#nihl 1

  Hey Phil, how was your summer?

It was an interesting summer hockey wise, 'meeting central' would be a fair description .... but in general it’s always nice to have a good break from the rink as combining a full season of playing alongside work can wear you down.

I suppose we should start with the obvious. You and many of your colleagues won’t be suiting up for the Cardiff Devils this season, that has to hurt?

Obviously myself, Brabs, Deacs and Wilko all wanted to play in Cardiff, it’s an unfortunate situation that politics has caused what I can only describe as a catastrophic mess.

The worst thing is that it’s resulted in problems between friends and guys who have played together for many years. 

My personal opinion is that a certain individual should have done the honourable thing and fulfilled their commitment which was the root of the whole issue.

You’ve joined a London Raiders team who are looking to put their own off-ice issues behind them. What tempted you to make the move there?

Well due to the situation in Cardiff we all felt that we couldn’t from a moral and ethical basis be connected due to certain individuals involved and some of what I can only describe as "brainwashing" tactics to the newly formed junior committee.

Some discussions were made between the players and Marsh and things moved really quickly from then on. Due to the distance from Cardiff and London we have arranged to skate in Cardiff with a couple of teams who have kindly helped us out and then link in with the raiders on the weekend.

The Raiders management have done a great job in turning things around for the club in around 3 weeks.

A lot of fans don’t understand the level of commitment required of players in the NIHL, you’ll be travelling from home to London each week. I guess you and others will carshare. If so who is the worst to be trapped in a car with?

Well Wilko should be entertaining as he's the karaoke king of Cardiff and loves a bit of Luther Vandross.

Deacs is always good to have around as he's a welsh del boy and has some good connections to get discounts and deals! haha

Brabs, well based on previous travel over the years I'm sure he will be asleep in a coma for most journeys under his duvet....

There are probably still a few players to be announced around the league, but we’re close to the puck dropping on the season. Where do you see London Raiders ending up in the standings?

Romford/London have always been at the top of the table so I'm hoping this can continue.

The talent level in the league rises every year, are there any players you’ll be keeping a particular eye on this year.

The league has stepped up a notch, to be honest there are too many good players to mention.

Lastly we wanted to ask, what are your thoughts on the new inter-league cup where NIHL teams will play against the EPL? Do you think it will be good for the league?

I think it’s a great idea, its perfect for the teams that in truth belong somewhere between the NIHL and the EPL league. It gives their fans a chance to see a higher level that they may have experienced before and also gives younger players the opportunity to be seen by the EPL so great for development.

  You can say hi to Phil on twitter at @juandingo84 and follow the London Raiders at @LonRaiders_IHC.

Hey Julian! The season has moved on a lot since we last spoke and Chelmsford find themselves sat at the top of the table. What has been the secret of your success?

I think the main secret to the Chieftains success so far has been from two things, a lot of depth in the squad and a well-structured system and game plan. At the start of the season we had a lot of injuries and we were able to keep getting the results we needed which has put us at the top now. 

Chelmsford seem to have found a really good balance in the squad, with a good mix of younger lads and experienced NIHL players, who among your teammates has stood out for you?

Yer, the Chieftains have got a great balance of players with a lot of experience in different leagues. Stand out players would be Ross Brears; he's playing with confidence and getting big goals. I've been really impressed with Volrab. He's cool and calm on the puck and showing to be one of the top imports in league. Finally John Connelly and Luke Brittle have been great. Both great plays with a good future, Luke just needs to sort out his hair style and choice of shoes for home games!! 

One thing I’ve noticed about the Chieftains is that your imports seem to fit really well into the team. Volrab particularly seems to just quietly go about his business not being too flashy but coming up with the important points. Just how important is it for these guys to settle in?

Volrab has settled in well and is showing his worth with big goals and point when we need them. It is always tough settling into a new team and I imagine a lot harder as an import. I think it's helped having Tibor in the room for him too as they can chatter there jibber jabber in their home language. 

Chelmsford already had probably the best goalie tandem in the league and even with Ryan Bainborough taking some time away you’ve not dipped in quality. How is Euan King gelling with the rest of the lads?

Yer we started with a very strong pair of goalies and I think bringing Kinger in to replace Ryan has made it an even stronger pair. It was a great shame for Ryan to retire but hopefully the break will give him time to miss and love the game again. 

