PURE HOCKEY GOLD

Pitch Publishing is a fantastic imprint.
They do all the great Got, Not Got series
and plenty of other retro sports titles.

James Brown, The Late Tackle, talkSPORT

Pitch Publishing show the way for enterprising
sports book publishers and remains a beacon
of hope for sports authors aspiring or established.

The Sports Bookshelf.com

Pitch Publishing, an outfit whose "pitch perfect"
commissioning of boxing material stands
as a rebuke to more established houses

Boxing Monthly

Pitch capture the real spirit of sport with entertaining
and clever ideas. They work out what the aficionado
would want to read, then deliver it with great verve.

Paul Hayward, The Daily Telegraph

Pitch have enabled me to write in the ways I enjoy most.
Their production support is superb, delivering eye-catching
designs, attentive proof-reading, energetic marketing and helpful advice.

Tim Quelch, Good Old Sussex by the Sea, Orient to the Emirates, Underdog!

Pitch are willing to back out-of-the-blue and innovative
ideas and turn them into viable, entertaining books.
They do so with great presentation and editorial flair.

Justin Parkinson, Then Came Massacre

Pitch saw the potential in my story, used their expertise
to polish it, published it and helped inspire thousands
around the world to get into the sport of triathlon.

Andy Holgate, Can’t Swim, Can’t Ride, Can’t Run & Can't Sleep, Can't Train, Can't Stop

The process of working with Pitch to produce Picking up the Threads
was enjoyable and rewarding, with the final edition surpassing
expectations and becoming a resounding success.

John Chandler, Picking up the Threads

Pitch will take a chance on books that other publishers won't
and realise that interest in football extends beyond the
Premier League and the top 20 countries in the FIFA rankings.

Steve Menary, Outcasts!

Pitch have the vision to look beyond the obvious,
seeking out interesting ideas and subjects and
matching them with the right target audience.

David Tossell, Tony Greig, The Great English Final, Grovel!, Natural

Pitch have been an absolute joy to work with,
contributing their passion, expertise, knowledge
and experience to help produce a brilliant book.

Sam Pilger, Ashes Match of My Life

Pitch took our original concept and further enhanced it,
using their knowledge, experience and expertise, and helped
make Got, Not Got one of the football books of the year for 2011.

Derek Hammond, Got, Not Got series of books

Pitch bought into the concept of development through football,
channeling profits and proceeds from Eleven into helping
some of the most disadvantaged young people in the world.

Steve Fleming, Eleven

In the highly competitive world of sport publishing,
Pitch have consistently demonstrated the happy
knack of spotting, nurturing and promoting winners.

Neil Dunkin, Anfield of Dreams

15 Sep

PURE HOCKEY GOLD

When Great Britain failed to qualify for the women’s hockey competition at the 2004 Athens Olympics, the sport was at its lowest point. Sliding down the world rankings, there was in-fighting and discord within the squad, no funding and very little prospect of a bright future. Three players – Crista Cullen, Helen Richardson and Kate Walsh – were junior members of that team, and would have been forgiven for walking away at that point.

Fast forward 12 years and the same three players were at the heart of the greatest moment in Great Britain women’s hockey, standing on the podium in Rio de Janeiro with Olympic gold medals proudly hanging around their necks. During the intervening years, the team had undergone a transformation. It had been no easy journey, but a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, triumphs and disasters – with casualties sustained along the way.

The History Makers is more than an account of a famous victory. It is a story of the hard work, emotional strain and shattering disappointments that go into turning a dream and a vision into a reality. It is a story that culminates in the best Friday night ever, when Team GB women's hockey produced an exhilarating Olympic moment that gripped and inspired the nation.

Behind every success story are a hundred other stories. With access to the athletes who delivered and the coaching staff who masterminded the success, The History Makers brings together the many storylines that created a moment of Olympic magic.

How Team GB's failure to qualify for Athens 2004 acted as a catalyst for change
Why winning the bid to host the Olympic Games in 2012 gave Team GB the chance to develop a blueprint for success
The heartbreak behind losing the semi-final at the London 2012 Olympic Games
How the players coped with challenges both on and off the field
How meticulous planning by head coach Danny Kerry and his staff paved the way for glory in Rio
How 31 players plus the coaching staff bought into one vision
How the bitter taste of failure inspired a resolve to win at all costs
How the team fulfilled their desire to inspire a generation

Click here for more information, or to read a sample from The History Makers.