2025 in Review

When cultivating a review for a platform such as this, I actually drafted out a rather boring and self-indulgent flow of chronological events that struggled to keep me awake whilst re-reading. Admittedly, I have the excuse of being a father to a newborn to fall back on with regards to my ability to stay awake (and fall back on it, I do), however, I’ve decided to split it according to the 3 pillars that seem to govern my life at the moment; Writing, Hockey and Life. This seems to be a good time to note that the aforementioned pillars are presented in no particular order.

This way, you can pick and choose what may be of interest or, if you’re struggling to find things to do with your day, you can read all three.

Writing

Seeing as this is the essence of this platform and, I assume, why you’re here, this seems an appropriate place to start. As I mentioned on my first blog, I actually wrote my first manuscript in 2021. After some time away to refresh before addressing an edit, my window was scuppered by GB trials. One thing led to another and the life of a professional athlete resulted in a distinct lack of editing or writing in the time that followed.

Whilst you hastily reach for your tiny violins in unison, I can assure you that I was very much at peace with this decision. Temporarily pausing the editing of my manuscript to play international sport as my profession is very much a first-world problem but it did leave a void in terms of the creative part of my psyche.

With some time out of the game in the latter half of 2024 and the early half of 2025, my attention has been able to return to this passion. An idea began to form whilst on my honeymoon in the summer of 2024 and with the time I had to sleep on the beach, I allowed the idea to take a real foothold.

I used the rest of the year to build and cultivate it into the story that I am now bringing to life. My intention is to edit it to the point of querying and when I do so, I would need some evidence of my style and commitment to the process beyond a manuscript and synopsis once it lands in the right inbox.

I wanted to build a platform that would allow me to share this journey with those that wish to share it with me. I know it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but if I was able to share even just a small amount with someone who resonates with the process then I will view it as a worthwhile success.

The manuscript has flowed into its’ final phase and with less than 20 thousand words to go, the end is in sight. Without wishing to highlight my age, I acknowledge that this end is akin to Monty Python’s Holy Grail sketch of the storming of the castle. There will be restart after restart as edit meets further edit meets query meets further query and so on. My hope is that one day, the castle might be stormed but, for now, I’ve got words to write and storylines to develop.

Alongside the manuscript, I’ve been refining my style and reviewing new ideas. I don’t shy away from the fact that I’m new to this and by no means an expert in the field. You don’t have to go far on social media to find people talking an immaculate game when in reality their application is anything but. Whilst I’ll look to share my own experiences that remain personal to me, I’ll always be an advocate for learning and experimenting with new ideas in this regard.

In refining my techniques, I entered The Novelry’s competition with the first chapter of a new story that I’d had been planning out. The concept of refreshing the mind with a new focus brought with it a new energy to my writing as an entity. It re-invigorated my desire to produce different formats and, as such, I formatted a series of shorter blog posts to shed light on the bridge between professional sport and writing in From Pitch to Page.

As we move into the New Year, I’ll be working through drafts and edits of my manuscript and hopefully be in a position to query through the summer. I’ll be sharing more about my story and pulling the curtain back on some of my processes as the year develops.

On the side, I’ll be working through a little passion project in the form of a children’s book that I will create for the purely selfish reason of having something personal to read to my little man.

Overall, it’s been a really exciting and refreshing year behind the keyboard and the foundations are set for an even bigger year to come.

Hockey

I understand that this is a writing platform to pursue my passion as a writer, however I also appreciate that the majority of people who land on my page do so as a result of knowing me from Hockey. As we all raise our thumbs in Inbetweeners-style to announce that we’re ‘Hockey Friends’, I should probably state that if you’re looking for a juicy reveal on the obvious impact of the second half of 2024 then this isn’t where you’ll find it.

What you will find, is a pretty candid take on a year that covered almost everything possible to do so.

I started the year in India for the Hockey India League. Whilst this was the culmination of a long-held desire to be a part of the competition, I did so off the back of 6 months in rehab and in the constant pain that I had been in for the 15 months prior. Needless to say that this preparation could be described as ‘sub-optimal’, however there was a method to the madness.

Straight after India, I walked (for the last time in a while) head on into major surgery. The start of February saw a re-shape of my hip joint, clearing out of cartilage and some stitches in a labral tear. The surgery was long overdue but the repercussions were pretty obvious. Hips are fairly integral components of playing top-level hockey so there was always an element of risk, however I was lucky enough to go under the knife at Fortius in London.

Waking up in a strange (albeit lovely) room and being hand-fed Percy Pigs from my wife admittedly doesn’t sound too bad, however my inability to put on a pair of socks was a humbling experience and acknowledgement of how far I had to go. However, being dismissed and making my way across London at 5pm on a Monday just a few hours later with drugs still coursing through my system was a sign that if I could deal with that (admittedly in a slightly more wobbly line than intended) then maybe things weren’t as far away as they seemed.

