Oral History Interview: Brenda Read

Partial Transcript: READ: My name is Brenda Read, I was born on the 25th May 1940.

Segment Synopsis: Read states her name and date of birth for the record.

Keywords: Date of birth

Partial Transcript: READ: I first came in touch with hockey when I went to the local convent school as it was then, erm, and I became a goalkeeper even at the young age of ten.

Segment Synopsis: Read recalls her journey from playing school hockey through to junior and then senior county and territory level. She also speaks of her career as a PE teacher.

Keywords: Aston PE College; Australia; Barbara Gibson; Barbara Rylands; Bedford PE College; Forward; Full Back; Goalkeeper; Goalkeeper Leg Guard (Pad); Inside Forward; Leicester--United Kingdom (UK); Leicestershire (county); Loughborough Ladies Hockey Club; Midland Counties Womens Hockey Association (MCWHA)/Midlands (territory); Northern Counties Womens Hockey Association (NCWHA)/North (territory); Oxford Etceteras Hockey Club; Oxford Hawks Hockey Club; Ramsgate Easter Festival; School; Sutton Coldfield--United Kingdom (UK); Teaching

Subjects: Life Outside of Hockey--Career; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Girls--County; Teams--Girls--School; Teams--Women--Club; Teams--Women--College & University; Teams--Women--County; Teams--Women--International; Teams--Women--Territory; Teams--Women--Touring; Tournaments--Festival

Partial Transcript: READ: Then, eventually, I got picked for England B; and I played for England B from about 1961 through 'til a--'71, erm, but during that period, erm, I played for the England full team in '64, '65 and '67.

Segment Synopsis: Read briefly discusses her international playing career and recalls her first international tournament, a Home International tournament with England B.

Keywords: Denise Parry; England; England B; Home Internationals Series; Inside Forward; Ireland; Janet Ruff; Manchester--United Kingdom (UK); Melvyn Hickey/Melvyn Pignon; Old Trafford Cricket Ground; Oxford--United Kingdom (UK); Plas y Brenin National Mountain Sports Centre; Scotland; Val Robinson; Wales

Subjects: Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Women--International; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: READ: I started coaching after I stopped playing, erm...
SOMERVILLE: When did you stop playing?
READ: I stopped playing in 1972 for, I didn't go to the New Zealand tournament. I wasn't picked for the international tournament in New Zealand in '71.

Segment Synopsis: Read recalls her retirement from international hockey with England and her transition to coaching. She speaks of her experiences as Coach of Canada travelling and creating the country's first coaching qualification scheme.

Keywords: All England Womens Hockey Association (AEWHA); Aukland--New Zealand; Canada; Coach; Coaching Course; David Bowes-Lyon; Edmonton--Canada; England; England B; Marina van der Merwe; Prince Edward Island--Canada; Royal Navy; Selection; Tour; Victoria--Canada; World War 2

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; IFWHA Conference & Tournament--1971 Aukland; International Travel; Recollection of Others--Celebrity; Teams--Women--Club; Teams--Women--County; Teams--Women--International; Teams--Women--Touring

Partial Transcript: READ: Then, during th--1975, I was asked if I would coach the Canadian national team and take them to the Edinburgh International Federation of Women's Hockey Associations tournament, er, that year.

Segment Synopsis: Read recalls her time coaching Canada with specific reference to the Edinburgh 1975 IFWHA World Championship. She recounts specific matches and the atmosphere of the tournament.

Keywords: Belgium; Canada; Edinburgh--United Kingdom (UK); International Match; Scotland; Television

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; IFWHA World Championship--1975 Edinburgh; Teams--Women--International; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: READ: I went to Merestead Camps in America from '63 through 'til the early '80s coaching most years and eventually heading up the Merestead hockey sections in the camps.

Segment Synopsis: Read recalls her time coaching hockey at Merestead Sports Camps in the USA. She goes on to list her international coaching roles and reflects on the difficulties of international coaching in vast countries like Canada and South Africa.

