UK Sport Guest Blog: Danny Kerry, England Hockey
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Danny Kerry
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Danny Kerry 03 July 2013
As we come up for air during the Investec Hockey World League in London, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on the relationship between UK Sport and England Hockey, and how they help us deliver prestigious, international events like the Investec World League.
UK Sport is investing over £350 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding into sports preparing for Rio 2016. Hockey is receiving £15.5million of this to prepare our teams for the Rio Games and to build on the bronze medal the Women’s team won at London 2012.
As part of this investment, UK Sport’s Gold Event Series is supporting the bidding and staging costs of major events on home soil. As well as the 2013 Investec Hockey World League semi-finals, the 2015 EuroHockey Championships has also been secured, and will be staged at the Olympic legacy venue in London.
Alongside UK Sport’s funding, England Hockey has also been working hard to capitalise on the overwhelming interest created in the sport by the success of London 2012. 30,000 people picked up a hockey stick in the UK and tried the game out during the Olympic period, and England Hockey created new forms of the game to help appeal to players of all ages and abilities and create a legacy for future participation.
In addition to 11-a-side hockey, there are now short forms of the game called Quicksticks and In2Hockey for children, Back to Hockey for women looking to return to the sport, and Rush Hockey – a five-a-side form of the game which is catching on quickly.
Our Women's and Men's international players are hugely dedicated to inspiring followers young and old to take up the game. Add this to UK Sport’s funding and the work England Hockey is doing, and our vision to create ‘a nation where hockey matters’ becomes an exciting prospect.