Kinger has settled in with the guys easily, he has had a season in Chelmsford before so will know the guys already. And as a fellow Peterborough junior it's nice to have him in the team. 

  Looking around the league, who has impressed you this season so far?

The league has improved again this year and has some very strong teams. Invicta are proving to be a force and playing well. A few players spring to mind, even with such a busy personal life juggling busy jobs of dolphin shaving and caring for people in the community Ryan Giles still manages to play well. And Huska is still playing like a 25 year old even at the age of 38. 

Last question from us… its Olympics time, which nation will win the gold?

Finally I think that the gold medal will go to the Canadians. (Great prediction there from Jules… we were picking Sweden).

Big thanks to Julian for answering our questions. You can keep up with the team throughout the season at @ChelmChieftains and Julian himself at @j_smith26.

Pictures courtesy of Nicky Craft.

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

Hi Harrison, after a long time with Invicta you opted to move to Streatham recently. What prompted the change?

I found It very hard to leave Invicta as It’s my local club that I spent the majority of my junior and all of my senior career, a total of 9 consecutive seasons up until now, playing at. I had seen my confidence decline right from the start of this season and my enthusiasm towards hockey had gone. I found myself ending the previous season on a sky high after good performances in the playoffs, then by Christmas on a low. My game had fallen to pieces. I found that I was becoming buried in a hole and not being picked up. I spoke to players that I have good friendships with and found myself joining Streatham right on top of deadline day.

How do you find you’re settling in with the RedskIns?

I have been made very welcome at Streatham by all of the staff, players and fans. I have been very lucky to have been given greater opportunities than those that I had at Invicta and have been made to feel like an important part of the team at Streatham. Since joining Streatham I have seen my ice time triple and my confidence has grown. I am getting coached in all aspects of the game and learning new plays and systems to help improve my game. I really love the size of their rink as it gives you more time on the puck, and the boards read perfectly.

You’ve played in defence and up front, where do you think you’re best suited?

I don't really know, I find the strongest part of my game is skating on the puck which as a forward is a good quality, however playing defence allows me to break the puck out successfully using this quality of my game. My size helps me as a physical presence so I find this feature better suited for defence but I do enjoy playing both positions. Other coaches and players have told me that I am a far better defence man so I’ll take their word for it.

How did you first get into hockey?

I first got Into Ice hockey like most people in my generation, watching the Mighty Ducks. I used to pretend to skate in my front room with shoe boxes on my feet until my parents took me to the rink. I was nearly 7 and my Dad got me a pair of Bauer supreme Impact 100 skates. I then had skating lessons and joined the junior u10s team a year later.

You’re now sharing a dressing room with the guy who writes the weekly NIHL round ups…Worried you’ll end up with an embarrassing story being shared, or do you already have some blackmail material on Dave Carr?

I do have a reputation for doing stupid things I guess so that makes me easily open to all of the banter in the room. However David Carr did buy Capri suns for all the boys in the room after getting juice boy which is something I have never seen. In the Redskins dressing room I find Evander Grinell and Jaime McIlroy always the guys dishing out the chirps and jokes but I don't have much on them right now.

  Outside the NIHL are there any teams/players you like to follow?

I watch the NHL on the TV normally late nights after training or long away games but I don't actually support a team. Although I do like the New York Rangers because I like their jerseys so I find myself following them more than any other team.

Last question from us. How difficult Is It to train and work on plays when you can play on a huge rink like Streatham or Bracknell one night, and the next be In Milton Keynes skating on their tiny sheet?

I cannot stand playing on small Ice pads. I find myself shooting from my own end rather a lot and a lot of the boys get the hump with it. I find small pads very clumsy with bodies everywhere. The big pads are much better to play on as you can move the puck much better and there is more space for skill. Overall the game is better to play and watch if on a larger pad I think.

Many thanks to Harrison for taking the time out to talk to us. You can follow him on twitter @harrisonlillis and keep up with the team throughout the season at @streathamhockey.

If I've used your photos please let me know, I'm more than happy to give credit where it's due.

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

  Hey Chris, it’s been a great weekend for the Devils with back to back wins. How is the mood in the dressing room right now?

Hello Matt, yes what a great weekend for us it was. We had the 4 points in mind when the weekend was coming up and then all the players put in two great performances and it really did show that the grit and determination of all the players with the two wins. The mood in the changing room was certainly very good especially after Sunday it was great looking down the changing room with smiles on all the players faces!!

