Inside the Circle with Tom Sorsby: GB Hockey, Two Olympics and Life in the Hoofdklasse

Two Olympic Games.

More than 100 combined appearances for England and Great Britain.

Commonwealth Games bronze.

European silver.

Hockey in England, the Netherlands and India.

And now another World Cup on the horizon.

Tom Sorsby’s career has given him the opportunity to experience elite hockey in some of the best environments the sport has to offer.

From the almost silent stadiums of Tokyo to the packed stands of Paris, from the English Premier Division to the Dutch Hoofdklasse and Hockey India League, every environment has added something different to his game.

In this edition of Inside the Circle, Tom joins Total-Hockey to talk about England’s World Cup preparations, the physical demands of modern international hockey, life at Den Bosch, his Kookaburra equipment, two completely different Olympic experiences, the strength of the current GB environment and why hockey may need to forget about perfect pitches if it wants more young people to discover the game.

Watch the full Inside the Circle interview with Tom Sorsby below, or keep reading for the biggest stories, insights and lessons from his journey with England and Great Britain, two Olympic Games and life at the top of Dutch hockey.

Building Towards the 2026 World Cup

At the time of the interview, England were already deep into preparations for the World Cup.

A strong finish to the Pro League had given the squad some useful momentum.

There had been good performances.

Good results.

Plenty of goals.

But Tom is clear that the team isn’t getting carried away.

A World Cup changes the focus quickly.

The question becomes less about what went well last month and more about what can still improve before the tournament begins.

A Seriously Competitive England Squad

One thing working in England’s favour is depth.

Tom believes the current group is in a particularly strong position because so many players are performing well at the same time.

That creates difficult selection decisions.

But those are exactly the problems elite teams want.

When replacements can enter without significantly lowering the level, it also becomes easier to manage the enormous physical demands of tournament hockey.

Eight Games in Just Over Two Weeks

International hockey schedules can be brutal.

During the London Pro League block, England played roughly eight matches across little more than two weeks.

Maintaining the same group throughout that type of schedule would be extremely difficult.

Players need rotation.

Recovery.

Fresh legs.

And importantly, the player coming into the team needs to be capable of maintaining the standard.

Depth stops being a luxury.

It becomes part of performance.

Why England and GB Have Become So Difficult to Play Against

England and Great Britain have long had a reputation for fitness.

Tom believes the current group has pushed that even further.

Australia remain one of the most physical teams in world hockey.

But rather than trying to copy them, England have developed their own version of physicality.

Relentless running.

Conditioning.

Intensity.

The ability to keep going for an entire match.

Tom believes GB have reached a point where opposition teams probably don't particularly enjoy playing against them.

That’s a pretty useful reputation to have.

You Can’t Peak All Year

The challenge is maintaining that physical level across a modern hockey calendar.

Club season from September to May.

International hockey through the summer.

Pro League trips.

Hockey India League.

Qualification tournaments.

Training camps.

There is barely an obvious offseason.

Tom says the objective therefore isn't to be at maximum physical output every week of the year.

It's to peak at the right moments.

Arrive Fresh, Not Finished

That sounds obvious.

In reality, it requires careful planning.

Push too hard for too long and players can arrive at the tournament exhausted.

Do too little and they aren't physically ready.

The goal is to hit the major tournament fit, sharp and fresh enough to actually use that fitness.

Modern performance isn't simply about doing more.

Sometimes it’s about knowing when to do less.

A World Cup Full of Familiar Rivals

England’s World Cup group includes several familiar opponents.

Wales.

India.

Pakistan.

Each brings a different challenge.

Wales contains players the England squad know extremely well through the wider GB setup.

India need almost no introduction.

And Pakistan bring another hockey culture and style entirely.

For Tom, familiarity doesn’t make the matches easier.

It simply gives England more information about what’s coming.

England vs India: There’s History

India have delivered some particularly painful results against GB.

Two Olympic quarter-finals.

Two defeats.

Tom makes no secret of the fact England would like to get one back.

That’s part of elite sport.

Certain opponents build history.

The matches accumulate context.

And suddenly a normal pool game has another layer to it.

Why Playing Host Nations Is So Special

Tom particularly enjoys matches against countries playing in front of their own supporters.

The previous World Cup in India provided one of the best examples.

The crowd wasn't supporting England.

That didn't matter.

The atmosphere itself was enough.

Thousands of supporters reacting to every moment creates the type of experience hockey players simply don't get every week.

Indian Hockey Crowds Are Different

Tom has experienced Indian hockey from several angles.

International matches.

World Cup hockey.

And more recently the Hockey India League.

