Individual News
15th of February 2008
Our win against Manchester last week completed the fixtures between the two clubs for this season. We've had four wins and two losses in games which have been hard-fought and entertaining for the fans. It's always great to see a legend like Tony Hand on the ice but our young players showed what a bright future there is for British ice-hockey.
Greg Owen had the honour of captaining the British team in one of the three mid-week games in France against tough European competition. Greg Chambers showed that he can score at any level and Greg Woods picked up the man of the match award in the final game. It had been a punishing week for them but they're high on confidence and they brought that to the game last Saturday.
That was a real character win for us and Wood's goal was arguably the turning-point of the match. This is a young man who expected to play regular third-line hockey for the season but who has made use of the opportunities that have come his way to develop his game to its present high level. It's true of the whole squad. Whatever the difficulties off the ice, they've all stepped up, as individuals and as a team, to make this such a successful season.
The crowds have stepped up too. Who would have thought months ago, when the future of the club seemed uncertain, that over a thousand fans would be stampeding their way every weekend to the rink?
It's double excitement this weekend with two home fixtures against Belfast and Nottingham. We're getting ready for those games by travelling to Nottingham and Newcastle first! Four games in five days is a big ask for the players and the fans but we're all up for it. We're going to take a well-earned break together after the Nottingham game, on our way up to Newcastle.
Finally, a big welcome back to Kyle Peto. We're all delighted that surgery went well. I'm sure the fans will appreciate over the coming weeks his skills as a defence man and his ability to jump into a rush when the opportunity arises.
See you all this weekend.
Ryan Writes appears on the Follow the Herd page every Thursday in the Basingstoke Gazette
Greg Owen had the honour of captaining the British team in one of the three mid-week games in France against tough European competition. Greg Chambers showed that he can score at any level and Greg Woods picked up the man of the match award in the final game. It had been a punishing week for them but they're high on confidence and they brought that to the game last Saturday.
That was a real character win for us and Wood's goal was arguably the turning-point of the match. This is a young man who expected to play regular third-line hockey for the season but who has made use of the opportunities that have come his way to develop his game to its present high level. It's true of the whole squad. Whatever the difficulties off the ice, they've all stepped up, as individuals and as a team, to make this such a successful season.
The crowds have stepped up too. Who would have thought months ago, when the future of the club seemed uncertain, that over a thousand fans would be stampeding their way every weekend to the rink?
It's double excitement this weekend with two home fixtures against Belfast and Nottingham. We're getting ready for those games by travelling to Nottingham and Newcastle first! Four games in five days is a big ask for the players and the fans but we're all up for it. We're going to take a well-earned break together after the Nottingham game, on our way up to Newcastle.
Finally, a big welcome back to Kyle Peto. We're all delighted that surgery went well. I'm sure the fans will appreciate over the coming weeks his skills as a defence man and his ability to jump into a rush when the opportunity arises.
See you all this weekend.
Ryan Writes appears on the Follow the Herd page every Thursday in the Basingstoke Gazette