Team spirit the key to success for GCU Women’s Hockey Team
GCU Students’ Association’s Women’s Hockey 1s Team are celebrating double success after an incredible end to their season.
The group of talented students were crowned winners of the Scottish Women’s Tier 4A on the 22nd of March, having already clinched the BUCS Scottish Conference Women’s Hockey Plate just two weeks earlier.
It was a particularly special few weeks for Adult Nursing student Romi Bryson who put her injury woes behind her to help guide the team to victory from the sidelines.
She explained: “I’m out for eight weeks after dislocating my knee during a game. I tore my meniscus and my Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL). They thought I might need surgery, but thankfully it hasn’t come to that.
“I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to stay involved. Our coach left during the season after getting a new job so it was all a bit up in the air. Our captain Gill and I took training and then for the games it was me that basically stepped into the role of head coach.”
Romi added: “I would say I’ve got a lot of knowledge behind me through playing from a young age. Sometimes it’s frustrating watching and other times I quite enjoy it. When you’re off the pitch you notice so much more than when you’re actually playing. I miss it loads but I’ll be back soon.”
GCU faced stiff competition over the course of the season with the likes of Glasgow University, Strathclyde, Aberdeen and Edinburgh all helping make up tough opposition. Despite the long trips the length and breadth of the country, Romi insists it was team spirit that ultimately led to their success.
“I’ve been on the social committee this year along with three of the other girls and we basically focus on how we can bring the team closer together through nights out and general socialising.
“We usually get a mini-bus to games, so even that’s a good day out for us all! Simple things like that really bring us closer together overall - I think that played a big part in our success this year.
“A lot of people also don’t realise that there are actually two women’s hockey teams at GCU; the 1s and the 2s. There are all different levels and some people just come along to train and socialise without actually playing competitively.”
The welcoming environment clearly paid off for the girls and they quickly found themselves on a winning run, with consistent performances following them from September all the way through to March.
Romi said: “The funny thing is last year really didn’t go great but our captain, Gill, was so adamant this was the year we were going to get promoted.
“We won our first game and to be honest, we were amazed at how it went. As the weeks and months went on we realised that we had a really good chance. We won every game apart from our first meeting with St Andrew’s.”
Despite suffering a 4-2 defeat at the start of the season to St Andrew’s, the women’s team knew they would have the chance to redeem themselves.
Romi explained: “It was really tight between both of us for the league title. There was definitely a bit of a rivalry there but we managed to beat them 9-2 at the start of last month, and that put us top because we had a better goal difference.
“We also played the cup alongside our league campaign. It’s the same as football where teams get knocked out as you go. We got to the semi-final and then the final saw us face St Andrew’s again, just a week after we had beaten them in the league.
“Incredibly, we managed to win. It was such a good performance from us and I think that gave us real motivation going into the final league game against Edinburgh.”
Romi and the rest of the team knew they were one result away from clinching promotion. They had a superior goal difference to St Andrew’s but wanted to make sure they finished on a high and secured the title, along with that all important promotion, in style.
“It didn’t quite go to plan initially. We had beaten Edinburgh 10-1 earlier in the season, so I don’t if there were some nerves or complacency but it was a poor performance.
“The thing I’m proudest of is the fact we continued to show that team spirit during what was a tough moment. Whenever someone did something good, we were cheering. Whenever someone did something bad, we were giving them encouragement. I think that’s so important to have that when you’re playing.
“We eventually drew the match 3-3 which was enough to seal the title.”
Romi added: “Honestly, it was a relief more than anything else. It was amazing to realise we had won the league. I feel like a proud mum with how far we have come as a team. I think it was also particularly emotional for a few of the seniors who were playing their final game with GCU.”
With the confetti still falling on what was a terrific season, plans are already in place for the new campaign beginning in September.
Romi said: “I’m actually going to be vice-captain next year, which is a massive honour for me! We will also definitely be getting a new coach in to help us adapt to our new league.
“We would obviously love to get promoted again but I think it’s important we stay realistic within Tier 3A. It’s a higher league with a better standard of opposition but I think playing against better teams will ultimately improve us, so who knows what can happen.”
By Ross Clark
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