Team Talk

Team Talk

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Making the switch from recreational ice hockey to the NIHL last summer, versatile defenceman Lawson Glasby discusses his first season as a Warrior, his new team mates and why he said he never wanted to go skating again…

What has been the highlight of your season so far and if you could change any moment, which would you choose?

The highlight of my season so far is probably scoring my first goal for the Warriors. It was a great feeling and certainly gave me a confidence boost. If I could change any moment it would probably be to not have missed any scoring opportunities, especially those that didn’t even hit the net!

What do you make of Whitley Warriors' progress this campaign, from their 9-2 opening defeat against Solway Sharks to their most recent results which include a 3-3 draw with the league leaders and a 4-2 victory over Telford Tigers?

I think the team certainly turned things around quite quickly considering the relatively bad start we had to the season and there have been some fantastic results against most of the teams in the league. The 3-3 draw was a great game for us, taking a point from the league leaders, and then beating Telford earned us an essential two points.

In what ways does the NIHL differ from recreational ice hockey and are there any aspects of playing for the Northumbria Kings that you miss?

The Kings are the Northumbria University ice hockey team. Their season runs from October to February and it is a cup competition. I was lucky enough to be able to play for them during my time with Billingham Under 20s last year and also a handful of games for them this season as well. University hockey differs quite a lot from the NIHL. There are no limits on imported players (foreign students) so we often find ourselves against a team consisting entirely of North American players. Lack of numbers is also a huge difference. It’s rare to see our Uni team completing a fixture with more than ten skaters, so there’s plenty of ice time.

Which players have you most enjoyed playing alongside this season and are there any Warriors who have impressed you?

I’ve enjoyed playing ice hockey with Niall Simpson, one of my friends from the University team, and have often found myself playing alongside Jordan Barnes and Martin Crammond. Crammond is a great centre man and a solid defensive forward. Both him and Barnesy are very fast skaters too which brings a lot of energy to the team and puts a lot of pressure on the opposition.

You have scored a few impressive goals this season to earn additional ice time. Which goal did you most enjoy scoring and did you expect to have as much ice time as you have been given this season?

For me, the first goal I scored this season against Blackburn has been my favourite, though the most valuable was against my former club, Sutton Sting in a 4-2 win. As a new player coming into a team, I wasn’t expecting a regular shift and I’ve often found myself playing a lot more than I first expected which is great.

In 2014-15, you divided your time between Sutton Sting and Bradford Bulldogs. What was it like to be playing across the two divisions in the same season and what led you to make the switch to Billingham’s Under 20s?

I was fortunate enough to sign a two-way with Bradford after sitting on the bench for Sutton for part of the season. A bad string of results for the Sting meant I wasn’t getting played as much as I’d have liked and moving down a division offered me significantly more ice time. I moved to Billingham Under 20s after I started studying Physics at Northumbria University and moved away from my hometown of Worksop.

What do you think Whitley’s strengths have been this season and what areas of the game do the team need to improve on to progress further?

One of the main strengths this season has been skating and intensity, particularly at home. There haven’t been many teams who match the energy that our team can produce most nights. Another strength is creating chances. However, I would say that a weakness is not finishing them as the top two teams have scored significantly more goals.

When did you first become interested in playing ice hockey and what was it that made you want to play the sport?

I actually first became interested in roller hockey, after watching my cousins playing when I was around eight years old. I wasn’t too keen on the ice after falling on my face during my first skating session and telling my Dad “I never want to go skating again, ever.” After playing roller hockey for around two years, my Dad found a new club had been set up in Sutton-in-Ashfield and after a few sessions there, I’ve never stopped playing ice hockey.

How likely do you think it is that Whitley Warriors will make playoffs this season and what would it mean to feature in a playoff semi-final should your team achieve this feat?

I think we have a good chance of making playoffs this year. We’ve been in a good position for a while now and whilst being docked two points was not helpful, I think we have enough in us to secure a spot. To make the playoffs in my first full season in NIHL 1 would certainly be a great achievement and a fantastic experience.

What are your hopes for the remainder of the season and for the future of your ice hockey career?

Hopefully, I’ll still be getting some ice time in the coming games and making a positive contribution to the team and that we qualify for playoff weekend in April. As for the future, I don’t know. I’d love to say that I’ll still be playing next year and the year after but we will just have to wait and see.

Thank you to Lawson Glasby for taking the time to be interviewed by NIHL Northern Trio.

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