LONDON, UK – A glance at the fixture list is a stark reminder of the commitment now required by players to compete in the English National League South. Forget the skiing holiday in Switzerland and forget the winter break to Marrakech. Hockey is taking over and testing us all.
On the arctic island of Svalbard there is a rather fascinating place called the Global Seed Vault. The facility preserves a wide variety of plant seeds in an underground cavern. The seeds are duplicate samples, or “spare” copies, of seeds held in gene banks worldwide. The seed vault is there to provide insurance against the loss of seeds in gene banks, as well as a refuge for seeds in the case of large scale regional or global crises.
September Streatham (Dave West)
In the depths of South London is an equally fascinating place called Streatham Ice Arena. Within this historic facility is a small room that houses a similar number of organisms to the Global Seed Vault. Its name is ‘The Kit Room’ and it houses not only millions of bacteria but also some really interesting things. The Supporters club drums, a football, various boxes of promotional leaflets, a tool kit and of course the Redskins equipment including various red helmets of bygone years all call this place home.
Everything starts here, whether it be training or games and the place has an aroma that if bottled could be used as a weapon of mass destruction. Despite the smell it has an alluring appeal and warmth that emanates from more than just the radiator. Picking up your kit to load onto the bus for a road trip is a fresh start, the first part of a journey that will end in the exact same spot some 12/13 hours later.
With the transfer deadline in the ENL approaching in a few days, clubs and players will be contemplating their immediate futures. The clubs will assess their roster and finances however the players have other concerns. Some will be happy and stay put, whereas some will seek a change as Jack Tarczycki of Invicta has done or even decide to leave the sport and opt for recreational hockey or even peace and quiet like Chelmsford goalie Euan King for the remaining months of 2010/11.
This weekend the Streatham Redskins will gather at around midday for a fixture against the table topping Wightlink Raiders. Some will look forward to the trip; others will be counting down the hours till the bus returns to South London in the early hours of the following morning. This scenario will be played out across all of the teams in the ENL.
Isle of Wight%3F In January %3F Ok go on then.
The Redskins now face double headers in five of the next six weekends and commitment will be tested. The club will lay on transport for the road trips and the supporters will provide the post-game food. Just how many players will be there to sample the cooked chicken skewers and pizza on the bus trip home, or count how many times the driver hits the kerb once inside the M25 will depend on their passion for the game and their desire to be part of the team.
A look at the Redskins team photo taken in September shows that of the twenty one faces smiling at the camera, only thirteen are available for selection at present and at least two are serious injury doubts.
The kit room is more spacious than a few months ago and the smell slightly weaker. Svalbard may have some excellent scenery, wild polar bears and the aurora borealis, but the kit room is where I will be this weekend. In amongst the bacteria and inhaling that toxic air with a smile.
Contact the author: david.carr@prohockeynews.com
