If her form in a Surbiton shirt is anything to go by, there is little chance of Giselle Ansley losing her head when she takes on the world in an England shirt later this month.
The 21-year-old jetted off to Argentina on Wednesday for the World League Finals – where the cream of the international hockey scene go head to head to be number one.
Ansley missed Great Britain’s three-match Test series defeat in Germany last week after suffering concussion during a Surbiton training session.
But after four days of headaches and rehabilitation, Ansley has been declared fit for action.
And she signed off in the best possible way with a brace in Surbiton’s 6-2 win at Beeston in the WHL Premier Division on Saturday, with Sandra Frankland, Sarah Page, Sarah Haycroft and Vicky Bryant also scoring.
Ansley, who switched to Sugden Road from Loughborough Students, said: “I love being at Surbiton.
“A few of us joined over the summer and the more we train, the more we will gel and the better the hockey will get.
“I wanted to join a real hockey club. When I was at Loughborough Students, it is all about your team and your team only.
“When I first started playing, I was part of a big club with a men’s side and a junior section, and I wanted that again.
“I don’t think there is anywhere better than Surbiton.”
Ansley’s clubmates Georgie Twigg and Hollie Webb – another summer recruit – will be on the same plane to south America.
However, there was disappointment for Surbiton skipper Haycroft who went to Germany, but has not been selected for Argentina.
Ansley said: “Hockey is massive in Argentina, and apparently the crowds are really big for every game and if we were to face them, it would be amazing.
“We play Korea, Germany and Holland in the group games, so it is going to be tough – these are, after all, the top eight teams in the world.”
Surbiton connection: Sarah Haycroft, Giselle Ansley, Hollie Webb and Georgie Twigg
She added: “But off the back of winning silver in the EuroHockey Finals in August, we’re going there to go one better.”
Ansley’s place on the plane was in doubt after almost knocking herself out during a training session.
But after Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was allowed to continue playing despite being knocked out during a Premier League match, the medical staff at Surbiton Hockey Club and Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre have taken no chances.
Ansley said: “Fortunately I did not knock myself out cold. I was practising drag-flicks when I lost my feet, flipped up and landed on the back of my head – it was self-inflicted and really stupid.
“It has been in the media a lot, but my treatment has been well controlled, and there was no way I was going to be allowed to travel to Germany.
“I had a serious headache for four days and bright lights hurt my eyes. But I am fully recovered now and looking forward to Argentina.”
The World Hockey Finals start on November 30, while Surbiton go to Clifton on Saturday.
Concussed: Tottenham Hotspur's Hugo Lloris played on despite being knocked unconscious for a brief time
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