Great Britain captain Saffron Allen has announced her retirement from international ice hockey.
The 27-year-old, who won 52 caps for her country, made her GB debut on 4th April 2011 against Denmark at the IIHF Women’s World Championship Division II in Caen.
She scored her first senior goal in that tournament, against hosts France.
Allen also represented Great Britain at the U18 level, suiting up on fifteen occasions.
At the senior level, Saffron Allen became synonymous with the national team.
She represented GB at nine World Championship tournaments and three Olympic Qualifiers.
Allen captained GB through three international tournaments and wore an ‘A’ in four other campaigns.
It should not be forgotten that Allen’s career may not have panned out in this way.
The forward suffered a spinal injury at an Olympic Qualifying tournament in China in November 2012.
With a great deal of desire and determination, Allen returned to the ice within 14 months to continue playing the sport she so dearly loves.
As far as statistics go, Allen contributed eighteen goals and twenty assists for 38 points in her international career.
That won’t be her legacy in my opinion.
She has made countless appearances on television and radio outlets to help promote women’s hockey in the UK.
Allen was even kind enough to join me and Caitlin Berry on the ‘Hockey from Across the Pond’ podcast https://lnns.co/fv-UXrNnA_s to speak about her career and women’s hockey in general.
Always prepared to above and beyond what is expected, and more than willing to help the next generation. Whether that was at the grassroots or mentoring the rookies at the international level.
Like many before her, the Solihull Vixens forward has had to incorporate a full-time job alongside playing the sport.
A self-employed sports therapist through her mobile business, Elite 16, Allen has combined her daily duties with being a fantastic ambassador for the sport.
Saffron Allen finished her intentional career by leading Great Britain to a gold medal and a promotion, that the team richly deserved.
After so many near misses, including five silver and three bronze medals, finally attaining gold was a very fitting end.
As per the press release from Ice Hockey UK:
Allen said: “It has been the biggest honour to wear the GB logo for so long. I treasure every moment I had within the set-up and I thank everyone who contributed.
“Last year, I captained my team to a gold medal at a World Championship and gained my 50th senior cap.
“Little did I know at the time but this became the right time to close the national chapter of my life, hang up my GB skates and begin my next chapter in life.“
“For those who have been a part of this chapter, I cannot thank you enough. They have been the best years I could have wished for and it’s the people it was with that made it what it was.”
It is us, everyone who cares about British hockey, that should be thanking Saffron Allen for her efforts whilst she was a part of the national set-up.
Not just for exceptional play on the ice but for exemplary leadership, work ethic and an insatiable desire to make women’s hockey better in this country.
Thank you, Saffron.
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