NICOLA WHITE has hockey’s World Cup and Commonwealth Games to look forward to in what ought to be an exciting and eventful 2014.
The 25-year-old former Saddleworth Hockey Club player is expected to be a key player in England’s quest for a medal at both tournaments.
And of top of that there is also the London Cup, the annual legacy competition which was created following the Olympic Games.
Nicola, whose grandmother lives in Dobcross, said: “This summer will be exciting with three big tournaments in as many months.
“After the Olympics in London, there is great excitement with the Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow.
“And if that tournament runs to form it should be an England versus Australia final as we are ranked third and fourth in the world.”
Nicola, who is off to California with England next month for warm-weather training, and her team mates head into 2014 in excellent spirits after last month finishing third in the World League Final in Argentina.
It was a tournament Nicola will never forget because, apart from England winning a bronze medal, she also reached a combined 100 caps for England and Great Britain.
Nicola added it was special to have reached the landmark in Argentina because that is her favourite place to play.
After losing to eventual runners-up Australia in the semi-finals, England played hosts Argentina in the bronze medal match.
The match ended 1-1 with England triumphing 4-2 in a penalty shootout to be ranked third in the world. Olympic champions Holland beat the Aussie in the final.
Nicola said: “It’s not very often you beat Argentina on their home soil, and also in a medal match.
“We really had to dig deep, but we are really proud to have secured a bronze medal with a new team which has been built after the Olympics.
“We are getting to know each other the more tournaments we play together and hopefully we will be able to keep adding to our medal tally in 2014.”
