Oral History Interview: Win Heath

Partial Transcript: HEATH: My name is Win Heath. I was coach to the Great Britain, er, Olympic team that qualified to go to Moscow but unfortunately were unable to go.

Segment Synopsis: Heath introduces herself and summarises her role within hockey.

Keywords: England; Great Britain; Olympics/Olympic Games

Subjects: Olympic Games--1980 Moscow; Teams--Women--International; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: HEATH: One, one thing that I noticed when I was asked to take the England job on that I wasn't involved in selection.

Segment Synopsis: Heath discusses the differences in selection practises between the England and Great Britain setups whilst she was Coach. She recalls the qualifying matches for the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games, the first time a women's hockey team was to represent Great Britain.

Keywords: Coach; England; Germany; Great Britain; Ireland; Lilleshall Hall National Sports Centre; Mary Russell Vick; Netherlands; New Zealand; Northern Ireland; Olympic Qualifiers; Olympics/Olympic Games; Scotland; Selection; Selectors; United States of America (USA); Vancouver--Canada; Wales

Subjects: Amateurism & Professionalism; Coaching & Management--International; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; IFWHA World Championship--1979 Vancouver; Olympic Games--1980 Moscow; Teams--Women--International; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So, how long in ago, in advance of the Olympics did you find out that you weren't going to be able to go?

Segment Synopsis: Heath recalls her disappointment at being informed of Great Britain's withdrawal from the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games.

Keywords: Afghanistan; British Olympic Association (BOA); Crystal Palace National Sports Centre; England; Great Britain; Great Britain Hockey; Mary Russell Vick; Olympics/Olympic Games; President; Soviet Union (USSR); Soviet-Afghan War

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Personal; Associations--National; Coaching & Management--International; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; Olympic Games--1980 Moscow; Politics

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Tell me a bit about, er, your coaching England and the [indistinguishable]...
HEATH: Yeah, that was, er, a very interesting, erm, er, again I, I played against a lot of them which was interesting as a player myself.

Segment Synopsis: Heath reflects on her career as England Coach following her spell with Great Britain. She discusses her approach and recalls how the players only trained as a group at weekends around their existing careers. She speaks of her disappointing record at world tournaments despite strong performances prior to their events themselves, highlighting Vancouver (1979) and Kualar Lumpar (1983) as specific examples.

Keywords: Academia; Acclimatisation; Argentina; AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Coach; England; Germany; Grass; IM Marsh PE College; Kuala Lumpar--Malaysia; Liverpool--United Kingdom (UK); Netherlands; Physiotherapy; Selection; Support Staff; Teaching; Thailand; Vancouver--Canada; Wales; World Cup

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; IFWHA World Championship--1979 Vancouver; Life Outside of Hockey--Career; Playing Surfaces; Teams--Women--International; Tournaments--International; Training & Conditioning--International; World Cup--Women--1983 Kuala Lumpar

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Which of the internationals matches, er, really stands out in your mind?

Segment Synopsis: Heath discusses the stand out memories from her coaching career.

Keywords: Coach; England; International Match; Netherlands; Queen Elizabeth II; Wales; Wembley Stadium

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; Recollection of Others--Celebrity; Teams--Women--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So, when you look back on your, erm, your coaching...
HEATH: Mmm.
SOMERVILLE: ...Career, erm, would you do anything differently if you were to do it now?

Segment Synopsis: Heath reflects on what she would change about her approach to coaching. She speaks of her closeness with the England group, being a recently retired player herself, and how she might have been better served by maintaining greater distance. She also discusses the impact of the transition to artificial turf and how she might have adapted her training methods more quickly.

Keywords: Assistant Coach; AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Coach; England; Great Britain; Man Management; Margaret Souyave/Maggie Souyave; Physiotherapy; Pre-match Preparation; Scouting; Support Staff; Video Analysis

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; Indoor Hockey; Playing Surfaces; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Teams--Women--International; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You must have made lots of friends [indistinguishable]...
HEATH: Oh, I made lots of friends. I mean I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Segment Synopsis: Heath reflects on the friendships she forged within hockey speaking warmly of the players she coached.

Keywords: England; Great Britain

Subjects: Social & Friendships; Teams--Women--International