Having jointly captained Panthers during their last South Division Three season, which ended abruptly with the March 2020 lockdown, she will be sharing leadership duties with two other returning players – Abbie Greening and Viv Kamworth – for their CD Phoenix Regional League campaign that begins on Saturday.
Sussex-based club CD Phoenix started the league with the intention of providing development opportunities to teams like Panthers, who fell short of qualifying for the main regionals at May’s open play-offs.
‘All the teams in this league are in the same boat, which is what this league was set up for – to give those that did not make it the opportunity to have these regional games,’ Hill said.
She feels that the competitive nature of recent Winter League seasons has set the island players up nicely for these regional matches.
‘I’m hoping we will be able to go and compete and hold our own,’ she said.
‘This weekend will give us an idea of where we need to be and what we can do.’
She will, of course, relish the opportunity of leading the team and working alongside experienced coaches Sally Carns and Bridget Yabsley.
‘To represent Guernsey in anything is amazing, but to be part of that leadership team and have that relationship with the girls, and Sally and Bridget, is really nice.
‘I’m really looking forward to all of us getting away. I’m super proud to have been named in that team.’
For their opening matches, taking place on Saturday and Sunday against East Sussex Mavericks, only the leadership trio are returning from Panthers’ previous campaign.
Becky Chamberlain provides another experienced head to the squad, which is otherwise made up of players who have recently represented the island at junior level.
Ahead of opening against the Mavericks, a regional pathway club that only formed earlier this year, and lost their opener to CD Phoenix, Hill added: ‘It’s really exciting, and hopefully we will come back with a win or at least come back saying this is definitely the right decision playing in this league.’
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