In her latest column for the Surrey Comet, Team GB hockey star, Surbiton captain and former Kingston Grammar School student Sarah Haycroft discusses the importance of failure.

"The GB Women's hockey team have qualified for Rio 2016 in style, winning seven out of seven matches and conceding just two goals.

For me however that statement is somewhat bitter sweet.

I am so proud of the girls and delighted they won the whole tournament, but I would have loved to have been a part of the 18 strong team that was out in Valencia representing GB.

Instead, I was back at Bisham Abbey continuing to train and keeping fitness levels high with the rest of the non selected players.

Non-selection is a really challenging time and during the last two years I have experienced it more than I have ever done throughout my hockey career.

However, I do feel as though I am becoming a better hockey player and also a better person because of it.

If you are not challenged and not tested you can drift through life not fully appreciating what you are doing or what blessings you have.

This particular non-selection has made me hungrier than ever to get back in the team and fight for my place in the Rio squad.

When you are tested and challenged it makes you question what you really want, and my desire to participate in an Olympic Games has only got stronger.

An old hockey coach of mine used to quote Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If”, stressing the importance of experiencing both the good times and the bad; "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat both those two impostors just the same." 

I fully believe that it is very important to fail, that you learn more through failing and that no path should be straight and smooth, we all can benefit from the detours that life presents us.

I recently returned to my old school Kingston Grammar as the guest speaker at their school prize giving.

I was very impressed to hear from the new headmaster also believed in the importance of failure and understanding it's benefits, so much so that they dedicated a whole day in the school calendar to failing.

Mental toughness is probably as important in international hockey as many physical and technical aspects of the game.

Through non-selection and testing times this only gets stronger and helps you cope with any circumstance that may come your way in the future.

Rio 2016 is just over a year away and I know that the time is going to fly. It will be another tough but exciting year, with only a month until our next tournament, the European Championships.

The European Championships bring back good memories for me, being a part of the Silver Medal winning team two years ago.

We are hosting the tournament this year at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in the Olympic Park from August 22-30, so it is definitely a tournament everyone wants to be a part of.

Selection will certainly be tough, especially as the girls performed so well in Valencia, but I will make sure I take every opportunity to prove myself and fight to gain my place back in the team."

*Investec, the specialist bank and asset manager, support women's hockey from grass roots level through to the national team - investec.co.uk/hockey or on Twitter @Investec_Sport