Few places treat hockey with the same level of enthusiasm.

The noise.

The colour.

The passion.

Even when the crowd is completely against you, it’s difficult not to enjoy being part of it.

Two Seasons in the Hockey India League

Playing in the Hockey India League has also allowed Tom to experience that environment from the other side.

Instead of arriving as an international opponent, he becomes part of a franchise.

Players who normally compete against one another become teammates.

Different hockey cultures suddenly have to combine.

Different tactical ideas collide.

And the whole thing happens inside one of the most hockey-obsessed countries in the world.

Why Elite Hockey Never Really Stops

The Hockey India League also creates another challenge in an already packed year.

A player may finish club hockey.

Move into international commitments.

Then head to India in January.

Return to Pro League.

Play another qualification tournament.

Then go back to the club season.

There is always another competition.

For athletes, managing that load is becoming one of the most important skills in the sport.

From Sheffield to International Hockey

Tom’s career began far away from the huge Olympic and Indian stadiums.

His early club hockey included environments around Sheffield, including Chapeltown and Rotherham.

And those beginnings influence the way he now thinks about accessibility.

The pitches weren’t always perfect.

In fact, some were a long way from perfect.

That didn't stop him playing.

You Don’t Need the Perfect Pitch

Tom remembers the kind of sandy school Astro where sliding could leave you missing a fair amount of skin.

It wasn't elite.

It wasn't water-based.

But it provided somewhere to play.

And for Tom, that’s increasingly important when hockey talks about growing the sport.

The perfect surface shouldn't become a barrier to starting.

Club, University and Senior Hockey

His career later took him through environments including Beeston, the University of Nottingham and Surbiton before moving into Dutch hockey.

That means Tom has experienced several different structures within the English game.

University hockey.

Traditional club hockey.

Elite domestic competition.

Then the Hoofdklasse.

Each environment is organised differently.

And the differences between England and the Netherlands are particularly interesting.

Moving Into the Dutch Hoofdklasse

Tom now plays his club hockey with Den Bosch.

And he describes the Hoofdklasse as perhaps the closest hockey gets to a truly professional club environment outside a national programme.

Players can train multiple times per week.

There is more time available.

Teammates live close together.

Meals happen after training.

The hockey club becomes a major part of everyday life.

What Makes Dutch Hockey Feel Professional?

It isn't simply that the players are better.

It’s the environment around them.

Four club sessions in a week can be normal.

Players spend more time together.

Tactical ideas can be developed in greater detail.

Training doesn't necessarily need to be squeezed into a late evening after everybody finishes work.

That additional time changes what is possible.

There Are No Free Games

Depth is another enormous difference.

In the Hoofdklasse, teams near the bottom of the league can still contain exceptional players.

That means one poor performance can cost you.

You can’t look at the fixture list and assume there will be a comfortable weekend.

If you want to reach the playoffs, points dropped against lower-ranked teams can become extremely expensive.

Why That Makes the League Exciting

That competitiveness creates pressure throughout the season.

Every result matters.

Every team carries threats.

Every weekend demands proper preparation.

For Tom, that’s one of the major attractions of playing in the Netherlands.

The challenge isn’t simply performing against the biggest teams.

It’s maintaining the level every week.

Flying Between GB and the Netherlands

Playing abroad while remaining part of the GB programme involves a slightly ridiculous commute.

Tom isn't alone.

Several GB players are now based in the Netherlands.

They often meet at the airport on Monday.

Fly back to Britain.

Train with GB through Wednesday.

Then fly back to their clubs.

Repeat.

The GB Airport Commuter Club

There is at least one benefit.

They do it together.

Rather than every player navigating the process individually, there’s a group making the same journey.

It creates another little community inside the wider squad.

The disappointing part?

Apparently all those flights still don't produce the airline status they feel they deserve.

Elite hockey has its struggles.

Keeping Two Hockey Wardrobes

Tom tries to leave as much equipment as possible in each country.

Nobody wants to carry a week’s worth of used hockey kit through an airport.

And nobody sitting nearby particularly wants them to either.

So, as far as possible, there’s Dutch kit and British kit.

It’s a small detail.

But it says plenty about the unusual lifestyle created when professional club hockey and international programmes happen in different countries.

Could England Learn From the Dutch League?

Tom believes comparing the English and Dutch systems is complicated.

They aren't simply different versions of the same structure.

In the Netherlands, hockey revolves overwhelmingly around clubs.

There isn't the same school and university system competing for players.

That concentrates talent differently.

Is English Hockey Talent Too Spread Out?

Tom uses Nottingham as an interesting example.

