Carolyn Fox was still pinching herself on her way back from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium here on Sunday night after Great Britain had defeated Australia 5-2 in its Pool A match.
England had never before scored so many goals against the world champions or defeated them by such a big margin. The icing on the cake for Carolyn was captain Dan Fox being named the Man of the Match for his impeccable marshalling of the British defence.
“When we got up in the morning, I just wondered aloud, 'what if GB beats Australia today and Dan becomes the Man of the Match?' And both father and son were like, 'nah, stop daydreaming'. So when it actually happened, I was pinching myself. I still have goosebumps,” she laughed.
With hockey being a family tradition, the Fox family travels anywhere the England team plays. Carolyn even has a red scarf with foxes printed on it which she wears to every England match. Both she and Dan's father, Richard, played club hockey. His elder sister Elizabeth is a former junior England defender. As such, it was normal for Dan Fox to take to the sport.
While he is only a temporary captain here – regular skipper Barry Middleton is one of the many senior players rested by coach Bobby Crutchley for this tournament – the 32-year old Fox has been impressive in his leadership, leading GB to be the only team with a 100 percent win record so far.
“We have been working a lot on our individual defences. We have put a few bodies on the line and there are a few bumps and bruises but I am delighted with the team's play. Everyone here knows they have to prove themselves so it was an incredible team performance,” Fox said after the match.
The Fox family was also present in Bhubaneswar for the Champions Trophy in December last but what Carolyn remembers the most is the team's loss to India in the semi-finals of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. “I was there with my sister at that time, and it was such an incredible atmosphere. You guys beat us on penalties, it was an amazing game, tremendous crowds, unbelievable both on and off the field,” she said.
For now, though, she has decided to voice her feelings every time GB plays here. “Who knows, it may just be the lucky charm,” she winked.
Comments
Follow Us
SHARE