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North Vancouver BC
How did you discover your talent? What got you started?
I started playing field hockey in PE classes at school. Growing up in the UK it is a much more popular sport than here in Canada so everyone played it. I didn’t really know I was any good at it until my teacher picked me to play for the school team in Grade 8.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a professional football (soccer) player playing for Arsenal!
Who was your biggest inspiration?
My parents. They sacrificed a lot to allow me to pursue playing at a high level, including having to travel with me most weekends to practice or for competitions. They did anything they could to give me the opportunity to play so I’ve always wanted to make it all worthwhile for them!
What makes you keep innovating and pushing your skills to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation?
I’ve always dreamt of playing in the Olympics. For field hockey, the Olympics is the pinnacle of our sport but something about the Games has also just resonated with me. Our team is currently training for the Tokyo Olympics this summer so that’s plenty of motivation for me!
If you could meet an idol or figure of any era, who would it be? What would you ask them?
I’m a big Arsenal fan so Thierry Henry was my idol growing up. I would love to meet him and talk about his mental preparation before big games as he was always so composed on the ball and came through in big moments.
So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A specific moment?
Definitely our Olympic Qualifier in October 2019. We hosted a two-game series against Ireland in West Vancouver and managed to come from behind, tying the game with less than a second left on the clock and win in a shootout to qualify for Tokyo. Winning was obviously a great achievement for our team but being able to play in front of all our friends and family on home soil was something I'll never forget.
In regards to your career, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years?
In addition to playing field hockey I am also working as a consultant, focused on helping social enterprises or companies with a socially responsible goal. In 5 or 10 years I want to be doing this on a larger scale and creating more impact that way. Companies like Wize are exactly the type that I want to be helping grow because they do so much more than just try to make a profit.
In terms of healthy habit, what are your thoughts on the current beverage options out there? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high caffeine, high sugar drinks)
Playing sports growing up, the go-to drink was always these high glucose sports drinks with tons of sugar in them. When I got a little bit older I realized that they actually weren’t very good for you and also they didn’t really help that much. I found that switching to more natural sources of sugar and electrolytes was much better for me. I also feel that when I’m in a particularly heavy training block and fatigue starts to set in, loading up on highly caffeinated drinks wasn’t actually helping very much because I would just crash so soon after drinking them. Having the more sustained energy is definitely much better.
How does Wize fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize?
I used to have a coffee before training sessions to wake me up and give me a boost, but I found that it was really dehydrating for me and I would have to time it right to make sure I didn’t get a crash before I actually started training. Now I like drinking Wize before practicing because it doesn’t give me any jitters and has a much more sustained buzz. Plus, it helps keep me hydrated throughout the session and it’s filled with antioxidants to help boost recovery.
What are the next projects coming down the pipeline?
We’re currently training hard for the Tokyo Olympics this summer. All eyes are on the Games and doing what we can to perform well when we’re there.
What’s your favourite flavour of Wize tea? When do you typically drink it?
I love the mango Party dry tea and the Grapefruit iced tea!
Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you?
@oscholfield on both Instagram and Twitter
