Sport

Sport New chapter opens in amazing

By Steve Keenan newsdesk@ blackmorevale.net After 40 years as a top-flight hockey coach, Gavin Featherstone has written a thriller with a shocking secret, drawing inspiration from his south Somerset village. Gavin played for and captained England in 42 matches at all levels before becoming a coach and taking the US and South African hockey teams to the Olympics. His career took him to many countries in Africa and Asia which feature in the book –as does life in Penselwood, near Wincanton, the village he moved to 18 months ago. The book Rhesus Positive follows the lives of the Bristowes of Bermondsey, two brothers born into the Second World War. “One married above his station and ended up in a traditional English village,” he reveals. “In the book, it’s in Sussex but a lot of it is based on Penselwood, which I find is a very traditional but cooperative village. You can walk into the front yard, buy the veg and leave the money. “There’s the village hall, no pub and walks on a Sunday. There are fanatical gardeners and riding stables: it’s a very pleasant lifestyle.” Although moving here recently, Gavin is no stranger to the area. His career took in a spell as a coach at Sherborne School: Coldplay singer Chris Martin was in his First XI in 199394. He also worked at Millfield School for a spell and lived in Wells. He was born in London in 1953 and was on the books

STICKING AT IT: Gavin Featherstone in action for England and, below, badges from his time with South Africa during the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and, right, with the US in Los Angeles in 1984

of Chelsea FC when he was 16. But studies got in the way and he later switched sports, reached the highest levels of hockey before a car accident prematurely ended his career, aged 27. “I made certain back then that I had some coaching qualifications,” he said. He went abroad to learn, “to bring some fresh ideas back,” and worked in countries including the US, South Africa and Malaysia. “I wanted to see the game and major tournaments from an objective point of view. I knew playing wasn’t the same as coaching at that level. I lived like a hockey

nomad as well as coaching at junior levels.” After two years on the road, he got a phone call in 1982 from the US asking him to coach the men’s team in the run-up to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984. “Men’s hockey was nowhere in the States at that time –there were only 120 field

Sport career of hockey coach Gavin

WHAT A LIFE: Gavin coaching the USA team at the 1984 Olympics and, top, the Sherborne School First XI from 1993-94, with future Coldplay frontman Chris Martin circled, Gavin Featherstone today and, bottom picture, Gavin, circled, in the Kingston Grammar School First XI of 1968

hockey players in the whole of the US. They wanted somebody with broad experience to bring the game on.” The team didn’t win any of its seven games but drew two – and lost by just 2-1 to eventual Olympic champions Australia. In Los Angeles, he got in with the film crowd and learned about video. He began making films about different aspects of the game and went on to produce 15 such videos. “It gave me employment for the next 20 years.” The videos provided an income as did the emergence of Astroturf pitches, with Gavin able to travel the world and coach teams to play on grass or synthetic –such as a spell at Sherborne when the school switched surfaces. He also coached Oxford Blues for four years, coached England under-21 men’s and women’s teams at World Cups in 1993 and 1997 and coached South Africa in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. The peripatetic lifestyle slowed down slightly when he became coach to the men’s and women’s hockey teams at Durham University in 2004. He warned it would take years to turn it around –but he did. By the time he left in 2012, Durham’s women’s XI was the best in the country: the men’s team was No 2. In another brush with fame, the skipper of his women’s team when they won national titles in 2012-13 was Cherry Seaborn, the childhood sweetheart of singer Ed Sheeran. Gavin was invited to their wedding in 2018. Gavin rounded off his coaching career back in America, at Ivy League school Cornell for three years until 2015. But while at 67 he is unlikely to take on another job, he still travels the world on short-term contracts, typically a three-week coaching clinic in, say, America or Namibia. And now he writes. Rhesus Positive is his fourth book and first attempt at fiction – the first three were about hockey: a biography of the game, a collection of short stories and an academic study of changes in the sport. “I’ve clashed with the English establishment over the years. It’s a sport that’s set it in its ways, a bit like cricket. A very complacent and tribal sport. “Books are my vehicle to travel now,” he says. “I can go and teach and talk hockey. Half of my career has been overseas. It’s good.” n Rhesus Positive is available on Amazon, price £9.95. 75

STICKING AT IT: Sophie Hamilton, centre, in action againt Belgium in the FHI Pro league Bruton teen is GB hockey star

