Team Talk

TEAM TALK

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Now in his fifteenth season for the Hillheads club, long-serving Warrior DJ Good talks about growing up with the sport, the one thing he would change about British Ice Hockey and why he has no plans to go into coaching…

What has been your highlight this season?

There have been a few things; the away win at Billingham where our away support was amazing, ending Blackburn’s winning streak and the atmosphere and crowd size at that home game, and securing a playoff place early on and being second in the league has been really good.

What has been your biggest disappointment?

Tonight. [Whitley’s 4-1 away defeat to Billingham Stars] We are used to having four lines and we were missing some top players. Flav [netminder James Flavell] had a good game and we got frustrated. We mixed up the lines and Barnesy [Jordan Barnes] went in defence but our breakout just didn’t work well enough.

Who has impressed you most this season for the Warriors?

Joe Stamp. He joined the army at the age of sixteen and has pretty much played rec hockey now and then for fourteen years. Not many players can get back and play at a higher level but he has done well. There are not many players that get by him, and Richie Lawson has really upped his game and been our most valuable player at times. Plus the younger players have upped their game like [Kyle] Hindmarsh-Ross, [Liam] Smedley, Craig [Johnson], [Callum] Queenan and Ben [Richards].

Which of the opposition’s players have impressed you most this season?

[Dennis] Boström’s shot is impressive and Adam Brittle has been good again this season.

What has it been like to be coached by David Longstaff and how does he differ from previous coaches?

Well, Leachy [previous coach Simon Leach] got the team back on track. He ran it in a more professional way and brought in sponsors and Lobby [David Longstaff] has built on that and got everyone committed. It’s great how dedicated he is despite it being a drop in the level to what he has played in the past.

Are you surprised by how much the Warriors have achieved?

Not really. We had the core of a good team last year. It just didn’t work out. We then added more depth but I knew in preseason that we had potential. When I look around the changing room, there are plenty of players that have played at a higher level.

You’re in your fifteenth season with the Warriors. Which has been your favourite season and why?

There isn’t any standout season. I liked the bus trips in my earlier years which used to get out of hand. Winning the cup in Coventry was a good one and I still enjoy it now.

What made you want to play ice hockey?

Watching the Warriors with my Dad and brother.

If you could bring just one player back to Whitley who doesn’t currently play for the team, who would it be?

Tough one! But I know Rob Wilson has been showing interest lately!

You’ve enjoyed leadership roles at Whitley as both alternate captain and captain. What was it like to have these roles?

I was quite proud to be captain and enjoyed it but happy to not have any responsibility and just focus on playing.

You played for Edinburgh Capitals in the SNL. What was this like, what made you choose to leave Whitley and why did you return?

I went to university in Edinburgh so I played for their SNL team for three years. I got to play a couple for the BNL team and against a couple of Elite League teams. While Tony Hand was coaching, I actually lost two teeth against the Vipers when Kevin Bucas hit someone mid-ice and his wayward stick caught me. I had some good times in Edinburgh and met some good people but I was itching to get back to the Warriors.

You were also on a two-way contract with Newcastle Vipers in 2010-11. How did you find it stepping up into the Elite League and is this a move you’ve ever considered?

I really enjoyed the experience of playing for the Vipers. I never really pursued playing at that level, with going to university and then being so interested in travelling, so I’m lucky to have experienced it briefly. I can remember playing against Belfast and they were all over six foot tall. I’m not sure I could ever have made a career out of it.

Both you and your brother Mark have played ice hockey for the Warriors. With ice hockey such an expensive sport to be involved in, quite often, what was it like for your parents as you were becoming involved in this sport?

It never seemed as expensive when I was young. Ice time and subs were just a few quid and weren’t like what they are today. All my kit was second hand too, usually passed down from my brother. There was none of this top of the range stuff that the kids have today. But I was lucky my parents contributed so much and that they enjoy the sport, especially my Dad who still plays rec hockey at the age of sixty!

Are there any other teams you wished you’d played for?

Pittsburgh Penguins as a kid.

As a junior, you made a trip to Canada to play ice hockey. What was that experience like?

I went to Quebec with England under 14’s and loved it. We used to play games, train and then at night, go on the outdoor rink down the road from the family’s house we stayed at.

If there was one thing you would change about British Ice hockey, what would it be?

We need more kids playing and funding so all kids have the opportunity. It shouldn’t be so expensive. I’d love to see an NHL highlight show on normal TV in the same way that the NFL does, which is such a fast-growing sport in the UK. The NIHL is doing extremely well. People complain about imports but it’s good for our league to raise the standard. It shows that the Heineken era had it right capping the imports at three per team. It would be good to see our league get a big sponsor to cover the travel costs for the league, then players could get a bit money or expenses which would bring better players into the league and continue to improve it.

You have been one of Whitley’s most valuable and most loyal players over the last few years. What is it like to see players come and go on a regular basis and what impact does it have on the dynamic of the team?

It’s part of any amateur sport and I totally understand. I asked my brother if he ever thinks about coming back and he said ‘every day’ but, for him and others, it just isn’t possible. The time we train at night and the weekends away make it impossible for people. Most people I talk to want to come back and miss it. That’s why I try to make the most of it and play as many games as I can, while I can. It is disappointing when people leave, especially if it is a good mate but, by the time the season has started, the new team has gelled and luckily Whitley always seems to have a good group.

Finally, what are your hopes for the future and where do you see yourself and the club in five years’ time? Is coaching something you would eventually consider?

I’m not really sure where the club will be in five years’ time but hopefully it can build on what it has done this year and not just sit back, or other teams will overtake us and we will get left behind. They have to keep developing the junior players because they aren’t willing to pay us and therefore can’t bring in imports and players from higher leagues like other clubs have in recent years. As for me, I’ve no plans to get into coaching. It looks far too stressful!

Thank you to DJ Good for taking the time to be interviewed by NIHL Northern Trio. 

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