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Hot on the heels of being announced as 1st XI captain for 2008/09, www.greenislandladies.co.uk caught up with Nikki Cairns to learn about her hockey history and her aims for the season ahead.
Nikki's earliest hockey memories are being in the team that won the first year schools tournament at Carrick Grammar and being made captain of the U13B team which beat the U13A team at nearly every practice!
Familiar at any position across the middle of the pitch, Nikki played most regularly at right midfield during her four years in Carrick Grammar School's 1st XI. She was selected for the Regional Development Squad for hockey at U14 and U17 level, nominated Carrick Grammar School's Player of the Year and holder of the Lynne Morrow Cup for hockey. These achievements were rounded off with her captaincy of the school’s successful 1st XI team. Nikki pays tribute to the many hours of excellent coaching and advice given by Miss Kemp, head of the Grammar’s girls’ PE department. Nikki is pictured below with the rest of the Carrick Grammar 1st XI from the 2007/2008 season, 3rd from the left in the back row. How many more Greenisland Ladies can you recognise?!
In 2001 a young Nikki joined the junior club at Victorians and from there progressed through the youth system to eventually feature for their 2nd XI in 2006/07. However Nikki explains that travelling became difficult and that led to her joining Greenisland Ladies, "Many of my school friends played for the club and I had attended a Greenisland Ladies junior workshop at Under 14 level and found it good fun with Norma Montgomery and Karen Elwood. When I attended the pre season training in the summer of 2007 I found it to be a friendly atmosphere and everyone seemed really down to earth so I knew I had made a good decision".
Nikki recalls her first match for Greenisland against local rivals UUJ, "I was playing centre midfield and I ended up scoring, following a penalty corner when Jenny Henry slipped the ball back to me at the right hand post". She describes the step up from Qualifying League at Victorians to Senior League with Greenisland, "I think it is a great achievement to be playing Senior 1 hockey, not only for me but the club to be there amongst the top 20 teams in Ulster. Playing in Senior 1 has given me so much experience and confidence which I feel can only improve my game".
Despite only being at the club for just over 12 months, Nikki had no problem reeling off a list of her most memorable moments to date. "One is definitely captaining 'The Destroyers' to their victory in the Greenisland Ladies fun day earlier this season. Another was playing the Premier League team Belfast Harlequins last season in the Senior Plate and giving them a run for their money, we deserved to win or at least force a replay. Special mention must go to the bus trip home from Omagh which was good crack especially with Pete and his ice bucket!"
Nikki’s appointment to captaincy at just 18 years old underpins the Club’s policy of identifying and developing talent in young players. Indeed the average age of the Club’s 1st XI has fallen to 22. "Being made captain for this team is a great honour I would like to thank Mark and John for giving me the opportunity to captain the team and I hope its another fun and successful season for the whole club".
UP CLOSE WITH... BARBRA WEBBER
UP CLOSE WITH... DAWN MONTGOMERY
UP CLOSE WITH... ALYSON DOUGLAS
UP CLOSE WITH... NORMA MONTGOMERY
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