The plan was always to compete in India to fulfil a burning ambition to do so and then shut down for the second half of the season and summer in order to be fit and healthy for the 25/26 season and, more importantly, for when the little man arrived.

With a return date of September, the legendary Kath got me back to full training in the first week of July with nothing more than just straight-up hard work that left me questioning my life choices on the watt bike more times than I care to admit.

The result was a free run at a full pre-season with Surbiton in the full knowledge that the little man was making an appearance at some point before we played for points.

Since returning, I’ve had people state that they thought I’d retired or been dropped from the GB program. At risk of disappointing a select few and in the (admittedly not verbatim) immortal words of Jordan Belfort in Wolf of Wall Street; I have no intention of leaving.

Maybe if these rumours were started as a result of watching my early sessions in rehab then I’d understand a little more.

Returning to full time training with GB, navigating a new club and team at Surbiton and embracing the early clutches of fatherhood whilst coming back from major surgery has created a series of rip tides that can pull me in any number of directions on any given day. Despite this, ripping off 11 straight wins with Surbiton has created the best environment for me to be a part of.

Let’s be honest, there are worse first half of seasons that a team could put together.

Finally, the run-in to Christmas gave the chance for something that had quietly been running in the back of my mind for a while to be put to bed.

Returning for England in Dublin was such a proud moment. To score in my first international game as a father was a special day, made even more special by my son sleeping through the entire thing. In hindsight, we lost that game 4-1 so it was probably a smart decision on his part.

As tough as it was being away from home for those 8 days, I’d missed being away with the boys more than I’d realised and the renewed Nintendo Switch and Mario Kart culture was a stance I was very keen to support.

In the end, it was a couple of days over 18 months since I’d last played international hockey.

I won’t share my motivations for coming back, but you can probably figure it out.

Life

Without wishing to be overly dramatic, 2025 was the year my life changed forever. These changes were entirely my own doing and a choice I was desperate to bring to life (literally). Nonetheless, the changes were pretty seismic.

The year started with the knowledge that I was to become a father at the end of the summer. Nothing quite paints the picture of happiness than finding out you’re about to become parents together before hopping on a plane 20 hours later and disappearing to India for a month.

Keeping the secret was as tough of a challenge as you could ever face. Watching my wife compete in League Finals Weekend at 23 weeks pregnant and trying not to physically wince every time she made a tackle was an ordeal in itself. But seeing her attack that second half of the season in the manner that she did was beyond inspiring.

Not to mention annoying.

The little man saw himself as a National and European champion (each a feat that his father has never achieved) before the ripe old age of 10 weeks old (or minus 30 weeks, depending on how you look at it).

What followed was an 8 month blur of frenzied emotions, planning, and credit card swipes that geared us towards an impending armageddon of sleepless nights and nappy changes that we were warned by from almost everyone we spoke to.

In truth, the reality has been anything but. We donned the helmets and camo gear at the start of September however found ourselves waiting for such madness to unfold. Instead, we’ve immersed ourselves in a world of nap-traps and smiles that even now is difficult to convey in words that can do it justice.

Don’t get me wrong, being fuelled on caffeine and and the smell of washing machine pods has had its’ moments. I’d have definitely preferred not to spray poo up the wall (not mine) or get a poonami change so wrong that I was the one left needing a shower. Twice. I’ve turned up to Bisham with poo on my hand and the remnants of sick on my top on more than one occasion.

But I wouldn’t change any part of it for anything in the world.

Becoming a father has allowed me to have a release from playing in a way that writing simply cannot create. Writing frees my mind from all facets of life in a perfect storm of escapism whereas being a father keeps me present.

There’s a humbling reality to growing older. I’ve felt that in more ways than one this past month. In Dublin, I was the oldest in the squad and extended the lead by celebrating my 33rd birthday. My body got the memo 24 hours before this by blowing my back out in the warm up for the 3rd game of the tour against Germany, making it one of the toughest 60 minutes I’ve had to get through.

But growing older doesn’t have to be full of bad joints and strange noises when bending down.

There’s a renewed life that comes with being a parent. A refreshing outlook that brings everything into perspective. It’s a constant navigation of challenges in the best possible way.

I’m constantly reminded of a quote throughout the tougher times in the past few months;

“What a privilege it is to be tired from the work that you once begged the universe for.”

In essence, this one statement can reset a mindset in an instant. And it has. Multiple times.

There’s been a fair few things to manage through this past year and a half. However, as the great Dory once stated;

“Just keep swimming.”