Darren Cheesman

Darren Cheesman (born in Hackney, London) is an England and Great Britain Hockey field hockey International.

KEY FACTS
Date of Birth	23/02/1986
Current Club	East Grinstead HC

A member of the current England and Great Britain Hockey Teams,^[1][2] he was also a member of the Great Britain U21 team that won Silver Medal at the 2007 Junior Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.^[3]

Darren has been recognized as one of Britain's most skilful and exciting players. After playing in the 2005 Junior World Cup, Darren was signed by Oranje Zwart, a Premier League club in Netherlands. He spent a year there playing with and against the best players in the world.^[4]

The Midfielder / Forward plays his club hockey at East Grinstead Hockey Club, England Hockey Premier League champions for the last two years, who he rejoins after spending a season long spell at Old Loughtonians HC, who are in the Division 1 of the England National League.^[5] During his first spell at East Grinstead HC, Darren was voted 'Premier League Player of the Year' after a formidable season, which also saw Danny Hall, also of East Grinstead HC snatch the 'Premier League Top Scorer' award. This season, Darren has been instrumental in East Grinstead's successes both domestically and in the Euro Hockey League.^[6]

Darren came into hockey through Arsenal FC's 'Sport in the Community' programme.^[7] It is a programme that sees the football club send coaches into local schools and communities to teach them various sports. In recent years, Arsenal in the Community’s outreach work has taken place on estates and parks - offering local young people the opportunity to play football with the department and take advantage of the other education, social inclusion and employment programmes the club has to offer. Arsenal in the Community has also been instrumental in upgrading local facilities, transforming them into quality pitches that young people actually want to play on. It is through this programme Darren gained many opportunities and life skills that have helped him reach his position today.

Darren is a keen blogger and can be followed both on twitter @darrencheesman and www.dreamisalive.wordpress.com.

References

1. ^ "Cheesman scores on International debut". The Mail Online Reported by Sportsmail Reporter. 17 November 2010. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1330664/Darren-Cheesman-Richard-Smith-score-debut-goals-England-draw-Argentina.html. Retrieved 17 November 2010. 
2. ^ "GB held to draw by Argentina". Yahoo Sport. 17 November 2010. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/17112010/58/london-2012-gb-held-draw-argentina.html. Retrieved 17 November 2010. 
3. ^ "GB Youth head down under for Junior Olympics". Great Britain Hockey. 17 January 2007. http://greatbritainhockey.co.uk/results.asp?itemid=18&itemTitle=Australian+Youth+Olympic+Festival&section=000100010014&sectionTitle=Fixtures+%26+Results&start_date=2007/01/01%2000:00:00. Retrieved 17 January 2007. 
4. ^ "Darren Cheesman - From international hockey player to a new way of life". The Muslim News Reported by Zara Singh. 27 July 2007. http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/paper/index.php?article=3078. Retrieved 15 April 2010. 
5. ^ Randall, Charles (29 January 2009). "East Grinstead ruing the loss of Martin Haner to Germany squad". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/hockey/4387905/East-Grinstead-ruing-the-loss-of-Martin-Haner-to-Germany-squad.html. Retrieved 15 April 2010. 
6. ^ "Cheesman seals win over Poplo Barcelona with wonderful goal". EHL. 13 October 2010. http://www.ehlhockey.tv/#/news/NTkxMw==. Retrieved 13 October 2010. 
7. ^ "Arsenal celebrate 25 years of Sport in the Community project". Arsenal FC. 22 February 2010. http://www.arsenal.com/community/arsenal-celebrates-25-years-of-community-work. Retrieved 22 February 2010. 

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Name	Cheesman, Darren
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