high-quality contact time and competition opportunities.

Do you represent your school in matches?

Within the first term of starting at The Cotswold School, I was asked to play for Years 8, 9 and 10, as well as my own Year 7 group, but in Year 8, I didn’t really get to play due to Covid and home-schooling. This year (Year 9), I have played with my year group and stepped up to play with the Year 10s when they were short on numbers. Mrs Honour in our PE Department has been a great mentor and supporter for me and will hopefully keep encouraging me in future hockey endeavours.