EHL: Sheldon looking to Inject authentic Wimbledon performance into EHL ROUND1 – EHL

A year on from a “pinch me moment”, Alex Sheldon is looking forward to his second EHL experience with Wimbledon as they face a monster ROUND1 Pool C series with Real Club de Polo and hosts HC Oranje-Rood.

Along with club mate Jake Tipper, he documented the experience through Inject Hockey, the social media account which has helped take their stories in a number of unexpected directions.

For Sheldon, it was not really part of the plan but he is revelling in the new realm he finds himself in.

“Growing up, I never did any age group England stuff so I’d never gone out to a different country to play hockey,” Sheldon said.

“Going out to Barcelona was so cool and seeing some of the big Dutch and international players. We played against Tom Craig and Tim Brand, players I’ve watched on the international stage for years. To then be on the pitch against them was pretty surreal – a pinch me moment!”

Growing up at Harrogate, a dream of playing in the Premier Division was not really on the radar, let alone the EHL. Northern hockey offered opportunities, but not necessarily a clear pathway to the very top.

“I never really had ambitions of playing in the Premier League or certainly the EHL because northern hockey isn’t that developed nationally,” he explained. “It wasn’t really until university that I realised I could compete at that level.”

That turning point came during his time at the University of Nottingham, where he credits coach James Bateman for helping transform his game.

“I came into the university setup without much of a name and started in the second team. But Nottingham was where I really found my form. That’s where I realised I could play at this level and compete with better players.”

A short, successful spell with East Grinstead followed before a move to Wimbledon last season offered the opportunity he had been seeking: regular competition among England’s elite and a chance to play in the EHL. Yet that move required considerable sacrifice.

“You can’t really stay in the north of England if you want to reach the top level. You’ve got to take the risk and move south,” Sheldon said. “It was a big gamble because none of my family live down here. They’re all 300 miles away.”

The early months were far from glamorous. With limited financial security and no immediate job, living with Tipper’s family, he spent four months trying to establish himself.

“I was basically playing hockey full-time on a very part-time salary. Those first four months were pretty shaky. My parents kept saying I could always come home, but they knew it was what I wanted to do.”

Eventually, stability arrived through a marketing role with the Financial Times, where he now works alongside his hockey commitments, a balancing act shared by the majority of England’s top players.

That reality has become central to another project close to his heart: Inject Hockey. What began as an attempt by two university students to create something within hockey has developed into one of the sport’s fastest-growing social channels.

“We started it because we wanted to show hockey and grow the game,” Sheldon explained. “It wasn’t about us initially. It was about English hockey and telling stories around the sport.”

As the audience grew, the focus evolved.

“When we got to around 20,000 followers, we realised we could show something unique. We both work full-time jobs but we’re also competing at the top end of the English league. Not many people can show that balance and what it actually takes.”

That insight has helped resonate with players across the hockey community, presenting a more authentic picture of elite club hockey in England.

“The reality is there are probably only around 20 players in the country who are genuinely full-time. Everyone else is balancing work around hockey. We wanted to show the true nature of the league and what life is actually like.”

The platform’s ambitions stretch beyond documenting their own experiences.

“Our end goal is to create the biggest hockey platform in the world. But first and foremost we want to grow English hockey because it deserves more attention than it gets.”

The partnership between Wimbledon and Inject Hockey has become a natural fit. When Sheldon joined the club, discussions with head coach Karl Stagno were not solely focused on performances on the pitch. There was also an opportunity to help tell the club’s story.

“He wanted us to play hockey first and be part of the team. But another part of it was using our platform to help grow Wimbledon as a club and help grow the game generally. Hockey struggles for publicity; anything we can do to change that is worthwhile.”

The EHL provides that extra shop window though the London club has their work cut out in a group featuring Real Club de Polo and hosts Oranje-Rood.

They have made a high-scoring start to the English league, running up a 6-1 win over Oxted after a 7-3 win over Hampstead & Westminster. New arrivals Ali Empey and Fred Newbold have netted hat tricks already since joining from Hoofdklasse clubs.

Now it’s all eyes on Eindhoven: “We fly out looking to put in a worthy performance against two pretty mammoth teams; it should be a fantastic experience in probably the biggest hockey country in the world!”