Keywords: Alberta--Canada; British Columbia--Canada; Canada; Grass; Merestead Sports Camp; Ontario--Canada; Quebec--Canada; Saskatchewan--Canada; South Africa; The Maritimes--Canada; United States of America (USA); Zimbabwe

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; Coaching & Management--Junior; International Travel; Playing Surfaces; Teams--Women--International

Partial Transcript: READ: In 1982, Doris Crisp was to attend an FIH meeting in Brussels. She was serving on one of the Committees and was unwell so I was asked if I would substitute for her.

Segment Synopsis: Read recalls how she came to be involved in the development and introduction of artificial pitches as Secretary of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Equipment Committee. She details the Committee's approach and describes the development and testing stages that it went through.

Keywords: All England Womens Hockey Association (AEWHA); AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Bayer AG (company); Centre for Sports Technology; Derbyshire (county); Doris Crisp; En-tout-cas (company); England; Equipment Committee; Hockey Stick; International Hockey Federation (FIH); London--United Kingdom (UK); Monsanto (company); President; Rene Frank; Secretary; Sialkot--India

Subjects: Administration & Finances--International; Associations--International; Associations--National; Fitness & Injury; Kit & Equipment; Playing Surfaces; Recollection of Others--Administrator

Partial Transcript: READ: The difficulties that this all presented was, er, if you're going to get synthetic turf pitches as the game surface, what do we do about cost of installation, and who can install them and who has the capability and how widely that can spread?

Segment Synopsis: Read discusses the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) objectives when implementing changes to the game. She examines the difficulties of the switch to artificial turf considering the variety in economic and environmental climate globally. She discusses its impact on athletes' bodies, on the hockey manufacturing industry, on the development of rules and on the evolution of the modern game more generally.

Keywords: "Crochet Hook"; Asia; AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Bully; Carbon Fibre; Carpet; Doris Crisp; Drainage; English Head Hockey Stick; Goal; Half Indian Head ("Half Head") Hockey Stick; Hockey Ball; Hockey Shoe; Hockey Stick; Hockey Stick Ring; India; Indian Head Hockey Stick; International Hockey Federation (FIH); International Hockey Federation Council; Left-handed; Long Corner; Obstruction; Offside; Olympics/Olympic Games; Pakistan; Penalty Corner; Reverse Stick (Tomahawk); Rugby; Striking Circle (D); Substitute; Television; Wood

Subjects: Administration & Finances--International; Associations--International; Coaching & Management--International; Fitness & Injury; Indoor Hockey; Kit & Equipment; Manufacturing & Industry; Olympic Games--2012 London; Playing Surfaces; Recollection of Others--Player; Rules

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You've written a couple of books on coaching...
READ: Er.
SOMERVILLE: ...What made you write them?

Segment Synopsis: Prompted by discussion of her publication history, Read discusses her academic career and how that influenced her approach to coaching.

Keywords: "Better Hockey for Girls"; Academia; Author; Book; Congress; Faber & Faber; Football (Soccer); Freda Walker; Hockey Association (HA); Hockey Field Magazine; Joyce Whitehead; Kaye & Ward Publishing; Loughborough University; Marjorie Pollard; Olympics/Olympic Games; Rugby; Teaching

Subjects: Associations--National; Coaching & Management--International; Life Outside of Hockey--Career; Media; Olympic Games--1988 Seoul; Olympic Games--1996 Atlanta; Recollection of Others--Player

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: What exactly did you do at the Olympics?
READ: Er, well, the Atlanta Olympics I went as, er, a judge, a technical delegate, whatever you want to call it.

Segment Synopsis: Read recalls anecdotes from her time as a Technical Delegate at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games and at an international tournament in Kuala Lumpar.

Keywords: Al Gore/Albert Gore; Alcohol; India; Ireland; Judge; Kuala Lumpar--Malaysia; Olympics/Olympic Games; Pakistan; Substitute; Technical Delegate; Terrorism; Umpire; United States Secret Service (USSS); United States of America (USA); Vice-president; World Cup

Subjects: International Travel; Olympic Games--1996 Atlanta; Politics; Prejudice & Inequality--Gender; Recollection of Others--Celebrity; Rules; Social & Friendships; Teams--Men--International; Tournaments--International; Umpiring--International

Partial Transcript: READ: But it was at that tournament when we were, we--they has a synthetic pitch. I, at one time, knelt on the pitch to take a photograph and I burned my knee because the air temperature was so high.

