Hastings Scot a chance to play the leading role
NORTHUMBRIA University women’s hockey squad returns for preseason training next month buoyed by captain Kerry-Anne Hastings’ experience spent skippering her country this summer.
The BUCS Premier B North side starts the new campaign with a tantalising derby clash against archrivals Newcastle University on October 12.
Hastings will line up alongside her Northumbria team-mates after captaining Scotland’s under-21 side since May.
She said: “Being captain was not all that easy as I was leading a young squad.
“Emotions ran high and incidents occurred which I had a responsibility to manage and solve in the right way.
“However, I wanted to be a role model and do things right to make sure we bonded as a group and performed to the best of our ability.
“I could not have done that without the experience, knowledge and skills I learned as captain of Northumbria firsts last season.
“It was a mentally and physically draining summer but the moment I lined up to sing the Scottish national anthem made it all worthwhile.
“I gave up my summer but I will be happy to do the same again next year if I can captain Scotland at the Under-21 European Championships in Prague.”
Hastings was a key member of the Northumbria squad which returned to BUCS Premier B North after an absence of eight years.
She played a starring role in the team’s famous Stan Calvert Cup victory against Newcastle earlier this year.
Hastings captained Scotland Under-21s against Ulster and England during the summer.
A record of two draws and a loss against the old enemy underlined the Scots’ progress at junior level. Hastings has been managing a hamstring injury all summer but hopes to be fully fit come the start of the BUCS season.
Northumbria’s head of women’s hockey Claire Dobison-Lee said: “The women’s first team embark on another very exciting and challenging season in a few weeks and we cannot wait.
“Last year they spent their first year in the Premier B League in eight years.
“The girls exceeded expectations by finishing second and it was great to see.
“Some of the highlights of the season were winning 3-2 at Birmingham, one of the strongest hockey universities in the country, winning 2-1 at home in the final game of the season to secure the second place in the league and finally cliching our Stan Calvert game.
“I am lucky enough to be working with a super group of athletes who are incredibly focused and driven on by they want to achieve.”