A Bruton teenager has made and lost one in the second King’s Head of Sport her full hockey debut for round of a tournament that Coordination. Great Britain in games will finish in June 2021, a Last year, Sophie played for against Belgium and current year behind the original the University of world champions Holland. schedule due to covid-19. Connecticut Huskies, Sophie Hamilton, 19, played Sophie was born in Bruton notching eight goals and 14 against each team twice in and spent five years at assists in 21 matches in her the FIH Pro league, a global King’s Bruton school, where first year. competition for the world’s she was part of the six-strong She is now back in the UK nine best teams. team that won the under-16 playing for Bristol-based “It was an amazing national indoor hockey Clifton Robinsons Ladies in experience to have the trophy. “It is fantastic to see the Hockey Premier opportunity to go on my first how seamlessly Sophie has Division, while also training trip away with the GB Senior adapted to the pace, with Great Britain. Team,” she said. I was physicality and pressure of According to GB Hockey’s nervous before the game, but senior international hockey, website, Sophie is also a you only get your first cap and is extremely exciting to gifted tennis player and has a once, so I just tried to enjoy think she is only at the start twin sister, Olivia, who has it.” of her international hockey also represented England at GB won one game, drew two career,” said Henry Eriksson, age group level. Last golf rounds at Yeovil before lockdown The last week before with 35 points - he went on participated in the final preLockdown gave Yeovil Golf to clinch both the scratch and lockdown competition which Club members several handicapped Junior was run as a fourball better opportunities to play a last Championships two days ball stableford event. competitive round. Colin later. It raised £104 for the Leach of Charlton The junior stableford Senior’s charity fund and Horethorne won the Division competition was won by was won by Mark Barber of One prize in the last Chloe Northover. Malcombe Bingham and Saturday Stableford The final pre-lockdown John Docherty of West Stour Competition with 35 points. competition over the Newton with a score of 46 stableford Andrew Trevett won the Course was won by David points. Allan Houghton and Sunday Stableford Brown whose 41 points saw John Sheldon came second Competition with 41 points him finish two points ahead with 45 points and Hartley and William Chesterman of Sam Kendall. More than Heard and Roger Bateman won the Junior Bowls trophy 100 senior members third with 44 points. 76

Dryside training keeps swimmers fit in lockdown

North Dorset Turbos Swimming Club’s countylevel athletes, the Performance Squad, could only swim one Wednesday training session at RiversMeet in Gillingham before lockdown. The 90-minute, two-lane session is in addition to whole pool training on Tuesday and Friday. Almost all the 12 Performance Squad swimmers attended the first Wednesday session, which included timed 50metre sprint trials in all four strokes. Head Coach Rich Brocklehurst, who took the session, said the youngsters have retained their fitness very well, despite months of ‘dryside’ training over summer and missing the spur of real competition. “We introduced land training for swimmers aged 11 and above just over a year ago in the RiversMeet sports hall,” he said. “The skills they learned during the half-hour sessions immediately before swimming undoubtedly helped them stay match-fit through the first lockdown, and it will help them with this one. Our hope now is that our Performance Squad can pick up next month right where they left off.” NDTSC entered 16 swimmers at the most recent Dorset County Championships in Bournemouth. Almost all clocked up at least one personal best for a squad total of 42; the team gained four silver and two bronze medals.

Sport Haylock quits as Blandford manager

Blandford United FC manager Jamie Haylock has quit the job after three years in charge. It was a personal decision, with the manager blaming pressure of work and family commitments. He runs both carpentry and building businesses and recently advertised for more workers. “I’ve got a lot on outside the club, a lot of personal things with lockdown and it just seemed the right thing to do,” he told The New Blackmore Vale. “I’ve been doing the job for three years, and played there for years but to be honest, the enthusiasm dried up a bit with lockdown. It was relentless, a bit like having a part-time job.” He also went on Facebook to thank the club. “Thank you for the opportunity and a massive ‘thank you’ to all the players that believed in what I was

END OF AN ERA; Jamie Haylock gives a half-time talk to his Blandford team trying to achieve. A top club Fans of The Royals were boost it was for my own son, with top, top players – all the unanimous in their praise on Matt, when you praised his best for future.” social media. performance. The fact that Haylock leaves the club with “Terrible news – won’t be you were already looking at Blandford in the top half of the same around the place players from the under-15 the Dorset Premier League now. team to see how they could and the club thanked him. “Worked his socks off over develop and play a part in Chairman David Fraser said: the past few years,” said Dan the senior team shows “He took over when we were Baxter. fantastic long-term vision.” joint bottom and are now a Rob Andre added: “During Haylock thanked the fans thriving Dorset Premier Jamie’s time in charge, there and club and said: “There League side regularly has been a clear pathway would never have been a looking to finish in the top from youth to senior team. bust-up.” And asked if he four and win more “You did an amazing job. might return to football, he silverware.” Personally, I know what a added: Never say never.”

Sherborne keep a run going

Sherborne Town 1 Bishop Sutton 1 Toolstation Western League Division 1, November 4

Sherborne made it three matches unbeaten with a draw despite going behind in the first minute of the game. Sol Shearer put Bishop Sutton ahead but Josh Williams rescued a point for The Zebras from the penalty spot in the second half. Sherborne manager Wayne Jerome had warned it would be a tough game against a team which beat high-flying Warminster Town this season and is aiming for a top six finish.“A good exhibition from both teams and a draw seemed the fair result,” said Bishop Sutton’s Twitter feed. The draw followed back-toback wins for Sherborne against Cheddar (5-1) and Bishops Lydeard (3-1). The Zebras then had an FA Vase game against Millbrook called off because of the weather, but their mini-run has seen them climb to midtable and 12 points clear of the relegation places. Lockdown has come at the wrong time for the team, said Jerome. “It is sod’s law that we had just turned the corner and results were happening after a bit of a shaky start to the season.” The match was on the eve of lockdown and the last played in the division before lockdown. One football fan

ACE: MotM Sam Farthing with chairman Jon Bowers chose to drive three hours and tweeted: “Wasn’t expecting much for a Level 6 game but was very impressed with both teams. Really enjoyed the game and a lovely, friendly club.” Sherborne’s next fixture is away to Almondsbury on Dec 5. Their Man of the Match was Sam Farthing. The attendance was 106.