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You´re at the third U16 world championship in your career after starting at the age of 11! How did you get to the first one?
Jack: I´ve been playing ice hockey for a year or so, I was in goal on ice as well, so I had some experience with that. One of the officials of the GB team, Ali Cree, asked me ´Hey, do you want to play for team GB? Do you want to go to some high-level stuff?´, and I said ´Yes, it would be interesting´. They needed a goalie, so they asked me and I said yes. I joined the team in Bratislava, and that´s when it all kicked off.
Stuart: I´m pretty much the same. I started with ice hockey, and then Ali Cree approached me, if I want to play ball hockey. Then she asked again if I want to play for the GB team, if I´m ready. And I said yes.
What championship did you enjoy the most?
Jack: I´d say the last one in Sheffield is my favourite, simply because it was cool, but the one in Bratislava was boiling as well. But the one in Sheffield is the best for me.
Stuart: I´d say the one in Bratislava in 2014, just because it was a completely new experience. I´ve never had anything like that before. It was out of the country as well, so you have to play in a different climate, you´ve got to adapt to the game Europeans play.
And what about this one? What are your thoughts so far?
Jack: It´s been really fun so far. the teams definitely stepped up their game. The Slovaks and the US especially, they changed a lot. The Americans played against Canada, and they won. For the last couple of years, the US were lacking a little bit against high-level teams like Canada, but they seem to have pulled back in. The Czech U15 team is also very strong, they´re still competing with the top-level teams like Canada and Slovakia. overall, it´s a very tough challenge, because they´re trained from young ages, they´ve got leagues constantly, they´ve got national championships... So it´s just tough.
Stuart: I´m really enjoying this one, the teams are very good. But I think we actually got a shot to win the world championship, making history in our books. The overall atmosphere is really amazing.
How did the British ball hockey evolve in this four-yead period?
Jack: It has definitely gotten a lot better, It has got a lot more popular, because more people are coming to the trials. The team is constantly improving, and this team is definitely the strongest. This year we have the best chance of getting the win, getting history in our books. It has definitely gone a long way from where it started.
Stuart: Basically what Jack said (smile).
How did the guys in the team change?
Jack: They´re pretty much the same. They´ve got friendly attitudes, but still everyone is quite serious. It´s fun, we´re having some talks, and encouraging other teams on.
Stuart: This year as the captain I had to step up my game from what I played previously. Maybe it has been carried a bit, and now the guys stepped up, and showed other how to react to things, how to stay cool.
How would you describe the current situation of British ball hockey - the training facilities in comparison to other countries?
Jack: In comparison to countries like Canada, Slovakia, Czech Republic and US, I would say we´re a little behind, but that´s because we´re not getting trained from such young ages. Canada and Slovakia, for example, they´re getting trained from six or seven years old to do this. They have national leagues, national championships where they´re scouted by these teams. We´re still trying to get scouted because we´re such a small country and do not have the kind of facilities to do proper national championships. I don´t think it´s a very watched sport in England, like it´s in Canada and Slovakia. So we´re just a little bit behind compared to the higher-up teams.
Stuart: We don´t have that facilities, we´re not funded by the government, we´re all self-funded, nothing´s paid for anyone. We´re not known as a hockey country, we´re more thought for polo or football, so we´re just not recognized by anyone. That means we´re more the underdogs here. If we had the facilities and more people, we could make the history. But we have more kids, our development keeps growing and growing, so one day, hopefully, we´ll be with the elites, Canada, Slovakia and the Czechs.
What are you goals nowadays?
Jack: I´m definitely looking forward to the U18 World Championship in Canada next week, because the U18s are a completely new level. When we go to Canada, we have to step up even more from what we´re doing now. We´re doing our hardest here at the minute. but it´s going to be even tougher in Canada. And my goals? Try my hardest, try to help the team to win, and save as much as I can. Just a goalie´s regular work (smile).
Stuart: I want to do the things right in Canada, help the team, even if it´s just about blocking shots, setting up for a shot,... Just simply help the team.