It’s fair to say it’s been an odd season for Solent & Gosport with player unrest and a mid-season coaching change. How tough is it to stay focussed on the ice when all that is going on off of it?

Erm maybe it has been a bit odd but there is always drama’s in nihl1!! To be honest me as a goalie I keep myself to myself and don’t get involved in all the changes. When I’m on the ice I literally in my own bubble and don’t hear anything going on. Off the ice I hear some things that go on but again I try and keep out of it and try to remain focus on the task in hand which is to stop the puck.

Despite being in the lower half of the table, Gosport seem to have made big improvements in recent weeks. Steve Gannaway is a great defensive coach, how has that changed the team in front of you?

Yes we have made good improvements with key players stepping up at the time we need. Yes Mr Steve Gannaway, absolute legend of the game. Unfortunately he has been away as he had a big knee operation but the combination with Alex Murray has really drilled the team well and it’s starting to come together in only 4/5 weeks or so.

A lot of people have talked about your performances in net this season, with the common consensus being that you’re one of the best keepers in the league. Do you fancy trying your chances at a higher level?

Have they??? Nah I’m only joking yes it’s nice to be talked about especially the positives in my game. I train hard in the gym and off ice training and always try and improve on my game to be the best I can. I would love to play at a higher level but I want to earn my place wherever I go in the future. Hopefully the summer brings me options and I would love to play as high as I can and maybe abroad but who knows.

You’re the NIHL’s king of Snapchat… but what’s the worst message you’ve received?

Ahahah am I now?? Adam Rich are you to blame in this??!! Erm wow I have ever seen some dodgy and funny snap chats. Sorry guys I couldn’t say the worst it all good banter on there!! Worst hockey snapchat has to be when I received one from Ryan Giles when his car was half under water in the floods (poor fella).

Last question from us… Of the players who’ve left Gosport this season who do you miss most in the dressing room?

I suppose I should have to say fluffy (Adam Rich) only because of the amount of banter we had on away days in the car! Normally the first subject would be someone’s missus and then the banter wouldn’t stop for the whole journey.

Thanks for your time Chico, anything you’d like to add?

Just want to say thank you to all the people that have supported me throughout my hockey career so far (mum & dad/G DOG). My sponsors this year SureFix Home Improvements, Customised Graphics, Just Car Spares, Fitness First & CJC Sports Therapy & Fitness (Jokes that’s my own) ahah and Peter Walker for his sports massages. Lastly thank you to Will Francis and Alex Murray for the belief in me in goal and support as a key guy.

Many thanks to Chris for answering our questions. You can keep up with the Devils throughout the season at @SolentDevil and you can say hi to Chris at @CJC_ST

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

Back to back starts this weekend! How did it feel getting a run in net for the Raiders Dan?

Yeah, that was a bit of a surprise! But it was great, especially to get a 4 point weekend and qualification in the cup (I think)! I think that was the first time for the Raiders in 4 years that I’ve started both games in a weekend and I really enjoyed it. Hopefully it is something I get to do more as I gain more experience. It’s a lot of fun playing games, but I know that there is a lot more work to do before I get regular starting minutes.

Despite a couple of blips the Raiders have had a great season so far, how hard is it to keep focus when things are going well?

Yeah we’ve started very well; going into Christmas in first place is always a good thing. As a team we aim to be competitive right until the end of the season, so we all focus on that the whole way through. We have a set of goals that Jeremy gives us at the start of the year and in individual/team meetings throughout the season so it’s not easy to lose focus.

With the recent news coming from the London Raiders, do you think fans will start to understand just how tight the budget is in the NIHL?

I think so; it’s a strange but obviously horrible situation that London are in right now. What I found strange was that 3 of the guys played against us on Saturday. I don’t know whether they knew at the time or not but they certainly played as if nothing was wrong. But I think some fans already know having experienced it with other teams. I grew up watching the Basingstoke Bison when they were in the elite league and they certainly had a lot of trouble with budget for one reason or another. But there are teams at every level of hockey in this country who will struggle with their budget with reasons varying from team to team. Hopefully London manage to see out the season and stay competitive, which I’m sure they will. We have a very strong rivalry with them and the league would suffer without them.

The Raiders are scoring for fun this year, but are arguably not as defensively solid as in previous seasons. Is that something the team are conscious of or simply a factor in being a more free-flowing attacking team?

