AS Unsung Heroes go Lil Dykes is the relunctant star behind the scenes.

For despite helping turn one corner of East Lancashire in to something of a hockey haven, Lil would prefer to slip in to the background rather than step in to the spotlight.

But Lil deserves the recognition for what she has achieved at Mansfield High School and Nelson Hockey Club over the past three decades.

"I have helped lay the foundations," said Lil modestly. "It is very difficult to say what the school and the club can achieve in the future but I have had great enjoyment working with the players."

Mansfield didn't even have a hockey team when Lil moved down from the Scottish village of Balsron 31 years ago.

And Nelson were a one team club who had just got their foot on the first rung of the Lancashire League ladder.

But since then, Lil has been a one school, one club woman -- well apart from a brief stint at Blackburn Northern which she says benefitted both Mansfield and Nelson anyway!

"I came down for a teaching post at Mansfield all those years ago and have remained ever since. I joined Nelson almost immediately and apart from that brief spell at Northern, I have stayed there.

"So I must like it here."

Considering Mansfield pupils had never picked up a hockey stick until Lil crossed the border preaching how good the game was, the Brierfield school is now regarded as one of the strongest in Lancashire.

The school has produced a string of county players, both boys and girls, while a few season's ago the boys under 15s team were crowned Lancashire champions two years running while the girls under 15s teams have twice been Presidents Cup runners-up.

Lil also helped Nelson girls under 15s reach the All England final where they lost to Millfield.

But she is not one to take all the credit.

She said: "I have had a lot of help over the years and more recently that has come from colleagues Sarah Towers and Fiona Head. Also Val Robinson, the former Great Britain has been a great help and has become a good friend."

In fact, Lil uses Val as the perfect example of what can be achieved in hockey.

She said: "I always tell my players that Val Robinson is the perfect role model and they should copy her. Not only was she a good player but she had the right attitude. That is what it is all about."

Lil has enjoyed her fair share of success herself but it is the success she has experienced with her teams that gives her most pleasure -- especially when it breaks down barriers.

She said: "Hockey is by tradiation a sport dominated by public schools. So it was great to guide the boys teams to success in the Lancashire finals two years running.

"No high school has ever won the President's Cup and we came so close on two occasions. One of my biggest disappointments is not winning the competition but I can't complain because the girls were magnificent."

Another case of so-near was last year's All England final when Nelson lost in the last second against Millfield.

"I was gutted," admitted Lil. "To get so close only to lose with the last shot of the match. But again I was very proud of the girls."

Lil, who played and scored for Scotland under 23s, is also an All England champion as she was a part of the Nelson/Blackburn Nothern team that won the veteran championship in 1995.

She said: "I didn't get to play for Scotland until I moved down to Nelson. But I went back up and apparently scored in the match. However, we lost against England so it wasn't the best of memories."

A bigger boast for her though is seeing Mansfield win all seven age groups in this year's Pendle Inter Schools finals -- the first time that has been achieved.

In the future, Lil wants to start coaching youngsters at primary school level while she admits she would love to see one of her prodigies make it as a full international -- and Charlotte Hartley, who recently Great Britain under 17s squad, could be the player.

"Charlotte is a very good player and I could see her as a full international in the future," said Lil. "That would be great for the club and for the school. However I have always said playing hockey is all about enjoyment. Anything else is a bonus."