When players from Nottingham University, Nottingham Trent and the surrounding area all fed into Beeston, the club could assemble an extremely strong Premier Division team.

As university programmes became stronger in their own right, those players were increasingly distributed between separate teams.

The result?

More good teams.

Potentially fewer outstanding ones.

The Dutch Talent Pyramid

In the Netherlands, talented players naturally tend to gravitate towards strong clubs.

If they can’t earn enough minutes at one of the very biggest clubs, they may move slightly further down the league.

That strengthens those teams.

Then another young player comes through behind them.

The talent keeps circulating.

Young Players Train With the First Team

Tom has seen that pathway directly at Den Bosch.

Promising U16 and U18 players can gradually be exposed to the senior environment.

Maybe one session per week.

Then two.

Eventually the move into the first team becomes much more natural.

That continuity helps the club maintain its standards.

What Hockey Stick Does Tom Sorsby Use?

Tom now uses Kookaburra Hockey sticks.

He joined the brand alongside England and GB teammate David Goodfield as Kookaburra began developing and refreshing its hockey range.

What makes the partnership particularly interesting is the amount of player input involved.

Tom hasn't simply been handed a finished stick.

He has helped shape it.

Helping Develop the New Kookaburra Range

Tom and David have provided feedback across several product areas.

Sticks.

Gloves.

Shin pads.

Other equipment.

That gives Kookaburra direct information from players using the products at the highest level every day.

For Tom, that involvement has made the partnership particularly enjoyable.

He gets to explain what he wants from the equipment.

Then see those ideas translated into actual products.

Tom Sorsby’s Stick Setup

Tom describes his own setup as relatively straightforward.

He doesn't want the stick extremely light.

He likes a fairly normal balance that still gives him enough weight through the head to generate power.

No bizarre measurements.

No enormous collection of grips.

Just something that feels solid and predictable.

The Physio Tape Grip

His grip setup is also refreshingly simple.

Physio tape.

There was apparently a period when some of that tape may have mysteriously found its way out of the national-team physio room.

Tom insists he now buys his own.

GB Hockey’s tape budget can relax.

Why Does Tom Use a White Stick Head?

The white stick head has a much more interesting story.

Tom originally borrowed the idea from Australian international Tom Craig while they were playing together in India.

Craig had been spraying the heads of his sticks.

Tom tried it.

And discovered he liked it.

Making the Stick Easier to See

For Tom, the benefit isn't primarily about fooling defenders.

It's visual.

With a dark stick on a dark surface, the stick head can almost blur while dribbling.

A white head stands out.

It appears larger.

It is easier to track.

Tom liked the effect enough to start spraying sticks himself.

Eventually Kookaburra decided to make the whole thing look considerably more professional.

Does a White Stick Head Create Deception?

Possibly.

Tom thinks any deceptive benefit may depend more on the player's technique.

Some flickers and skilful players use unusual, whippy actions that make the ball difficult to track anyway.

Adding a contrasting stick head may contribute.

But for Tom, that isn’t really why he uses it.

Sometimes a design detail can simply make the equipment feel better to the player using it.

That's enough.

What Hockey Shoes Does Tom Sorsby Wear?

Tom has worn Mizuno hockey shoes since around 2020 or 2021.

And unlike his stick partnership, which is more recent, the shoe setup has remained extremely stable.

Why?

Trust.

Once he found something comfortable that worked consistently, he stopped wanting to experiment.

Why Shoe Confidence Matters

Footwear is one of those equipment areas where small problems become enormous very quickly.

Poor grip.

Blisters.

Uncomfortable fit.

Lack of support.

Any of those can distract from performance.

Tom remembers changing between different shoes before settling with Mizuno.

Once he found a pair he trusted, consistency became far more attractive than constantly searching for something new.

Penalty-Corner Defence From the Post

Tom also has a specialist penalty-corner role.

He spends plenty of time defending on the post.

The logic developed fairly naturally.

Become good enough at the post and perhaps you can avoid being the person running directly towards the drag flicker.

A sensible career strategy.

Why Post Defence Matters

The role might look simple from outside.

Stand near the post.

Stop the ball.

In reality, timing and positioning matter enormously.

Flickers use different actions.

Different trajectories.

Different levels of deception.

Tom has spent years developing the role and understanding exactly what his priority needs to be.

Stay there.

Do the job.

Protective Equipment Is Competitive Too

Kookaburra’s penalty-corner gloves have also entered the England kit bag.

There is only one issue.

Everyone wants them.

When the whistle goes for a corner, players are apparently racing to secure the available equipment before somebody else gets there first.

Even at international level, changing-room equipment politics remain alive and well.

Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bronze

One of Tom’s strongest England memories came at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

England won bronze.

But the medal is only part of what he remembers.

The crowd made the tournament.

A relatively compact stand created enormous noise.

Home support transformed the atmosphere.

For Tom, it remains one of the best crowds he has experienced with England.

Why Losing Hockey From the Commonwealth Games Hurts

Tom is disappointed hockey won’t feature at the next Commonwealth Games.

The competition offers something few tournaments can recreate.

A multi-sport village.

Athletes from different disciplines.

The feeling of competing as part of a wider national team rather than only a hockey squad.

Outside the Olympics, players don't get many opportunities to experience that.

Meeting Athletes From Other Sports

Those multi-sport environments also create wonderfully strange moments.

At Tokyo, Tom found himself stuck in a lift with golfer Tommy Fleetwood.

What surprised him wasn't simply meeting a famous athlete.

It was discovering that Fleetwood actually knew what was happening with the hockey team and wished them luck for their upcoming match.

The Andy Murray Moment in Paris

Paris created another one.

Tom was present when Andy Murray addressed Team GB towards the end of his Olympic career.

Athletes from across sports gathered together.

Murray spoke.

For Tom, it was one of those moments where even another Olympian can still think:

How am I in this room?

That's part of what makes the Olympic Village unique.

Tokyo vs Paris: Two Completely Different Olympics

Tom has now experienced perhaps the two most contrasting Olympic Games imaginable.

Tokyo 2020 took place inside the COVID bubble.

Masks.

Restrictions.

No crowds.

Very little freedom.

Paris 2024 was the opposite.

Noise.

Fans.

Energy.

People everywhere.

For Tom, it was almost impossible to compare the two.

Tokyo Felt Like an Olympic Games Without the Audience

The Tokyo stadiums were still enormous.

That's what made them feel even stranger.

Thousands of empty seats.

Temporary stands.

Silence.

Players already knew spectators wouldn't be there.

But knowing something intellectually and actually walking into a giant empty Olympic venue are completely different things.

An Olympic Village You Couldn't Leave

The restrictions continued away from the pitch.

Players were effectively confined to the Village and approved locations.

Transport took them to hockey.

Then back again.

Watching other sports wasn't straightforward.

Everything required planning.

Booking.

Restrictions.

The usual idea of exploring an Olympic Games simply wasn't possible.

Finding Ways to Pass the Time

Inside the team apartments, players found their own entertainment.

PlayStation.

Xbox.

NBA games.

FIFA.

Mario Kart.

Whatever became the game of the trip.

That communal setup helped.

Four or six teammates sharing an apartment creates a very different experience from disappearing into separate hotel rooms.

Then Paris Arrived

Three years later, Tom finally experienced the Olympics he had imagined.

The atmosphere was everywhere.

Fans were enthusiastic even when hockey wasn't a sport they normally followed.

The Village felt alive.

The stadium was packed.

The contrast with Tokyo couldn't have been more dramatic.

Why Olympic Crowds Matter for Hockey

Those spectators offer hockey a huge opportunity.

People buy Olympic tickets because they want to experience the Games.

They might not know the rules.

They might not recognise the players.

But they arrive excited.

Then they see the speed of international hockey for the first time.

For the sport, those moments can create new fans.

A Strong GB Team Culture

Tom also talks warmly about the current England and GB group away from the pitch.

The friendships aren’t something the programme has artificially manufactured.

The players simply enjoy spending time together.

Different ages mix easily.

There isn't a strong divide between the younger and older players.

Coffee trips.

Shared apartments.

Travel.

Training.

It all contributes to the wider environment.

Team Chemistry Isn’t Always Complicated

Sometimes sports teams spend enormous amounts of time trying to manufacture culture.

Team-building exercises.

Meetings.

Activities.

Tom believes GB are fortunate because much of theirs has happened organically.

Players genuinely enjoy each other's company.

That doesn't guarantee results.

But it certainly makes spending months every year together considerably easier.

Moving to the Netherlands Changes Life Off the Pitch Too

Living abroad has made hockey even more central to Tom's life.

Club training.

GB travel.

Matches.

Flights.

There isn't always much time left for outside projects.

And strangely, he has enjoyed that.

For a period of his career, being able to focus almost completely on hockey has been valuable.

Why Friends Outside Hockey Still Matter

At the same time, Tom recognises the need to switch off.

When most of your teammates are also your friends, it becomes very easy for every conversation to drift back towards hockey.

Seeing people completely outside that environment provides a different perspective.

Sometimes the best recovery is simply spending time with somebody who couldn't care less about your latest tactical meeting.

