Teamwork makes the dream work

There is nothing better than having a Coach with a passion for their sport, and for St Peters Hockey students, Cameron Glass is that man. I sat down with Cameron to discuss Hockey here at St Peters and I was also lucky to chat with Old Scholar, Jane Ramsay (2021), as she pursues Hockey success in the United States.

ANTHONY COX Digital Marketing and Design Officer

Discussion with Cameron Glass, Hockey Coordinator Anthony Cox: Can you tell me a little about the history and highlights of the St Peters Hockey program? Cameron Glass: I’m a little uncertain of just how far back Hockey first made an appearance at St Peters, but I have had some mothers of our current Junior players tell me about their exploits beating Brisbane Grammar when they represented the College as students themselves. Some of the highlights over the past few years have been watching Old Scholars achieve Brisbane and Queensland honours, moving games and training from Mayer Oval to the international standard pitch at the University of Queensland, and the Opens season of 2022. Cox: How has the game changed now that it's mostly played on artificial turf, instead of grass? Glass: It has quickened the pace of the game and made it more attractive as a spectator. The ball travels faster and flatter, allowing players to redistribute the ball quicker and show more expansive elimination skills. Skills have been adapted and modified to suit the surface and it is difficult to even compare the modern-day Hockey to its days on grass. Much like golf, the equipment has advanced so much that kids would laugh at what players used in yesteryear. Cox: What can be attributed to Australia's success in Hockey? Glass: Funnily enough, the strength of Hockey is in regional centres—Toowoomba, Warwick, Rockhampton, and Townsville. They have produced so many Olympians over the years. Players can ply their trade at their ‘home’ centre and not have to relocate to Brisbane until making squads such as the Queensland Academy of Sport where almost daily training is required. Brisbane, for many years, used this to their advantage and picked these country players in Brisbane teams to dominate state titles. This was overturned a decade or so ago and Queensland and Australian players are encouraged to play for their home centres which gives the state championships so much more interest. Cox: There are quite a few Old Scholars on the coaching staff assisting our Junior team. What do they enjoy about the involvement in St Peters Hockey? Glass: We currently have four Old Scholars on our coaching staff, and I think they were attracted to give back due to the amount of fun they had when they played for St Peters. Hockey is a niche sport, and a lot of girls found Hockey when they were looking for that sport that would welcome them. We compete for players against strong Netball and Rowing programs, so a lot of girls come to Hockey having zero understanding of the sport but are looking to commit to something. Over the past 13 years I have rarely seen girls arrive and then leave for other sports. Hockey at St Peters is fun and inclusive and there is a spot for all girls to call home. They come to play a sport but typically find a group of friends. I think that is why they stay, and why these Old Scholars return to coach. Cox: Are there current students that will pursue Hockey beyond St Peters?

Glass: This year we have probably our strongest Opens Team for some years when you talk about having strength across the field. We currently sit second on the QG ladder, and in my time, we have never finished higher than fifth. There are a number of these girls playing high level club Hockey and are pushing for representative honours. Our most recent success story would be our 2021 Open’s Captain (Jane Ramsay) who moved back to the USA with family. She has recently made the USA Under 21 side and has been signed by the Louiseville Cardinals to play in the College system. Cox: How do students get involved in St Peters Hockey? Are there any prerequisites required to get involved and, is it a risky sport? Glass: In Primary Years, Peter Dawson arranges Sport for Life and after school opportunities throughout the year for Prep to Year 3 students. For our Senior School students, girls can join at any stage by signing on when winter sports are advertised by Sports House. Our preseason is in Term 2 with fixtures commencing in Term 3.

Pictured (left to right): Jane Ramsay (2021), playing for St Peters last year; Tim Kotzur and Cameron Glass with the 2022 Open Hockey team.

You would think 22 players carrying sticks around would present many dangerous situations, but we rarely see any injury. If we do, it normally comes from being hit by the ball which is harder than a cricket ball. All sticks in Hockey are right-handed, so students are taught how to safely approach an opposing player to be effective but also stay safe. Discussion with Jane Ramsay, Old scholar (2021) Cox: What are you up to these days? Jane Ramsay: Everything is going great! I am originally from the USA so it is awesome to be back. I have a lot of family which I haven’t seen since I was five years old so I am getting to see everyone again which is wonderful. I am currently studying a Bachelor of Science in Sport, with a minor in Psychology, at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. I'm enjoying learning about psychology in sport— it fascinates me how much mental toughness is vital for performance in sport. At uni we train for four hours a day, allowing for one day off. Then the student part comes in, and we have to log six hours of study hall a week and we take six classes. It's a lot—some would say crazy—but I haven't had more fun playing Hockey and going to school ever before. I love every part of it. Cox: What was your initial attraction to Hockey? Ramsay: When I was little, I was a Soccer player. Then my grandpa wanted me to play Hockey, so he signed me up. Growing up I had a love-hate relationship with Hockey. But, I started to become really good at it [at the same time] I also fell in love with playing Water Polo. As I got older, I got to a point where I had to choose between the two as they started clashing for both training and games. The biggest reason for choosing Hockey was that I had such a good relationship with everyone in Hockey and I didn’t want to leave—the community was just wonderful, and everything about just felt like you were with family. I could never imagine my life without it. Cox: What are some of the memories you hold from playing Hockey at St Peters and when did the journey start for you? The journey started when I was in Year 6 and we had Sports for Life, and Hockey was an option. I started playing for QGSSSA in Year 7 and I was on the Junior A team but, because of club, I couldn’t play that much at all—I think I only played two games that season. In Year 8 I made the Opens team which is super rare and I just felt like I was on top of the world! All that being said, my most favourite memory from St Peters Hockey was training super early in the morning on Stolz Oval. There was no pressure to be amazing, just to have fun. Cox: What would you tell current students thinking of playing Hockey at St Peters? Ramsay: Hockey IS THE BEST! It is seriously the most fun you will have, especially at St Peters. It is something new and different and Australia is one of the best in the world in Hockey, so why not play? The Hockey culture is something that no other sport has. It is a sport that you can play forever and never get bored. If you are thinking about playing Hockey, do it! Bring your friends along too. Grow the game. Be the game. Love the game. Cox: Is there a long term goal and will we see you back in Brisbane in the future? Ramsay: My long term goal is the Olympics! I hadn't even thought about taking my sport to the next level until I was 15. Since then, every day I work towards reaching my goal. You will see me lining up to play at the Olympics, that is for sure. The real question is, will it be for Australia or America? It honestly all depends on where I am living at the time. I would love to make the 2026 Olympics and the 2032. So keep your eyes out, I will be there. Whether that be in the Green and Gold, or Red, White and Blue. I would love to come back to Brisbane in the future; hopefully next year. I would absolutely love to come back and coach at St Peters. I always loved playing the with Seniors at school and loved when they would come back to coach the next year when they had graduated. I will admit, it shattered my heart a bit that I couldn’t come back and be in the program for this season. But I most definitely want to come back to the St Peters community one day!