| NOTTINGHAM Panthers star David Clarke really is the model professional these days.
Having starred for Panthers in their successful Challenge Cup campaign last season before helping Great Britain to fourth place at the World Championships in Slovenia, you would think the Elite League star would be taking it easy through the summer. Not a bit of it.
Instead of giving himself a well earned break, local lad Clarke has been keeping himself busy by putting a bit back into the game at his Clarke & Co Hockey Clinic down at the Peterborough Arena.
Now in its second year, the school attracts more than 60 kids from clubs across the country for a week of top class coaching from the likes of Clarke, American Hockey League star David Phillips, former Phantoms star Craig Peacock, resident coaching guru Jon Kynaston and new Phantoms boss Curtis Cruickshank.
Clarke said: “It is just fantastic to be involved with something like this as I remember when I was a kid attending hockey schools in Peterborough and how much I got from it.
“We try to do everything we can to make it as professional as we can from the preparation they do to the food they eat and of course what goes on out on the ice.
“Instead of just having them fly around for a couple of hours, our sessions are very structured to give the youngsters the kind of tuition they need to develop into the best hockey players they can be.
“Hopefully being around guys like myself, Dave Phillips and Craig will be a big inspiration for them and I am sure in a few years time some of the kids at the clinic will be playing professional hockey.
“But none of it would be possible without the help of our sponsors GMB, Feelgood Fitness, RJ Warren Ltd and Powerplay Magazine so I would like to say a big thank-you to them.”
But it is not just the hockey school that has been keeping Clarke busy.
A few months ago, Clarke was approached by a modelling agency on his way home from a trip to Belfast and while reluctant at first, the Panthers star has been persuaded to become one of the faces of Sports Direct - the nationwide sporting goods chain.
The deal means that Clarke’s image can now be seen at shops up and down the country, but modelling is not likely to replace hockey for the free-scoring forward anytime soon.
He said: “It is not something I really want to make a big deal of as I already get plenty of stick for it from the guys. I got spotted by an agent and given a card but thought nothing of it until the phone rang saying Sports Direct were interested.
“It is not a big thing but I was in London the other day and saw pictures of me in the shop down there which was pretty strange. But I don’t think it is something that I will actively pursue, it is just a bit of fun.” |
Ice Hockey UK have appointed Mark Beggs as the Great Britain Under-18s coach. Mark was most recently coach of the England Under 19s squad and mentor coach for the South West region.