Segment Synopsis: Read returns to the subject of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Equipment Committee recalling how a burned knee in Malaysia played a part in changing the shape of the hockey pitch. She also speaks of her regret at not keeping the minutes from the Equipment Committee meetings.

Keywords: AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Australia; Brussels--Belgium; Drainage; Equipment Committee; Hockey Ball; International Hockey Federation (FIH); Kuala Lumpar--Malaysia; Minutes; President

Subjects: Administration & Finances--International; Associations--International; Fitness & Injury; Playing Surfaces; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You've made an awful lot of friends all over the world. Do you still keep up with any of them?

Segment Synopsis: Read recounts the lifelong friendships she has made across the world during the course of her hockey career.

Keywords: Adele Boyd; Anne Ellis; Australia; Bereavement; Brussels--Belgium; Canada; Grace Robertson; International Hockey Federation (FIH); Kathy Broderick/Kathleen Broderick; Laurie Packham/Lorraine Packham; Marina van der Merwe; New Zealand; Pat Barwick; Pauline Spruyt Myers; President; South Africa; South African Hockey Association (SAHA); Sue Neill; United States of America (USA); Verna Kyle; Wales

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Administrator; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Recollection of Others--Player; Social & Friendships

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: When you look back over your, erm, lengthy and, and very wide-ranging experience in hockey, what are the highlights that stand out for you?

Segment Synopsis: Read recalls the highlights from her hockey career including being undefeated whilst representing England at a tournament in Germany in 1967 and attending the London 2012 Olympic Games as a guest of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). She also recalls her penalty corner practice sessions with then England Captain Barbara Rylands.

Keywords: Aston PE College; Barbara Rylands; England; Full Back; Germany; Goal; Goalkeeper; Inside Forward; International Hockey Federation (FIH); Leandro Negre; Leverkusen--Germany; Olympics/Olympic Games; President; Umpire; Val Robinson

Subjects: Associations--International; Olympic Games--2012 London; Recollection of Others--Player; Reunion; Teams--Women--International; Tournaments--International; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You talked about, er, the eq--the equipment and the sticks and the carbon fibre sticks and the development of fibre sticks...
READ: Mmm.
SOMERVILLE: ...A--at one point metal sticks.

Segment Synopsis: Read provides insight into the development of the modern hockey stick from her position on the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) Equipment Committee. She discusses trialling various new materials prior to settling on the carbon fibre used today.

Keywords: "Stick Clash"; Carbon Fibre; Equipment Committee; Hockey Stick; International Hockey Federation (FIH); Kevlar; Metal; Rubber; Stick Tackle

Subjects: Associations--International; Kit & Equipment; Manufacturing & Industry

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: In the changes that have been made to the game - it's faster, it's flows better...
READ: Mmm.
SOMERVILLE: ...It's more spectator-friendly...
READ: Mmm.
SOMERVILLE: ... But it's more TV-friendly.
READ: Mmm.
SOMERVILLE: Do you think we're pandering too much to TV audiences?

Segment Synopsis: Read discusses the evolution of the modern game with its contemporary focus on television and becoming a spectator sport. She compares today's facilities to those she experienced when she was playing, reflecting on how they have allowed the game to evolve and revealing anecdotes from the Towson International Federation of Women's Hockey Associations (IFWHA) Conference and Tournament of 1963 and from her experiences playing at Wembley Stadium.

Keywords: AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Baltimore--United States of America (USA); England B; Esther Heilbuth; Floodlights; Goalkeeper; Grass; Hockey Ball; Inside Forward; International Federation of Womens Hockey Associations (IFWHA); International Wanderers Touring Team; Melvyn Hickey/Melvyn Pignon; Midland Counties Womens Hockey Association (MCWHA)/Midlands (territory); Television; Tour; Towson--United States of America (USA); Wembley Stadium

Subjects: Administration & Finances--International; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; IFWHA Conference & Tournament--1963 Towson; Kit & Equipment; Playing Surfaces; Recollection of Others--Player; Rules; Teams--Women--International; Teams--Women--Territory; Teams--Women--Touring; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Did you ever receive a cap when you played for England, an actual cap?

