Australian Tayla Britton Enjoying Player Her Hockey In The 'Wakey Way'

Having moved to the UK just before the first lockdown in 2020, Tayla Britton - who hails from Australia - is enjoying her first full season at Wakefield HC.

She spoke to The Hockey Paper's Rod Gilmour about adapting to the English game and learning about the club's unique philosophy.

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Australian Tayla Britton didn't know much about West Yorkshire side Wakefield HC when she first travelled over to the UK, two months before the first lockdown in 2020. The 28-year-old Tasmanian is now a fully-fledged member of the ‘Wakey Way’, a brand of attack-minded hockey entwined with the club’s open door policy. 

Britton was able to play a handful of games before 2020’s lockdown. Spool forward and she is now in her third season with the Vitality Women's Conference North outfit - her first also as women’s 1s captain - and, finally, in her first full season of league matches.

Britton’s aim was to travel, play hockey and work overseas as a teacher with her partner Matt Claxton, brother of Jane, the current Hockeyroos’ captain. Both Tayla and Matt are Premier Division and state players in Australia.   

“I guess I play differently to people and I get picked out a bit quicker as Australia plays more attacking hockey than the English game,” she said. “I guess I stick out but that’s not a bad thing, it brings a different skill set to Wakefield.”

Britton, a midfielder/forward, is also in the Australia women’s indoor squad and, despite the lack of international matches, has still been submitting fitness testing as the team awaits competition proper after the FIH Indoor World Cup was cancelled this month.

It has left her to adapt to the outdoor game, where she has also learnt about stick tackling after receiving a card in her first game. “I quickly realised you guys don’t like noise so I had to rein in my aggression a little bit," she joked.

Wakefield’s team also includes players such as Ffion Thompson, who has moved from Sutton Coldfield, and Lyndsay Bromby, both former England age-group players. “We’ve got a great group of girls, a variety of ages from young teens to 40-year-old mums, which brings some older knowledge into the team,” added Britton, who coaches Wakefield's U18s and their Super 6s side. “It’s great to see a big gap in ages. I’m a PE teacher and I’m all for keeping people in sport.”

Does Britton believe a northern club like Wakefield can progress higher and reach the Women’s Premier Division? “You have to have the commitment,” said Britton. “And there is progression available at Wakefield. When I was in Tasmania, I was travelling four hours every weekend to play for my state. Personally, you have to have the commitment as well as the club behind you. And being at Wakefield, it’s a really nice environment to be involved with.”

Britton and Wakefield women's 1st XI are coached by James Ross, who joined the club last summer with his main remit of closing the gap between the women’s 1s and 2s teams.

Initially, the women’s team worked on Zoom and focused on super strengths as well as a presentation on the ‘Wakey Way’, a philosophy conceived by club stalwart Norman Hughes, the former GB captain and 1984 Olympic bronze medallist.

“Norman wants an identity, a family club with a welcoming, open door,” said Ross. “The philosophy is attack-minded and with lots of positive play. It’s about the bigger picture and getting players to think outside the box a bit. They are a really social group, lots of mums and teachers, a lot of talent and positivity in the group. 

"There are some players in our set-up who are playing two leagues below where they should be but they are also at a time of life where they're not wanting to play in the Premier Division. But Division One North will be a great league for us to compete in and there is a real opportunity to push and go for it this season."

Currently in second place in the Conference North, Wakefield face a two-hour, potentially blustery trip to Fylde on Saturday. However, one future fixture does stick out, with Wakefield set to face leaders Leeds on the final day of the season in April for a potential promotion-chasing game towards Division One North.

“I think it may come down to that game,” added Ross. “It’s such a close league and teams are dropping points. We have everyone back now and we are beginning to play some great stuff. I hope it does come down to it as it will be great for the league.”