The Isle of Man’s senior women’s squad will compete in the England Hockey North Counties Tournament being held in West Yorkshire next weekend.

The Manx team will face Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire and Yorkshire in the competition that is being played at Ben Rhydding in Bradford.

The group has been training hard since early January to prepare for the tournament and coach Jamie Brown, together with input from a selection committee, has named a strong squad of 16 to travel.

The selection offers a blend of youth and experience and Freya Duchars, Maddy Dunlop, Georgia Foxton and Sam Hasall will all make their senior island debuts over the weekend.

Squad: Sarah Pressley (GK), Rachel Overman (GK), Jen Turner, Kirsty Bowley, Sam Hassall, Laura Atkinson, Maddy Dunlop, Dani Coombes, Louise Slater, Imogen Manning, Zoe Crowe, Ellan Cleator, Kim Carney (Captain), Georgia Foxton, Freya Duchars and Sarah Blackman.

Coach Jamie Brown. Assistant coach Alex Bell.

Thanks go to Isle of Man Sport for the travel grant support and to the team’s main sponsors, Viking Office Equipment and Kyocera, who have generously provided the kit and financial support over the past three years.

The squad is looking for a new sponsor with the completion of this deal. Any interested parties should contact the Manx Hockey Association.

men head to bedford

l The Isle of Man men’s squad travels to Bedford this weekend to complete in English Hockey Division Two for the first time.

The group has been able to train together since late 2017 and coach Jon Whiting has named a squad of 16.

With some established players unavailable through injury and examinations, there are four fresh faces in a new-look attack who will make their island senior debuts over the weekend, namely Robin Masson, Tim Henderson, Nathan Evans and Thomas Tsitsos.

Squad: Will Margot (GK), Dave Whiting (GK), Jamie Brown (captain), Steven Crowe, John Verrall, George Harrison, Luis Novo-Smith, Chris Bass, James Harrison, Andrew Vernon-Browne, Thomas Tsitsos, Alex Bell, Tim Henderson, Jonny Callow, Nathan Evans, Robin Masson. Coach Jon Whiting. Manager Andy Whiting.