Hi there

As we all know sport is full of highs and lows, and in the last month, I’ve had my fair share.  The plan for the month was to have a trio of three day training camps at Bisham Abbey training Complex, just outside London, followed by selection for the Champions Trophy tournament in Malaysia.

For the Scottish based athletes this meant working/studying/lazing around from Monday to Wednesday (plus fitting in training), and then flying down to London on a Wednesday night ready for training on the Thursday.  The three day camps have a full programme, which consists of training 2-3 times a day (hockey, running and weights) and also fitting in sessions for nutrition, vision and match tactics.  Sunday (as God intended) is our day of rest.

For me training was going well until I had a slight twinge of my left hamstring.  Nothing too serious to worry about, but nonetheless two weeks out of full training and also a potential problem for selection.  The selection date for the Champions trophy was November 11th and thankfully my injury did not get in the way and my phone call from the coach was a very happy one.

The Champions Trophy is an annual tournament contested between the top 6 Nations in World Hockey.  However, this year it was due to be hosted in Pakistan, and with the very public political problems in Pakistan this was changed to Malaysia at the last minute. 

With Malaysia’s participation making it a uneven tournament (7 teams) one more team was invited, and luckily for us that team was GB.  This is the first time the GB or England team has participated in this prestigious tournament in over a decade and I was delighted to have been picked.

Once in Malaysia I was back into full training and beginning to acclimatise to the hot and humid conditions. 

Unfortunately for me though it was not to be and in a warm up game against Canada, I tore my right hamstring (4-6 weeks out) while trying to dive and deflect a cross into the goal.  I can’t even claim to have been doing something good, the cross was head height and I got nowhere near it. 

I would not be back in time to play in the tournament and have therefore been sent home.  To say I am devastated is an understatement, but a weekend at home watching the first 11 episodes of ‘Heroes’ with my girlfriend seems to have helped lift my spirits!!

I am now based at the Olympic Medical Institute in London, getting the best rehab treatment possible and I have to try to be positive and get back playing asap.

Graham

Scores in GB matches this month
Friendly v Canada (2-1 win) tore hamstring
Friendly v Canada (3-1 win) DNP
Friendly v Germany (3-1 win) DNP

Graham is supported by the Scottish Institute of Sport.  To see his profile, click here.