Hockey and London are no strangers. The modern game, with its structure, rules and competitions, was formalised in England through the public school, university and club scene, but it was in west London that the game developed the quickest. Teddington Hockey Club claim to be the first club side, founded when a group of cricketers were looking for a winter alternative to football. Blackheath Hockey Club tried to set up a rival code of the game, but this never really gathered momentum and it was the west London clubs of Teddington, Richmond and Surbiton who led the way in the formation of an Association to govern hockey in a form that would be recognisable to those playing hockey today.
Since those pioneering days, the modern game has spread across the world. The growth of the British Empire in the 19th century meant that soldiers and settlers took the game to the far corners of the globe, and those colonial roots can be seen by looking at the nations, such as India, Pakistan and Australia, who dominated hockey in the early part of the 20th century.
Now, however, hockey has moved light years away from its colonial roots and we now see eastern European nations, African nations and the South American countries all getting involved and making the game truly global. A quick look at the world rankings and you will see nations such as Korea and Japan in the top 10, with Azerbaijan, Belarus, Chile, the Czech Republic and Russia appearing in the top 20.
For Stockey, England is just one more country on the journey to The Hague. And no capital city is more celebrated than London. As you journey down the River Thames you will see landmark features such as St Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the London Parks, and the newest addition to the skyline – the 87-storey Shard.
Designed by architect Renzo Piano, the iconic building is home to offices, restaurants, a viewing gallery, a shopping arcade and an opulent hotel. And at the foot of historic London Bridge, it is one more sign that London is not a city that stands still.
