Meet The Inspirational English Umpire at this World Cup

England are currently competing at the FIH Hockey Women's World Cup in the Netherlands and Spain, and they aren’t the only English representation at one of the most prestigious events in the hockey calendar. 

Hannah Harrison, one of the country’s best female umpires, is also in action at the event which sees the world’s top teams compete for the title of world champions.

For Harrison, it’s a first appearance at a World Cup but she is no stranger to world-level events, having recently umpired throughout the FIH Hockey Pro League season. We caught up with her before the tournament to learn more about her umpiring journey, as well as her preparation for this tournament.

“I’ve been fortunate to umpire many Pro League games recently, which has helped immensely with my preparation for the World Cup. They’ve helped in terms of getting used to traveling regularly for matches, as well as umpiring top quality games and seeing many teams who haven’t been in Europe for over two years.

“This tournament has a slightly different dynamic with the games being split across two countries which is a new challenge for us to contend with. Thankfully I’ve been appointed to the Spanish venue where the crossover games will take place later in the tournament, so I won’t have to travel between venues.

“My off-the-pitch preparation has focussed on two areas – fitness preparation and working with a sports psychologist. I’ve worked really hard on the fitness side for a while now so it’s great to go into the tournament with the confidence of some fitness test PBs under my belt recently.”

Umpires at the top level receive no financial support towards their training, so it takes real dedication to fit the additional training around other commitments; particularly for Harrison, who balances her umpiring career with working full-time in a senior role at a FTSE100 company, as well as being being a wife and mum.

“For me, work and umpiring have always gone hand-in-hand. There are so many areas where I’ve developed skills in either my career or my umpiring, and the other has benefitted.

“I’ve learned that self-belief and confidence are two very different things. But with the power of a growth mindset, so much continuous improvement can be generated in both worlds. Also that passion and perseverance are a recipe for success. Effort counts twice as much as talent, both on the pitch or in the office.

“The people side is so important in both work and hockey too. I’ve learnt how to take leadership from the workplace onto the pitch - being part of a high performing team overnight, with fellow umpires I see maybe once a year.

“Finally, relationships are everything - the ones holding the family-fort whilst I work 9-5 or travel abroad to umpire; who celebrate the successes; and help rebuild from the disappointments; who continually believe even when there is doubt; who can deliver feedback constructively to ensure growth; and those who are the loudest and proudest cheerleaders. We all need a few cheerleaders in our lives!

“The World Cup is such a great tournament; a world-level event where the crowds are back. I’m incredibly proud to be a part of this and represent England Hockey, NPUA and all the hockey family from around the country.”

If you are interested in learning more about the pathway to reaching the top level as an umpire in England, you can find more here.