Getting a Dog Changes the Routine

Tom and his partner also recently added a dog, Ralph, to the household.

That changed things.

Travel became slightly more complicated.

Items left on kitchen surfaces suddenly became much less safe as Ralph kept growing.

But there was an unexpected benefit too.

Two Hours Outside Without Thinking About Hockey

Having a dog forces you outside.

Whatever mood you're in.

Whatever happened at training.

Walk time arrives.

Tom has found himself spending a couple of hours outside every day simply walking and not thinking about much.

For an elite athlete whose schedule is otherwise structured around performance, that routine has become surprisingly valuable.

Photography as a Way to Switch Off

Photography provides another escape.

Hockey takes players to places they might never otherwise visit.

Oman.

Malaysia.

Egypt.

India.

Instead of spending every rest day in a hotel, photography gives Tom an excuse to explore.

Walk around.

Notice the place.

Document it.

And importantly, think about something other than hockey.

Making Memories From Hockey Travel

Elite travel can easily become repetitive.

Airport.

Hotel.

Pitch.

Hotel.

Airport.

Photography breaks that cycle.

The camera creates a reason to look around.

And years later, the photos become reminders that the career wasn't only about match results.

It was also about seeing parts of the world most people never get the chance to visit.

The Problem With Hockey Accessibility

When asked how hockey could become more accessible, Tom goes back to something very basic.

Football is easy to start.

Find a ball.

Use a couple of jumpers for goals.

Play.

Hockey has more barriers.

Stick.

Ball.

Protective equipment.

Pitch.

Cost.

Those barriers add up before a child has even decided whether they enjoy the sport.

Could We Create More Park Hockey?

Tom suggests something more informal.

Park-based hockey.

Reduce the danger.

Reduce the equipment requirements.

Make it easier for friends to simply knock a ball around.

The objective shouldn't initially be producing the perfect technical hockey player.

It should be creating children who want to play again tomorrow.

Stop Being Snobbish About Pitches

There is another part to that conversation.

Hockey can become obsessed with surfaces.

Water-based.

Sand-based.

This type.

That type.

Tom’s early experiences suggest a different approach.

Play where you can.

A playground.

A 3G football pitch.

Grass.

An old school Astro.

If the environment is safe enough for introductory training, it doesn't need to look like an Olympic venue.

Access First, Perfection Later

Competitive matches obviously require suitable facilities.

But that's a different problem.

A child trying hockey for the first time doesn't need the perfect pitch.

They need an opportunity.

If the sport insists on ideal facilities before anyone is allowed to play, it creates its own barrier to growth.

A Rugby-Inspired Aerial Rule?

Tom also offers a particularly experimental rule idea.

Borrow the mark from rugby.

If a defensive player receives a sufficiently long aerial that clears major field zones, perhaps they could call a mark and turn the situation into a dead ball.

The idea isn't fully developed.

Tom isn't even completely convinced he wants it himself.

But that's partly the point.

Hockey should be willing to discuss ideas.

Why Experimentation Matters

The aerial has become an increasingly powerful tactical weapon.

Any change to it would create consequences.

Encourage too much reward for long throws and teams may simply start searching for bigger and bigger aerial specialists.

That's probably not ideal.

But debating how different rules could affect tactics is exactly how sports continue evolving.

What Can Hockey Players Learn From Tom Sorsby?

Tom’s career offers plenty of useful lessons.

First, there isn't one perfect hockey pathway.

His journey has moved through local Sheffield hockey, university, English domestic competition, the Netherlands, India and the international game.

Each environment offered something different.

Second, fitness isn't simply about working as hard as possible all year.

Elite players need to understand when to push and when to recover so they arrive at major tournaments ready rather than exhausted.

Third, trust your equipment once you find what works.

Tom has stayed with Mizuno footwear for years because it gives him confidence, while his Kookaburra partnership has allowed him to help develop equipment around what players actually want.

Fourth, experience different hockey cultures.

India brings an atmosphere almost nowhere else can match.

The Netherlands offers one of the most professional domestic environments in the sport.

GB offers another tactical and performance perspective entirely.

And finally, hockey doesn’t need perfect conditions before people are allowed to enjoy it.

Tom started on the kind of surfaces that might make today's elite players wince.

It didn't stop him becoming a two-time Olympian.

If hockey wants more players, perhaps the first objective shouldn't always be finding the perfect pitch.

Maybe it should simply be finding somewhere to play.

Watch the full Inside the Circle interview with Tom Sorsby to hear more about England and GB hockey, Tokyo and Paris, the Dutch Hoofdklasse, Hockey India League, Kookaburra equipment and the road to the 2026 World Cup.