Old Ardinian debut for Great Britain Hockey Team
Sport
30 Apr 2019
Ardingly College is thrilled at the news that Alex Malzer, who left the school last summer, made her debut for Great Britain’s hockey team this weekend.
The 18-year-old from Horsham played a fearless and brave game. At one point, being squeezed by several Americans near the baseline and in an increasingly tight space, she delivered a delicate flick, with a twist of the stick, to find a team-mate.
Not that Malzer will necessarily recall the moment. “It went by so quickly and it’s hard to remember the main parts of the match but what an experience!” she said afterwards.
For Richard Lane, Ardingly College’s Director of Hockey, her skilful performance wasn’t a surprise. “Her outstanding quality is her flair, you never quite know what she is going to do. To those close to her we knew she had the potential to go a long way, but I’m not quite sure anyone would have predicted her to get to the top quite as quickly as she has.”
Mr Lane continued: “Alex always had a fun and outgoing personality, but her determination always shone through in competitive situations. In her play she had a burst of pace and very good hands, especially with 3D and lifted skills. At school she showed herself to be a talented sportswoman, also playing for the England Independent Schools football team. At Ardingly College she was a keen member of our Elite Sports Programme and she worked hard with Matt Wren, our strength and conditioning coach, as well as benefitting from our one-on-one sessions with our hockey professionals, including Arjan Drayton-Chana who plays in the GB Development Squad and Stephane Vehrle-Smith, the Brazilian Olympian.”
Whilst at Ardingly College, Malzer also had the opportunity to train and play for East Grinstead, where players such as Laura Unsworth proved great role models and were wonderfully instrumental in her development.
Richard Lane praised the combination of her talent, hard work, and energy to grasp all opportunities. “At Ardingly College we are all very proud of what she has achieved so far, and look forward to seeing her progress over the years to come.”
Now, she is in the frame for selection for Team GB Women’s Olympic hockey defence in 2020.