Jonathan Phillips
Ice hockey star Jonathan Phillips is one of our top sportsmen. Captain of the Sheffield Steelers and the GB team, he is preparing for the world championship being held in Finland in May. Jonathan lives in the Sothall area of Sheffield.
What is your first Yorkshire memory?
Years ago, as a 23-year-old when I was playing for Cardiff Devils, I came to Sheffield to take part in a GB training camp, and I remember driving around the city and thinking how industrial it is and also thinking that “I’d never play here”. But a couple of months later, I’d signed for the Steelers and have loved every minute of it. My first Yorkshire impressions were that if you want to go to the coast, it’s only an hour or so away and it was great having the Peak District so near to Sheffield. I also liked how much Yorkshire was into sport. When we go shopping, I’m often stopped for a chat because people have recognised me. Considering that ice hockey is a minority sport, we have a huge fan base, up to nine thousand for matches, past players were household names and everyone here knows who the Steelers are.
What is your favourite part of Yorkshire and why?
I like the coast and Filey in particular. We try to go to the coast as often as we can and either book a caravan or take a tent. The kids love it.
What is your idea of a perfect day out or weekend out in Yorkshire?
What we love doing is walking by the lakes near Penistone and then going out for Sunday lunch in a pub off the beaten track.
So, for example, going for a walk in the countryside near Langsett Reservoir is just right for us.
What is your favourite walk?
I know Mam Tor, which is more than 1,500 feet high, is not strictly speaking in Yorkshire, but Castleton is not that far from Sheffield and it’s lovely to be up a mountain, feeling full of fresh air with a breeze blowing.
Who is your favourite Yorkshire sportsman or woman, past or present, who would you’d like to take out for lunch?
As an ice hockey team, we’ve worked out for many years at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, and we saw Jessica Ennis-Hill train there as well. She worked so hard, and I’d like to ask Jessica about her training programmes, how she prepared for the big events and how she trained differently from us.
Which Yorkshire stage or screen star,or entertainer, past or present, would you like to take out for dinner?
It would have to be more than one because I was well into Arctic Monkeys when they were in the headlines. I liked their style and music, and whenever my youngest is playing up, I put on Mardy Bum for him as soon as he starts shouting.
If you had to name your hidden gem, what would it be?
One place we really like is Rother Valley Lake in the country park close to Sheffield. You walk for four miles around the lake and it’s only a five-minute walk from our home. It’s perfect for our dog and there’s so much to do in the summer for the kids.
What do you think it is which gives Yorkshire its unique identity?
The variety of things to do. Everything is on the doorstep. Yorkshire’s other big cities are not that far from Sheffield, and because of the countryside and coast, the children don’t have to rely on TV and video games, so it’s nice to get them out. The other point is this: Yorkshire people are very up front, and they’ll definitely tell you what’s on their mind. When you first come to Yorkshire, that characteristic may take you aback, but people are just being honest about the way they see things.
How do you think Yorkshire has changed since you’ve known it, for the better or worse?
Speaking of Sheffield, I don’t think I’ve noticed any negative change. The area around the Arena which used to be so industrial has changed for the better. They’ve done a lot of great things here as regards facilities. In
the city centre, they seem to be building all the time, the people are still warm and friendly, and the night life remains good.
Who is the Yorkshire person you admire the most?
It’s got to be Jessica Ennis-Hill again. What I admire about her is how she stayed at the top for so long and how Jessica has handled herself.
How has Yorkshire influenced your career?
A lot. Being in
Yorkshire as a professional sportsman has made me much more competitive. When I played at Cardiff, it was almost acceptable to finish third in the league. Here though at the Steelers, it’s always been a case of “we have to win”. I was made captain halfway through my first season in 2006-07. I’ve always tried to lead by example by having a good work ethic, and showing that quality of leadership at the Steelers probably helped me to become captain of the Great Britain ice hockey team.
If you could own a part of Yorkshire for the day, what would it be? I tell you what would be good and that would be owning the Yorkshire Wildlife Park at Doncaster.
We take our two boys, Oshan and Aibie, there a lot. They love it. We’ve been going there since they were babies and they’re now 12 and 11. As a family, we try to go once a year to see the lions, tigers, polar bears and sea lions. What we really like is that the animals enjoy so much space and are not crammed into cages.
If a stranger came to Yorkshire and you had time to take that person to one place only, where would that be?
We are so fortunate living in Sheffield because we are surrounded by hills and you’ve got the Peak District as well. So we’d go off into the hills, have a decent walk and then go to a country pub for a drink and something to eat.