Yeah the guys are having no problem putting the puck away, all of our forwards are capable of scoring goals this season. They all have awesome shots and they seem to be clicking with one another. Even if Corny changes the lines it doesn’t seem to affect the guys. I think the defensive issues are starting to disappear and it was just a blip. I honestly think we have the best defensive core in the league. They all block shots and do what they can to help us goalies out. We were conscious that we were conceding too many goals and we have done a lot of defensive zone coverage in practise which seems to be doing the trick. We have a lot of tough games coming up so it’s the perfect test.

In our last interview you spoke about the influence of Matty Colclough. Which other keepers would you pick out from around the NIHL?

Yeah Matty is a big influence on me. He helps me out a lot and he’s obviously one of if not the best goalie in the league so it would be stupid of me not to take his advice. This past weekend he helped me a lot in the two games and was always talking to me after warm ups and between periods on what I could do, he also went through the goals against with me and told me what he would have done in those situations. This obviously gives me another point of view and helps me to do better next time I play.

There are a lot of good goalies in our league, but the ones who stand out to me other than Matty would be Chris Douglas in Invicta and Ryan Bainborough and Ben Clements in Chelmo. I’d say they are the top 4 goalies in the league and they are a major factor in the success their teams have! Another goalie who I think will be one to watch is Dennis Bell in MK/Haringey (NIHL 2) He has played 2 very good games against us this year and seems to be one for the future.

Simon Hobbis has just been called up to GB u18s, in recent years a number of players have joined the Raiders on two way or short term contracts before playing for EPL or EIHL teams. What do you think attracts them to the island?

Yeah that’s great news that Hobbis has been called up, it’s very much deserved. He is a good guy both on and off the ice and hasn’t looked out of place since day 1 with the team. He plays regular minutes with us and has formed a solid D pairing with Damo.

I think Jeremy is a major reason a lot of players drop down to play for us. He has a lot of contacts in different leagues and he believes in giving people a chance to earn ice time and play games when they may not be getting any ice time with their team. But also the team is well known throughout the country from its days in the EPL and I think this would help. I don’t know the ins and outs of recruitment but I assume these factors help.

Last but not least. The league is considered to be a three way race, who do you consider the bigger threat, Chelmsford or Invicta?

Wow, that’s a tough one! I think a lot of people don’t see us as favourites and we are more than happy to keep going along as we are. It’s probably not the answer you were looking for but this year I can’t really call it between those two teams. If I had to I’d have to say Chelmsford because in the past we seem to have less success against them than Invicta over the course of the season. We still have to meet both of those teams a few times this season so we’ll see what happens, but they are certainly two very skilled teams, especially offensively.

Cheers for your time Dan, anything you’d like to add?

No problem, anytime! Just like to say thank you to everyone for the kind words about this past weekend and the continued support over the season. Hopefully I can contribute to the team a few more times this year! Go Raiders! 

Once again, we’d like to thank Dan for taking the time to talk with us. You can follow him on twitter @DanWellerEvans and keep up with the team@wightlinkraider!

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

If you’re a hockey player/coach/team manager in a competitive league, I’d love to ask you some questions too, so get in touch!

Hey Phil, we’re a good way through the season now, how do you feel the Devils have been doing so far, have you met expectations?

I think Cardiff have actually surprised a lot of sceptics, especially with 3 of last years top scorers moving on to other teams. The one thing to remember about NIHL Devils is that it’s a development team and new, hungry blood will always be coming through the ranks.

You spent last season in Streatham, was it an easy decision to return to Cardiff?

Streatham was a class organisation to play for and I can’t say enough good things about the people and the set up. They really treated me well. The move back to Cardiff stemmed from a Job offer I had whilst I was working in London so with Cardiff being my home town and my new job being in Cardiff there was no real decision to make, it was a no brainer.

How did you first get into ice hockey?

For my 9th Birthday my Mum and Dad arranged a skating party for me and my friends. I took some lessons and did a little bit of figure skating. After that my folks took me to watch a Devils games and from that day on I was hooked.

You can play in defence or up front, how much an asset is that, especially on a team like the Devils with lots of young players?

I think any player who has diversity is a good asset to any team. Being able to play forward or D gives Cudd options should he need to shuffle things around.

Outside of the Devils do you follow any other teams or players?

Not really to be honest, but i keep up to date on general news in UK hockey and former team mates/friends.

