Q&A

Q.  HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU STARTED PLAYING?

A.  I was about nine years old when I started playing field hockey.

Q.  WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE ATHLETE (ANY SPORT) GROWING UP?

A.  Tiger Woods, Doug Gilmour and Pavel Datsyuk. Tiger being one of the greatest sportsman of all time, obviously his achievements as a golfer but for me the biggest accolade is how he changed and shaped modern day golf. Doug was a big part of the Maple Leafs when I was growing up as a young ice hockey player, I loved the way he played, hard-nosed, loved the dirty areas of the game and very high-skilled. Pavel, I believe to be one of the greatest players the NHL has ever seen. Just YouTube the guy and what you will see is not only a game-changer but someone that everyone else wants to emulate and copy.

Q.  WHAT WAS YOUR PLAY HUGE MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER?

A.  Becoming European champions with England in 2009 and leading the Ranchi Rays to be the HIL champions in 2015.

Q.  WHAT SONG IS ALWAYS ON YOUR PREGAME PLAY LIST?

A.  Jamie Foxx - Winner

Q.  WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?

A.  Miracle

Q.  WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNGER VERSION OF YOURSELF?

A.  Have fun, work hard and take every opportunity you're given.

Q.  WHO IS ONE PERSON YOU (PAST OR PRESENT) WITH WHOM YOU’D LIKE TO HAVE DINNER?

A.  Sidney Crosby, Tiger Woods or Roger Federer

Q.  WHAT’S THE ONE THING YOU’D LIKE TO SEE CHANGED IN YOUR SPORT?

A.  Penalty corner defense to mimic the indoor rule. All defenders must start outside the goal.

Q.  WHO’S YOUR FAVORITE TEAMMATE YOU’VE EVER PLAYED WITH?

A.  Barry Middleton - he has been one of my best friends for a long time now and we have spent many hours and years on the same team together going through all the highs and lows of both international and club hockey. He's such a fast thinker and reactor on a pitch and it's fun to be on his side while he terrorises the opposition, also as a midfielder it's fun to create and make players for him as a striker. Wes Jackson (my brother), not quite the talent of Barry, although he may tell Barry differently! I've always loved playing on the same team as Wes from school hockey but more so for our club side (East Grinstead) over the past 7-8 years. He's worked hard to establish himself in the side and I love seeing him do well. 

Q.  WHO IS OR WAS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN HELPING YOU ON YOUR WAY TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE?

A.  My family.

Q.  DESCRIBE YOUR PLAYING STYLE IN THREE WORDS.

A.  Attacking, creative, imaginative.

Q.  WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PRE-GAME MEAL?

A.  Fajitas the night before.

Q.  TELL US YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE.

A.  “Show me a guy who's afraid to look bad, and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time.”

Q.  IF YOU COULD PLAY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE?

A.  I've played in some spectacular places -  India, World Cup in The Hague, Dutch playoffs at HGC. I'd love to play in front of a full house at Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Malaysia. However, my favourite would have to be my home in the 2012 Olympics in London.