Phoebe McCarroll

Hockey Background

I started playing hockey at school aged 7 and joined my local club, Whitchurch Hockey Club. At age 13 I was selected to represent South Wales in the UK Lions Trophy competition where we came runners up. I received awards for both players’ and coaches’ player of the year at both U13 and U14 level and my club team were semi-finalists on multiple occasions in national youth competitions.

In 2024, to progress and improve my hockey, I joined Cardiff & Metropolitan Hockey Club where I currently train and play in the women’s performance group. Last season, I was part of the U16 team, which won the national cup. This was a first for the club.

I am a sports scholar at The Cathedral School, Llandaff and captained the U14 and U16 hockey sides to win the national school cup in two consecutive years. This role demanded strong leadership, and I learned how important it is to communicate and depend on each other both on and off the field. Those victories were the first in the school’s history. I was delighted to have played a key part in this achievement. I currently play in the first XI hockey team and have done so for the last two years. As a team, we play other school teams across Wales and the Southwest of England. We are currently unbeaten this season.

In January 2024, aged 14, I was proud to be the youngest player selected for the Wales U18 Girls national squad. I represented Wales both at an U16 test series against Switzerland in Lausanne inn April 2024 and again in July 2024 as vice-captain at the Hockey 5s European Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. Being selected for the national side is an honour and I am passionate about representing it. Whilst these experiences challenged me, I learned to be resilient playing at this level and also had a lot of fun. I am currently part of the Wales U21 Women’s transition squad.

I am a versatile player. My preferred position is defensive midfield/screen. My vision and pre-scanning are great strengths in this position. I can play first time balls through the pitch, which opens the game tremendously and benefits my team by smoothly transferring our play from defence to attack with ease. Another reason I enjoy playing here is because I like to get stuck in, making tackles and relieving my team of pressure from the opposition. I am a committed and determined player and I want to be involved in the game, acting as a link between the attack and defence. I also enjoy playing half-back with the opportunities this brings to be part of the defensive line and helping the attack. I defend by disrupting and delaying fast-paced wingers trying to enter the circle and attack to stretch the pitch and be an option out wide for the midfield.

I have been fortunate to benefit from the help and support of talented and inspiring coaches, and it is important to give something back, so I regularly volunteered, assisting the coaches with the U10 girls and boys at Whitchurch Hockey Club. I currently volunteer weekly at school, helping younger pupils improve their skills and encouraging their development with the support of my coaches.

Why I want to play college hockey in the US

Why wouldn’t you! It is such a wonderful opportunity to have an unparallelled life changing experience while continuing to play a sport I love. 

I want to play field hockey at a high level in a team that is driven to get better in training and matches. I give my all and commit. I am motivated to learn, develop and be stretched. The sporting culture of US colleges is consistent with all those qualities with coaching, facilities and resources that are first rate. As well as my own ambitions, the collective spirit of a team is at the heart of my love for the game of hockey. Standing together to give our best in victory or defeat, and above it all to have fun and enjoy it. 

The opportunity to study at a US college is unique and exciting with such a large range of institutions offering world class education. The approach taken is different to that in the UK. I am currently undecided about my future study plans, and the liberal arts approach is attractive with its flexibility. That opportunity to explore academic fields before committing when I have more experience and understanding of subjects is a big draw. I’m determined to make the most of the academic opportunities available and achieve my goals taking advantage of the expertise and support of my teachers. 

The prospect to study and play sport in the US would also enable me to build strong relationships with girls from all over the world. Those shared experiences build a close connection. Having friends that I can rely on both on and off the pitch is important to me. I would embrace the chance to develop bonds and create memories, which will hopefully stay with me for the rest of my life. Doing all of this while living in a new culture and experiencing all that has to offer is just so exciting!