Young GB Stars Set to Join W1 for New Season

We are delighted to announce that Martha Taylor, Katie Curtis and Ella Burnley will join the Women’s 1s squad for the new season.

Former SHC junior Ella rejoins after three years at Isca & Exeter University, and is joined by team mate Martha, after both played key roles in the student side’s first ever promotion to the Premier Division last season. Former Cambridge City junior Katie arrives at Sugden Road after completing her studies and with a year of top flight experience in the bank as captain of the University of Nottingham side.

Ella and Katie are current GB Elite Development Programme players and were part of England Women’s U21 bronze medal winning squad at last year’s Junior World Cup. Martha has already made the step up to senior international level, winning a number of caps for England and Great Britain in the last two Pro League campaigns.

Women’s 1s coach Dave Beckett comments, “It’s brilliant to welcome some of the best and brightest young hockey talent in the country to Surbiton for the 2023/24 campaign. These are players who will add genuine quality to the team now but also give us a fantastic platform to build for the future.

“Ella coming back to Surbiton from Exeter is wonderful to see. Having played at the club as a junior she should hopefully find it easy to slot back into the set up and continue where she left off after impressing with her calm and composed style of play having broken into the first team to play alongside a raft of senior internationals while still at school.

It is clear that Katie is one of the most exciting young players in the country and I am delighted she committed to joining us earlier this summer, marking her intentions to be a big part of the direction we are taking as a team. She will add pace and skill to our midfield and I’m looking forward to helping her develop.

We are also very lucky to have Martha come on board. The club have been tracking her progress at Exeter over the past couple of seasons and as coach it is very exciting to have a young and ambitious international player join us. I am confident she’ll add real value to the team now but also has a brilliant future ahead of her.”

Ella is pleased to be rejoining the club: “I am so excited to be returning back to Surbiton after an amazing three years at the University of Exeter. I grew up playing my hockey here since the age of six and so it feels like I’m returning home. I can’t wait to be back playing with such a competitive squad and hope to contribute to the team’s long-standing successes.”

Katie says, “After experiencing the brilliant club atmosphere at Surbiton, I am excited to be joining them for the upcoming season. I have always respected the high standards at Surbiton, competing against them throughout the years at junior level and hope to make an impact and help Surbiton regain the Premier League title.”

Martha comments, “I am really excited to be joining Surbiton and feel grateful for the opportunity to play in such a talented team of players! I can’t wait to get going and help the team build on its recent successes as we head into the new season.”

From all at the club, welcome to Ella, Katie and Martha - we look forward to seeing you in action for Surbiton in the new season!