We’ve got a couple of questions from twitter for you. Ryan asks if you still have the cookie monster t-shirt you wore on an Invicta Christmas party a few years back?

Solid question Gilesy! J . Haha I do still have it somewhere.....

Also, Jamie from Streatham would like to know if you still keep in touch with a certain backup netminder?

Sorry Jamie “Gadge” I don’t. I may have known Dr Stefan Nubert since we were kids but he’s really busy trying to become a Professor so has no time for me i’m afraid.

Last question from us, you’ve been in the league a good few years now, whats the one piece of advice you’d give to any youngsters just starting out?

Hockey like most sports at Junior level can be very political, so if somebody tries to put you down, shrug it off and keep going.

Thanks for your time Phil, anything else you’d like to mention?

If anyone reading is interested in supporting or sponsoring the NIHL Devils please feel free to contact me either on Facebook or Twitter.

 A big Thank You to Phil for taking the time out to answer our questions. You can follow him on twitter @juandingo84 and keep up with the team throughout the season at @CardiffDevilsNL

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

If you’re a hockey player/coach/team manager in a competitive league, I’d love to ask you some questions too, so get in touch!

Hey Adam, as we head toward Christmas the Devils sit comfortably in the middle of the table. How do you view the season so far?

This season has been pretty strange so far, we have caused some big upsets but then the next day been upset ourselves, but I guess that's hockey. I think with the new young team we have this season we have done really well to compete with a lot of the big teams that have more experience, size and money. It’s always nice to be the underdogs.

You’ve spent your whole career in the Devils system and they have a great reputation for developing players at all levels. How did you first get into the game yourself?

It’s certainly nice to be a part of a club that has always had teams competing from u10's to Elite League, My dad got me into hockey, I was born in Somerset where the only sports really were rugby or cricket I suppose, when we moved to Wales my dad promised he would take me ice skating, as he grew up in Sheffield and always skated and played a bit when he was younger. I loved it straight away and had trials for the u10's when I was 6 or 7. 

Last month you pointed out that you’ve taken Corey Watkins title for all time penalty minutes at the club. Is it important to have some banter with guys at other teams and does that add to the game for you?

Haha, yeah I would like to say that having most penalty minutes isn't important to me. I would happily exchange them for points. Corey has been one of my best friends since we were 11 so there is always going to be banter there, it’s been great playing against him this season. It’s nice to have friends in other teams around the league, there are a couple of other good guys in the Wightlink team as well, always fun to wind them up, especially when you end their unbeaten streak. haha.

How would you describe your on-ice role on the Devils?

I'm not really sure to be honest, I'm quite big for a forward, so I think previously I've always been grinding out energetic shifts on 3rd line, but this season I've come back and Cudd has given me the chance to show something else on 1st line and it’s been pretty nice putting up some points for my team. Cheers coach.

  The Cardiff system is known for generating some top prospects at this level, who should we be keeping an eye on from the current team?

  Cardiff's development seems to get mentioned a lot, I've been away from the game for nearly 4 years while I was away in uni and when I came back before the start of this season there were all these kids making the step up to enl1 and performing very well. In my first couple of sessions on the ice after that lengthy break I was watching some of these young players and wondering whether I could keep up, but it comes back pretty quickly and I like to think that I've got them all in check now. As for players to watch, it’s hard to say they are all talented, have good attitudes and are being given the right opportunities.

  You’ve lined up alongside and against a host of players over the years, is there anyone you’ve always wanted to play alongside but never had the chance?

I can't think of any, it’s been nice to play with Jamie Hayes again as we haven't played together since we were 16. I would like to play on the same team as Corey Watkins again; it’s never dull when we are together. Mike Brabon doesn't like it when we are together though, not sure why.

Thanks for your time Adam, is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thanks Matt, well a couple of weeks ago our team announced that the MK game at home was my last of this season as I'm leaving to go travelling after Christmas but will be back for the start of next season. So I would just like to wish the team the best of luck with the rest of the season. Thank you for giving our league more publicity. To everyone in the league - enjoy the Christmas break.

A big Thank You to Adam for taking the time out to give such thorough answers to our questions. You can follow him on twitter @AdSeb22 and keep up with the team throughout the season at @CardiffDevilsNL

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

If you’re a hockey player/coach/team manager in a competitive league, I’d love to ask you some questions too, so get in touch!