BHUBANESWAR: Blazing down the flank wearing a Zorro-style protective mask, Sam Ward is the opposition’s nightmare. The star England striker is a nuclear reactor of energy when he takes to the pitch, displaying deft stickwork, trapping aerial balls with precision and scoring from improbable angles.
That he does all this with six metal plates and 31 screws holding his face together and only peripheral vision in his left eye boggles the mind. But Ward’s is one of the grittiest comeback stories in modern hockey.
During the Olympic qualifiers in November 2019, Ward was hit on the face by an 80kmph shot by teammate Harry Martin. It left him with a damaged eye and facial injuries, and he underwent surgeries, including one to reconstruct his cheek.
Most believed it was the end of his fledgling career, but Wardmade a stunning comeback three months later. Injuries have pegged back the 32-year-old’s career significantly with a concussion during training ruling him out of the World Cup here in 2018. But he is back now, with the World Cup win on his mind.
For now, though, Ward is just grateful to be here.
“After the injury, the thought that I wouldn’t pick up the stick again crossed my mind many times. Part of the journey was accepting I wouldn’t pick up the stick again, anything else was a bonus. The biggest help was our team psychologist Katie (Warriner). We both worked together and felt any kind of success even if it meant being back on my feet again or picking up the stick would be massive,” said Ward, who has made 87 appearances for England.
The acceptance did not mean he didn’t have sleepless nights. “For about three months, I thought I wouldn’t come back. If you are playing hockey pretty much full time and realise you may have to get a full-time job and return to the real world, it can be quite a shock to the system,” Ward revealed.
One of the laudable aspects of Ward’s personality is the contingency plans he put in place. Having been a car salesman before, he started looking for career options, even as he prepared to make a comeback. “I had already started job hunting and had a few offers on the table. Among the offers I had was a management role in a pitch laying company and coaching in schools.”
But the job plans were shelved after he made a comeback for Old Georgian Hockey Club in March 2020.
That he does all this with six metal plates and 31 screws holding his face together and only peripheral vision in his left eye boggles the mind. But Ward’s is one of the grittiest comeback stories in modern hockey.
During the Olympic qualifiers in November 2019, Ward was hit on the face by an 80kmph shot by teammate Harry Martin. It left him with a damaged eye and facial injuries, and he underwent surgeries, including one to reconstruct his cheek.
Most believed it was the end of his fledgling career, but Wardmade a stunning comeback three months later. Injuries have pegged back the 32-year-old’s career significantly with a concussion during training ruling him out of the World Cup here in 2018. But he is back now, with the World Cup win on his mind.
For now, though, Ward is just grateful to be here.
“After the injury, the thought that I wouldn’t pick up the stick again crossed my mind many times. Part of the journey was accepting I wouldn’t pick up the stick again, anything else was a bonus. The biggest help was our team psychologist Katie (Warriner). We both worked together and felt any kind of success even if it meant being back on my feet again or picking up the stick would be massive,” said Ward, who has made 87 appearances for England.
The acceptance did not mean he didn’t have sleepless nights. “For about three months, I thought I wouldn’t come back. If you are playing hockey pretty much full time and realise you may have to get a full-time job and return to the real world, it can be quite a shock to the system,” Ward revealed.
One of the laudable aspects of Ward’s personality is the contingency plans he put in place. Having been a car salesman before, he started looking for career options, even as he prepared to make a comeback. “I had already started job hunting and had a few offers on the table. Among the offers I had was a management role in a pitch laying company and coaching in schools.”
But the job plans were shelved after he made a comeback for Old Georgian Hockey Club in March 2020.
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