Yahoo Sport 
Sam Quek to host free hockey masterclasses throughout Great Britain
Team GB Olympic gold medalist Sam Quek has teamed up with Sun-Pat to offer free hockey coaching to children throughout the UK during the Easter holidays.
She took time out from her preparations to chat to Yahoo Sport’s Mark Lawford about what this will entail and how youngsters can win the chance to be part of this exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Was coaching something you had ever really considered doing?
Coaching has always been a part of my game anyway. As a team we have always been very active in promoting the sport through our appearances.
I enjoy coaching but whether it’s something I will look to do as career – probably not. But I will definitely do it to promote hockey to keep the sport in the limelight.
So what sort of ages will you be coaching?
Children of ages 6-13 – when we did the research 61% of parents found it very difficult to fid things for their children to do in the holidays that would keep them occupied and active. As well as being inexpensive.
This is why we are going round the country giving these free masterclasses and we are anticipating a high level of interest.
There will be places up for grabs through competitions on the website. Hopefully there will be lots of people entering, making this something we could do in the future as well.
How will you deal with very keen players who struggle through either lack of skills or by being left-handed as there is no thing as a left-handed hockey stick?
None of that is a problem – just a reality. We all change the gear in cars with our left hand and most of us are right handed. This is something we have to adapt to.
Everyone will have different levels of ability and it comes down to how well we can deliver our message to them. People learn at different speeds which again is something we can manage when coaching.
Do you consider hockey goalkeepers strange – happy to stand there and be peppered with bullet shots?
Not really – they have lots of padding while we outfield players just have a gumshield and shin pads on. They are well protected with very technical equipment.
As a youngster did being a girl prevent you playing sport or were you always able to find a team?
I was always very sporty growing up and had a lot of boys in my family. I played football before hockey and I was not allowed to play with the boys.
One coach took my coach and I was allowed to carry on playing for a while but that was back in the day.
Now the opportunities for girls and women to play sport are huge.
It’s possible to walk into clubs for just about any sport you want to try.
Things have come on leaps and bounds in that respect.
Hockey found me while I was living in a little peninsula in the north west and it is not an expensive sport to play.
And the Sun-Pat Masterclasses are free – so that ties in even better with the message that the sport is affordable to all.
Olympic gold medalist Sam Quek will be running hockey classes for kids with Sun-Pat Peanut Butter’s Fuelling Fun hockey sessions. The sessions are taking place all over the UK during the Easter holidays, for more details, and to sign up for your chance to win a place, visit http://www.sunpat.co.uk/fuellingfun/
Sun-Pat hockey classes will be taking part in five locations nationwide during the Easter holidays
Monday 10thApril, 11am – 12:30pm – Spencer Hockey Club, London
Monday 10thApril, 7pm-8pm – Bristol & West Hockey Club, Bristol
Tuesday 11thApril, 4pm – 5:30pm – Bowdon Hockey Club, Manchester
Thursday 13thApril, 10am–11:30pm – Whitley Bay & Tynemouth Hockey Club, Newcastle
Thursday 13thApril, 4pm – 5:30pm – Clydesdale & Clydesdale Western Hockey Club , Glasgow
