Katie Curtis

Katie is a charismatic, people loving, uber competitive sports fanatic. Her BH (before hockey) years were dominated by cricket and hours in the nets running her father ragged as she honed her eye for the ball by whacking his bowling to all points of the compass.
It was around about Year 5 that Katie started going on Class Hockey camps. She found that the passion the coaches had for the sport was contagious. She was also lucky enough to have ex-Olympian, Jo Thompson join her school staff and become her hockey coach. As a hockey obsessed 10-year-old, you couldn’t really ask for more.
She now had two Jo’s in her life. The other one (Joanna) remains her bestie to this day. Together they were arch competitors and Katie admits that she always wanted to be better than her. When Joanna was awarded player of the season in Year 5, Katie knew that it was time to ‘up her game!’ She persuaded her parents to invest in a strip of astroturf which lived in the garage where she spent hours developing the fast hands which are her hallmark today.

She says that Joanna still believes all Katie’s success is down to her.
Meanwhile, the other Jo was also central to her success. Katie says, “Jo was a massive inspiration of mine, growing up, and I think my desire to impress her really helped me. I was also grateful to be able to have 1-1 lessons with Nick. Together, I would say they have shaped the player I am today.”

Katie is studying at Nottingham University. In her own words, “I am now about to go into my third year at the University of Nottingham studying Industrial Economics. Outside my course and University hockey, I enjoy playing friendly games of squash, tennis, table-tennis and board games, along with socialising with my friends. I live in a house of seven girls who all have a serious coffee addiction. We all enjoy regular coffee trips. It's hectic at times but a lot of fun!”