Thank you to the clubs and coaches behind Scotland’s World Cup dream

When Scotland’s women’s team steps onto the pitch at the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup, they won’t be standing there alone.

Behind every player in the squad is a story shaped by clubs, coaches, teachers, teammates, volunteers, family members and local communities who helped nurture talent, inspire ambition and develop a lifelong love of hockey.

Scotland’s return to the Women’s World Cup for the first time in 24 years is a remarkable achievement, but it is also a powerful reminder of the vital role that clubs across Scotland and beyond continue to play in developing international players.

Many of the athletes representing Scotland first picked up a hockey stick at a local club, encouraged by parents, teachers, siblings and volunteer coaches who gave up their time to create opportunities for young people to thrive.

From Dundee Wanderers to Borders Fjordhus, from Inverleith to Clydesdale, from Grange to Perthshire, clubs across the country have helped shape the players who will proudly wear the Scotland shirt on the biggest stage in world hockey. Player biographies supplied by the squad highlight the important role these clubs played in their hockey journeys.

Charlotte Watson and Jessica Ross Martin both began their hockey journeys at Dundee Wanderers, with Charlotte starting at just five years old after joining her brothers at the local club, while Jess was encouraged to give hockey a try by her primary school teacher.

Captain Sarah Robertson took her first steps in the game with Borders Fjordhus after being introduced to hockey by her school teacher, while vice-captain Sarah Jamieson began playing at Inverleith Hockey Club after her father took her along and became her first coach.

The influence of family is a common theme throughout the squad. Rebecca and Katherine Birch both started their hockey journeys at City of York Hockey Club, inspired by their family and their father, while Eve Pearson followed in the footsteps of her parents, both of whom represented Scotland, with her mother also competing at the 1998 World Cup.

Several players developed through some of Scotland’s most successful clubs. Jennifer Eadie, Millie Steiger, Bronwyn Shields and Jessica Buchanan all began at Clydesdale, while Ava Findlay and Ellie Mackenzie started at Grange. Amy Costello’s journey began at Cala Edinburgh, Katherine McLaren came through Watsonians, Ruth Blaikie developed at Perthshire Hockey Club, Fiona Burnet started at Loch Lomond Ladies Hockey Club, and Zara Kennedy began at GHK.

The squad’s development also highlights the important role played by schools and teachers. Several players specifically identified teachers as the people who first introduced them to the sport or encouraged them to continue playing. Amy Costello credits her school teacher, Claire Lampard, with inspiring her to start playing, while Fiona Burnet highlighted the impact of former Scotland captain and teacher Margery Taylor, who encouraged her to pursue hockey.

The journey to a World Cup is never a straight line. It requires years of commitment, countless training sessions, weekend matches, long journeys and an unwavering support network. Every coach who stayed behind after training to offer extra advice, every volunteer who organised fixtures, every club committee member who kept teams running and every teammate who shared the journey has played a part in helping Scotland return to the world stage.

To every club that helped develop a player in this year’s World Cup squad, Scottish Hockey would like to say thank you.

This achievement belongs not only to the 20 players selected to represent Scotland, but also to the clubs, coaches, teachers, volunteers and families who believed in them from the very beginning.

As Scotland competes among the world’s best, the entire hockey community can take enormous pride in knowing that this World Cup journey started on pitches in communities across Scotland and beyond.

 

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