Ipswich's Club Greats Bringing On Next Gen

Rod Gilmour, of The Hockey Paper, speaks to Ipswich women's captain on club greats and bringing on next gen

It may be 30 years since Ipswich won their only Vitality Women’s Premier Division title, yet the club’s success in the 1990s is still revered as the 2023/24 squad sets its sights on another season in Conference East.

“Turning up to training and seeing the intensity was completely different and it’s a level I have tried to instill moving forward,” says current women’s 1s captain Lucy Dunnett, having grown up at the club.

“They have created our legacy, the club is built a lot on the fact that we’ve had players come through and make it onto the England development pathway. That’s what the club gave to a lot of people and that’s what we have to continue to promote.”

Ipswich women, coached by Leonie Kammeijer, are now holding court in Vitality Women’s Conference East, having secured National League status for a second season running with a mid-table finish.

Dunnett has been women’s 1s captain for four years. As a one-club player, she has made her way from a junior through the senior ranks and took over the captaincy helm from club great Emma Miller. 

“It was quite an honour to step into the role,” says Dunnett. “I’ve been at the club since I was tiny. We didn’t have so much of a junior section then, but as soon as you could play adult senior hockey I was playing. It’s been quite a journey.”

Despite watching the success - Ipswich were also runners-up seven times over a 10-year period following their title win - Dunnett admits that she initially found it hard to aspire to follow in the footsteps of Miller and Kirsten Spencer. (After 19 years in the top flight, Ipswich were relegated in 2009.)

“Back then the women were playing in the Premier Division and the 2s were super strong. I had spent a lot of years playing for the 4s, then the 3s,” she adds. “I had the feeling that I didn’t get the opportunity, but looking back we had such a strong membership. It means that my time wasn't there then. 

“When we dropped out of the Prem, players went off to university but I never did and in some ways that was my stepping stone. I stuck with it and worked my way up.”

Dunnett currently works as finance director for Seven, her family's firm which specialises in logistics, contract hire and fleet management and is also the club’s team sponsor.

“It’s a lot of hours but hockey is my release to get to the training and let it all out,” she admits, “which takes away the day-to-day stresses of running a business.”

Ipswich-based Dunnett is also realistic that London still calls the shots in terms of talent and where money is still a factor. “But we have a longstanding relationship with multiple schools in our area and this has been a massive feeder for our club,” adds Dunnett. 

“We are realistic that Prem is still a way off but we are holding our own in our league (after yo-yoing between East Prem and Conference). If we can build on staying in the league and then draw the players to push on then we would jump at that.”

While Ipswich still have Miller and fellow club stalwart Lizzy Wheelhouse in their 1s ranks, this season saw five National League debutants for their opening match (a 2-0 away win at Horsham), all but one who were under-18s. They included Charlie Philips, who debuted at 14.

“There’s always that fear of the league being different, that it can be more physical, there is talented opposition in the league, but the girls held their own,” enthuses Dunnett.

The new influx of talent follows the success of the club’s greatest player on the women’s side, Hannah Martin (now French), with brother Harry and George Pinner coming through the men’s programme. 

“It’s outstanding what Hannah has gone on to achieve,” says Dunnett.

“As a club it’s where we like to remember and promote the fact that we’ve had this lifeblood of Ipswich that has gone to England honours.”

Ipswich recently had another homegrown talent, Hollie Dring-Richardson, making her way through England's development paty and who featured for England at the 4 Nations Junior Women's Invitational Tournament in Düsseldorf in the summer.

“Her ball control and the way she could just glide past players was amazing,” recalls Dunnett, “It did remind us a lot of watching Hannah play. You would almost stop running and watch in awe the way she played.

“As a young promising talent, we will see more of Hollie in future Commonwealth Games or Olympics I hope. I can definitely see her getting recognition in the future.”

Saturday: Spencer v Ipswich, 2:45pm

All imagery courtesy of Dave Burt Photography