Surbiton Ladies captain Sarah Haycroft might earn in a year less than four per cent of what England footballer Wayne Rooney collects in a week, but she says you cannot put a price on representing Team GB.

The 23-year-old is preparing for the World League semi-finals in Spain later this year, where Team GB hope to secure qualification for the 2016 Olympics.

Haycroft helped her club side remain unbeaten in the WHL Premier Division this season with a 3-2 win at Beeston on Saturday.

Surbiton host Clifton on Saturday knowing victory would all but secure them top spot in the table and automatic qualification for European competition next term ahead of the end of season play-offs.

“We have to pay to have hockey shown of television let alone have companies out bid each other for the right to show our sport,” she writes in her exclusive column for the Surrey Comet.

“Football can command £5.136 billion for television rights because of its popularity and the amount of revenue it creates.

“It shows how influential sport can be in our nation and it gives us hope that one day hockey can capture people’s imagination in the same way.

“What binds us all together is being lucky enough to play sport as a career and the proudest moment of any athlete’s life is representing their country.”