This week in our series on young sporting talent we speak to Izzy Petter about the world of hockey and what the future holds for her.

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What is your sport and why did you choose it?
My sport is hockey and I chose it because I loved scoring goals.

Which team are you in?
I play for GB, England and Loughborough students.

At what age did you start?
I started playing at five when I began at SJB Academy.

Does/did school play a role in your sporting career path?
Mt school did impact on my career path as it brought the enjoyment factor to my hockey. I loved it and they really supported me through my club hockey.

How did you combine schoolwork with training?
It was hard but I had chunks of the day where I was able to play.

Where do you train and who is your coach?
I train at Bisham Abbey sports centre and Mark Hager is my coach.

 How do you manage pre-match nerves?
I normally try to clear my head by not thinking about hockey but at the same time having some nerves is a good thing!

How do you deal with defeat and with victory?
When dealing with defeat in the moment I just take it all in and then afterwards debrief either myself or with the team. When dealing with victory I just enjoy the moment.

Do you have a sponsor?
I am sponsored by JDH.

What advice can you give to others wanting to excel within the world of hockey?
My advice would be to see every training session as an opportunity to get better and try new things, don’t waste that valuable time.

What one thing have you learnt along the way?
That being a professional sportswoman you have to make sacrifices to make it to the top of your sport.

Are your parents involved and if so, how?
Yes, they have helped me enormously in my journey and I can’t thank them enough. When I was younger, they would help me to get to the places I needed to be and I would always talk to them when making a decision regarding sport.