Hockey champs told to reach for the Wii

  

SUPERFIT hockey players have been given the perfect excuse to down their sticks and reach for the computer console.

As part of their rigorous training programme, the GB team, which includes Olympic hopeful, George Pinner, 20, from Rushmere in Ipswich, have been told to practise each day on a Nintendo Wii.

The team are currently training for the Olympic men's hockey qualifying tournament in Chile in March 2008.

As well as four hours on pitch training everyday and two gym sessions, the squad have been told to practise on sports games to improve hand-eye co-ordination, peripheral vision and awareness.

Former Ipswich School pupil George is one of three goalkeepers in the squad and said that in his position a greater awareness of where the ball is at all times has dramatically helped his game.

He said: “As well as being fun and providing some time off the pitch, the training on the Wii has really improved my performance during games.

“We are made to play games like tennis and boxing with eye patches on to concentrate on working each eye individually.

“I am trying to get hold of a console of my own but they are proving very hard to find at the moment, in the run up to Christmas.”

David Faulker, a spokesperson for England Hockey, said: “Nintendo Wii is one of the many resources we are looking at to improve reaction and speed for goalkeepers.”

Whilst at the recent Champions Trophy tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the squad also learnt to juggle - another skill to help hand-eye-co-ordination.

The team is now hoping to win a place at the Olympics at a tournament in Santiago, Chile, in March .

The tournament is Britain's last chance to qualify for the Beijing games next year.

A regular fixture in the Great Britain under 21s squad, George has extensive international experience, first representing his country at under 16s level, selected to be part of the under 21s development team and competing in the Youth Olympic Games in Sydney at the start of this year.

George said: “It is a great honour to be playing at such a high level for my country. Obviously my aim is to help GB qualify for Beijing in 2008 and beyond that my ambitions are to play at the 2012 Olympics in London.”

If you are interested in providing sponsorship for George to help in his Olympic campaign please email him at georgepinner@yahoo.co.uk.