"It's not just standing there and getting hit!"
Tuesday 2 June 2020 15:20, UK
Maddie 'Mad Dog' Hinch was undoubtedly the heroine of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
In the women's hockey final against the Netherlands Hinch saved all four penalties in the shoot-out, the goalkeeper helping Team GB secure the gold medal for the very first time.
Almost four years on, and like every other athlete who was aiming for Tokyo this summer, Hinch's plans have been derailed by the coronavirus pandemic which has caused the postponement of the Games. However, she's staying characteristically upbeat about the situation, despite the initial disappointment of the games being postponed.
"The excitement was really starting to build towards the games and then 'boom!' that's taken away immediately", she tells Sky Sports' Check In.
"I think it was absolutely the right decision and from a squad point of view it kind of suits us. We're quite a young team, we're still finding out feet with our coach and I think another year under him is only going to be beneficial."
Like all elite hockey players, Maddie's 'normal' schedule is year-round and relentless. From January to May she takes part in the international Pro League, before summers are spent training with England or Great Britain ahead of major tournaments.
Throughout the autumn she continues training nationally, as well as plying her club trade in the Dutch league with Stichtsche.
"Right now would have been an incredibly tense period," Hinch adds.
"I would have had to be playing at my best with selection only a few weeks away, I would have to be in my best shape and it's intense."
Instead, with all international and domestic hockey postponed until at least the end of June, Hinch has had time to train in new ways - thanks to the support of her sponsors her garage has been transformed into a gym.
"It's really rare to have time on your hands to really invest in your training.
"I've got almost everything I need; weights rack and a watt bike. As a goalkeeper I don't really like running and I've not really had time to invest in my conditioning side of things, so I've really enjoyed getting on the bike.
"I live with two of the men's players at the minute, so we've all been getting into that, taking on different challenges, seeing who gets what times.
"Adding an element of fun and competitiveness to our training makes it so much more enjoyable. I've been doing this for a few weeks so really feeling the benefit which is nice. When you start to see the gains it really encourages you to keep doing it."
This isn't the first time that Hinch has had an extended break from the sport. In September 2018 she announced she was pressing pause on her international career after an intense few years which saw her win Olympic and European Championship gold, Commonwealth bronze, and reach the World Cup quarter-finals with host nation England.
She was back in the England and GB Central Programme nine months later, after spending time in Australia, and is passionate in her belief that a break can have huge benefits for athletes.
"To make that decision was not at all easy but without doubt the best decision at exactly the right time.
"I was tired, I needed a mental break. I was heading in the completely wrong direction. So my ability to have time to step back and reassess my goals, my absolute 'why?' I was in the game was incredibly important.
"I feel like it's only going to extend my career and I've found my love for the game again. You can't play at this level unless you're passionate about it and looking forward to getting up every morning and training. And that thankfully is where I'm back to now"
Hinch will be 32 years old by the time the rearranged Olympics roll around and is as passionate as ever about her role off the pitch as an ambassador for the sport.
An increased time at home has given her the time to focus on the training content she's producing, which is unlike any hockey tutorial we've seen before, as she breaks down the intricacies of goalkeeping.
"I've been trying to give a little snippet into goalkeeping as a whole, I feel like I've got plenty to share!
"I was really shocked by the response and how well it went down. I think what's really surprised a lot of people is the athleticism behind it and how fit and strong you need to be. It's not just a case of standing there and getting hit!"
So what can the Maddie Hinchs of the future be doing at home to develop their skills whilst they can't get to training?
"Your eyes are everything - it's the one part of the body that we forget to train.
"You can do a huge amount of work by just juggling a ball, changing the colours of the ball and those sorts of things that really get your eyes working. I'm choosing not to be in my pads on purpose because I've finally got time to work on the little things that over time will make a huge difference."
