Surbiton Hockey Club’s Ladies 2’s team, coached by Will Fulker, is in the Vitality Division 1 South League and has excelled to the top of the league in the first half of the season, winning eight out of eight matches so far.
With a rocky season last year, finishing 5th in the table, Surbiton has had a wild comeback and has stormed to the top of the table. A highlight for the first half of the season was the match against Holcombe Ladies 1's, when Surbiton were the underdogs. The team was 1-0 down until the last quarter, with two goals having been disallowed; however, they displayed true determination and grit by scoring two goals in the last 15 minutes of the match. Impressively, they managed to win 2-1 against this highly skilled team, who have only just moved down from the Premier League, with a spectacular penalty flick scored by Charlotte Calnan and an amazing goal from Amie Hunt assisted by Josie Hippe. The team has faced some adversity in the competition so far, with a few injuries; however, with the club's extraordinary diversity and talent across all age groups, they have continued to dominate the league.
Surbiton Ladies 2’s is a team that consists of many junior players and a few experienced senior players that express inspiring leadership skills and talent that bring the team together, including the captain, Pip Stewart. This is certainly not a one-dimensional squad; there is quality and talent from the backline and the goalkeeper right through to the forwards, who are dangerous and capable of scoring from many ranges and angles in the circle. This is evident as Hannah Denison, an experienced and long-term member of the club, has scored some phenomenal goals and deflections, making her the top goal scorer in the league so far. Another crucial member of the team is the manager, Kuda Kamwaza, who, when asked what the best part of the team is, said, “I enjoy being able to be a person people in the team can come to and getting to know everyone as well." This is definitely a team to keep an eye on as the league progresses, with some very exciting matches to come! Make sure to head over to Sugden Road to watch some incredible games and see some of the players in action on the pitch.