Segment Synopsis: Read discusses the phenomenon of international caps and recalls how female internationals were instead awarded a brooch.

Keywords: Brooch; England; International Caps

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Personal; Kit & Equipment; Teams--Women--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Is there anything else you think we haven't covered that you'd like to cover?

Segment Synopsis: Read recalls dining with Sophie, Countess of Wessex and watching hockey with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

Keywords: Alcohol; England Hockey (EH); European Nations Championship/EuroHockey Nations Championship; King Willem-Alexander; Medal; Netherlands; Nottingham--United Kingdom (UK); Patron; Queen Elizabeth II; Sophie, Countess of Wessex

Subjects: Associations--National; Dinners; Recollection of Others--Celebrity

Partial Transcript: SMITH: The ladies still use the phrase "so many caps".
READ: Right.
SMITH: The first England teams back in the 1890s, 1900s did get caps 'cause we have photographs of teams wearing their caps.

Segment Synopsis: Read discusses bringing back physical international caps for England appearances and reflects on the social impact, from a club hockey perspective, of the transition to artificial playing surfaces. She also laments the London-centric focus on modern hockey.

Keywords: AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; England; England Hockey (EH); Floodlights; International Caps; London--United Kingdom (UK)

Subjects: Associations--National; Dinners; Playing Surfaces; Social & Friendships; Teams--Men--Club; Teams--Men--International; Teams--Mixed--Club; Teams--Women--Club; Teams--Women--International

Partial Transcript: SMITH: You mentioned the, the FIH and what have you, we hear a lot about, erm, FIFA and the IOC a few years ago when that was a bit rotten, erm, and a few think the athletics situation, now tennis has got [indistinguishable], do you think we've got a good, erm, a good governing body in hockey, do you think?

Segment Synopsis: Prompted by The Hockey Museum Curator Michael Smith, Read discusses the governance and ethos of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) compared with the world governing bodies of other sports.

Keywords: Athletics; FIH Diploma of Merit; FIH Order of Merit; Football (Soccer); Hockey Family; Hotel; International Football Federation (FIFA); International Hockey Federation (FIH); International Olympic Committee (IOC); Italian Hockey Federation (FIH); Leandro Negre; President; Rome--Italy; Tennis

Subjects: Administration & Finances--International; Associations--International; Associations--National; Awards--Hockey Recognition; Corruption & Illegality; Politics

Partial Transcript: SMITH: 1976 Montreal Olympics. First time synthetic pitches...
READ: Yes.
SMITH: ...Were used.

Segment Synopsis: Read clarifies the story of how artificial turf game to be used at the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games in Canada.

Keywords: American Football; AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Canada; Field Hockey Canada (FHC); Grass; International Hockey Federation (FIH); Monsanto (company); Montreal--Canada; Olympics/Olympic Games

Subjects: Associations--International; Associations--National; Manufacturing & Industry; Olympic Games--1976 Montreal; Playing Surfaces

Partial Transcript: SMITH: And as someone who's been involved with hockey at international level over quite a period of time...
READ: [clears throat]
SMITH: ...The modern game is polarising towards a few countries where the athletes are virtually full-time, professional athletes.

Segment Synopsis: Read reflects on the increased professionalism of the modern game which has brought about a polarity in top level hockey between the countries that can afford the professional expertise and to pay their athletes and those countries that cannot.

Keywords: Africa; Anne Ellis; Coach; Egypt; Hockey World League; International Hockey Federation (FIH); Namibia; Promotion; Psychology; Relegation; South Africa; Support Staff; Youth Development Committee; Zimbabwe

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Grants & Funding; Administration & Finances--National; Amateurism & Professionalism; Associations--International; Coaching & Management--International; Recollection of Others--Administrator; Teams--Men--International; Teams--Women--International; Tournaments--International