The Younger Offord is back!

Andy Offord has become the longest serving senior player with Sutton Sting having just signed-on for his third season with the Ashfield based Club who will be competing in the English National Ice Hockey League’s Division 2 come September.  The first home game against Kingston being at Ice Sheffield on Sunday 11^th September face-off at 4:45pm.

Offord is the twenty-one year old younger brother of Sting player/coach Simon Offord and he is delighted to be pulling-on the Sting jersey for the third successive season, he said. “I had no hesitation in committing for another term and I know that we will be carrying-on where we left off at the end of last season”.  He added. “Last season we did not have a great depth to our squad and we were over-run by Solihull.  This year we are a lot stronger and with Solway in our league we will need to be if we are going to gain promotion.”

As a former Sheffield junior, Andy Offord’s experience is rather different to the other former Sheffield players in that he did not start out on his hockey career until he was 15 years old.  But that has not stopped him from developing the same hunger and desire for success as is demonstrated by his compatriots, Butterworth, Goodman, Ashton and Oliver as well as older brother Simon.  A point made by Andy himself, “I started later than Simon but still managed to make the ‘A’ teams and even the Spartans.  But I didn’t enjoy it and felt there was something missing.  When I came to Sutton I found a home and I haven’t looked back.  Hockey with the Sting is great fun.  Sure it’s serious and we all want success, but we have a laugh too and I like the fact that I can enjoy hockey without it ruling my life!”

The younger Offord has a good understanding of what Sutton Sting is about and he has found new friends in the guys running the Club.  With the recent recruitment of former Sheffield supremo, JR, Offord knows that Sutton Sting are making a real statement of intent, he said. “JR joining the Sting is the best thing to happen to the club.  He is a genius and loves hockey as much as life.  I am sure JR will absolutely love his role at the Sting and I think the club will love what he will bring.  It’s fantastic being part of this hockey club!”

It is certainly true that team spirit and morale has reached a new level at the Sting and the club founders have found some new blood to help take the club to the next level.  Head Coach Rob Saunders has been keeping an eye on the senior team and has high expectations for the players for next season, he said “Where we struggled last season we have strengthened and we are training with four solid lines.  We have two development lines with young players who are being mentored by some very capable and dynamic players in the likes of Butterworth, Goodman and Oliver to name a few.  I can see our younger guys getting far more opportunities to develop with increased game ice and a training programme that is at a higher tempo too.  It’s going to be great to see how it all works out.”

For Andy Offord, development and ice time are a big part of his personal goals and he knows that new players might be seen as a factor to limit his own ice time, but he is optimistic, “the roster is stronger this year and that suits me because I am going to have to raise my game if I want to command a slot on the top two lines.  Hard work, dedication and determination will hopefully get me there.  If it doesn’t then I will still be a much better player for the effort and that can’t be a bad thing so it’s a win-win situation.”

Sutton Sting will be competing in the English National League and will be playing their home games at Ice Sheffield.  The first home game of the 2011/12 season will see the Sting take-on Kingston at Ice Sheffield on Sunday 11th September at 4:30pm.  Ticket prices have yet to be announced.