Football? Think again. Give each player a stick, remove the messy issue of an offside rule and always remember to stir in immense end-to-end action, combined with a concoction of skilled dribbling, flowing passing and perfectly constructed set pieces. The end product? Welcome to the sport of field hockey.

Although not the most popular sport in Scotland (though globally it is one of the world’s most played sports), hockey sets a fine example for other sports to follow – realising the importance of youth and grassroots development and investment to prepare for a bright future. 

Scotland under-18 men’s hockey team took to their home turf at Peffermill in Edinburgh last month to battle it out against the best hockey countries in the world at the EuroHockey Youth Nations Championships. Their adventure did not end in silverware, but their story is bursting with success. After sitting down with Scotland under 18’s men’s coach, former Scottish internationalist Calum Wood, it seemed fitting to make this group of talented young athletes In The Winning Zone’s ‘Team of the Month’ for August.

The EuroHockey event, featuring the top 8 countries in Europe, brought a tough but compelling adventure for the Scotsmen, who were seeded 6th for the tournament. After three games against England, Belgium and Russia, the Scottish results card read W/L/L.

But, as is the nature of such tournaments, those results did not exactly mirror the performance.  As head coach Wood commented – it is not all about results. “The Russia game [a 9 goal thriller which the Scot’s lost in the dying minutes] was extremely important for the boys. For a 17 year old to experience the pressure and atmosphere of a game like that is worth 40 caps in 40 friendlies in the future. It is immeasurable the impact that game had on some of those players.”

The fact that Scotland lost the Russia match meant that they were left with a tussle against Ireland and France to avoid relegation to the Trophy in two years time. Victories in their final two matches meant that the Scot’s secured a place in the next tournament and eventually finished in 5th position, one place above their seeding. Wood shares the same view as many spectators and followers of hockey in Scotland. “In reflection, it is important that we succeed because it validates our methods and shows that we are going in the right direction. For a country our size to be 5th in Europe is quite an achievement”

On paper, Scotland were expected to struggle in this tournament. They were meant to be fighting to avoid relegation in the latter stages of the week. When they took to the turf however, the hockey, rather than the hype, did the talking. Scotland’s performances early in the week should have led to them fighting for medals. However, it was the fashion in which the team handled the pressure of relegation games which outlined their winning attitude. Losing was not an option in the final matches.

Although finishing 5th in the tournament, Scotland did manage to get their hands on some silverware. Striker Kenny Bain was rewarded with both top goal scorer and player of the tournament tags on Saturday afternoon. Scoring two hat tricks in 5 games, Bain once again justified his position as one of British hockey’s hottest properties.

The team’s success has not, however, come miraculously to boil. Years of effort and structuring of youth hockey in Scotland are now coming into play and it seems that we are about to start reaping the rewards.

Wood, who came through the ranks of hockey as a youngster himself, understands the considerable step in the right direction hockey has taken recently. The frame of hockey in Scotland doesn’t seem to have one negative bone in it. “The structure, put in place by Brent Deans, [Current Chief Executive of the Scottish Hockey Union] is fantastic. You’ve got strong clubs who are always encouraging people to play hockey.”

“In Scotland we have regional performance squads, above that there are national players supported by their local area institute, and above that you have the Scottish senior squads supported by the Scottish Institute of Sport. At each one of these levels there are good coaches working with the players at their club and in their performance programme.”

However, as with most sports in Scotland, funding is always an issue.  But they make the most of what they have.  “We are stretching our money a very long way and it is working. If we can’t get a national coach down to a game, we’ll get national player, if we can’t get to a gym, we’ll do medicine-ball work at a training session. It is all about having a plan B if plan A doesn’t work out,” states Wood.

Much of the hockey’s successes in Scotland are down to the relationships within the sport, as Wood explains, “In Scotland our strength is our community, and if we can work hard as a community to develop these kids then anything is possible.” 

It is clear that youth hockey in Scotland has every reason to be optimistic. The team’s performance in the EuroHockey Youth Nation’s Championship is simply a starting point. If the sport continues in the direction it has been going, Scotland could be experiencing success across the board from youth to senior level in the future, and it would not come as a surprise to find a handful of Scots representing Britain at the Olympics in 2012.

IC

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