Oral History Interview: Elizabeth (Liz) Huggins

Partial Transcript: HUGGINS: I'm Liz Higgins, and I was the manager of the first ever Great Britain women's hockey team.

Segment Synopsis: Huggins introduces herself and her role within women's hockey.

Keywords: Manager; Win Heath; Great Britain Hockey

Subjects: Four Nations Tournament--Women--1978 Amstelveen; Four Nations Tournament--Women--1979 Glasgow; Coaching & Management--International

Partial Transcript: HUGGINS: But the biggest change now, I've seen, because in those days we were true amateurs.

Segment Synopsis: Huggins reflects on the amateur status of hockey and compares this to the modern game.

Keywords: Accommodation; Amstelveen--Netherlands; Crystal Palace National Sports Centre; Germany; Gold Medal; Great Britain; Great Britain Hockey; Hockey Shirt; Lilleshall--United Kingdom (UK); Medal; Money; Moscow--Russia; Olympics/Olympic Games; Second Shirt; Squad; Training

Subjects: Amateurism & Professionalism; Awards--Recognition; Coaching & Management--International; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; International Travel; Kit & Equipment; Olympic Games--1980 Moscow; Politics; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Reunion; Teams--Women--International; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: HUGGINS: Um, and we had a moment when we were training. Win had arranged for us to go to Manchester, Salford University, sorry, um, to have the fitness test in their fitness lab which was, then, quite a novelty, it wasn't a regular occurrence.

Segment Synopsis: Huggins recounts how the GB women were very fit and committed and the work done by the squad to develop team spirit.

Keywords: England; Fitness Lab; Football (Soccer); Goal; Great Britain; Great Britain Hockey; Home Nations; International Federation of Womens Hockey Associations (IFWHA); International Hockey Federation (FIH); Ireland; Jennifer Givan/Jenny Givan; Los Angeles--United States of America (USA); Manchester--United Kingdom (UK); Margaret Medlow/Margaret Rainbow; Moscow--Russia; New Zealand; Olympic Qualifiers; Running; Salford University; Salford--United Kingdom(UK); Scotland; Sheila Morrow; Social Secretary; Squad; Training; Treadmill; Wales; Win Heath; World Cup; Australia

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; Fitness, Injury & Health; International Travel; Olympic Games--1980 Moscow; Olympic Games--1984 Los Angeles; Politics; Recollection of Others--Player; Rules; Teams--Women--International; Tournaments--International; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So, did they actually play together in a representative? You had to play some qualifying tournaments, didn't you?
HUGGINS: Our big problem was training, you know, getting people good enough to train against and, in fact, Win got some men's teams because those were the only ones who were strong enough to play and in those days there were no qualifying tournaments.

Segment Synopsis: Huggins outlines the problems in qualifying for the 1984 Olympics. As there were no qualifying events and the GB team only came together as a team ahead of each Olympics, this meant that the team had difficulties getting enough matches against top opposition to be able to qualify.

Keywords: Anne Ellis; Australia; Captain; Coach; England; Great Britain; International Federation of Womens Hockey Associations (IFWHA); Ireland; Los Angeles--United States of America (USA); Moscow--Russia; New Zealand; Olympic Qualifiers; Scotland; Wales; Win Heath; World Cup; Training

Subjects: Associations--International; Olympic Games--1980 Moscow; Olympic Games--1984 Los Angeles; Politics--International Associations; Politics

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So going to LA was a question of not qualifying, rather than political withdrawal? Is that right?
HUGGINS: Oh yes, it was the fact that we had not played enough.

Segment Synopsis: Huggins recounts why her team did not play at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games. She explains how this effected the team's morale and why this rejection encouraged her to resign as manager.

Keywords: Captain; Coach; Los Angeles--United States of America (USA); Manager; Moscow--Russia; Olympic Qualifiers; Olympics/Olympic Games; Squad; Win Heath; Anne Ellis

Subjects: Captaincy; Coaching & Management--International; Olympic Games--1980 Moscow; Olympic Games--1984 Los Angeles; Politics; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Teams--Women--International; Tournaments--International; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So you resigned then.
HUGGINS: Yes.
SOMERVILLE: What did you do afterwards?

Segment Synopsis: Higgins explains how she started playing golf after resigning as manager of the women's hockey team. She mentions that she has now started watching club hockey games, although it did take a while for her interest in hockey to start again.

Keywords: Golf

Subjects: Life Outside of Hockey--Retirement; Recreation

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So what about the changes that have been introduced in the international world since then.
HUGGINS: When I think, if we had that team, that we had for 1980 training now, you know, turn the clock back and make sure they had the facilities and the training and the money, and the backing, they would be winners.

Segment Synopsis: Huggins discusses how the game has changed since she was a manager. She believes that rolling substitutes make it harder for the team to work cohesively on the pitch, but has made hockey a better spectator sport.

Keywords: Goal; Hockey Ball; Injury; International Match; Midfielder; Money; Rolling substitution; Rulebook; Spectator; Substitute; Training

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; Fitness, Injury & Health; Rules; Tactics and Performance

Partial Transcript: HUGGINS: And of course in 1980, we were still playing a lot of our games on grass.

Segment Synopsis: Huggins points out that, in 1980, hockey games were played on grass which was safer for the players and meant that their hockey playing career could last longer than if they were to play on AstroTurf.

Keywords: Ankle; AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Grass; Knee

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; Fitness, Injury & Health; Playing Surfaces; Teams--Women--International; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: What about the friendships that you've made over the years?
HUGGINS: Thirty six years later, I keep in touch with quite a lot of them.

Segment Synopsis: Huggins describes the friendships she made while managing the GB team and how these have lasted over thirty six years.

Keywords: Barbara Hambly; Christmas; Ellen Paterson; Fran Taft; Friends; Junior Match; Kim Gordon; Lancashire (county); Lancashire Junior Hockey; Margo Barr; Physiotherapy; Physiotherapy; Reserve goalkeeper; School; South Wales Region/South Wales (territory); Squad; Umpire; Val Robinson; Win Heath; Anne Ellis

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Player; Recollection of Others--Umpire; Reunion; Social & Friendships