Behind every athlete is their journey. The hours of practice, their family, their commitment, values, goals and achievements. Scott Govers provided us the insight into his memories of growing up in a hockey family and playing representative hockey.
Donning the Green and Gold
“I have been fortunate enough to have been selected in the Australian Indoor Squad which gives me the chance to finally live out a childhood dream of wearing the green and gold, at the Indoor World Cup in early 2025. I was selected in the Australian Indoor Squad following the gold medal at the Australian Indoor Hockey Championships with the NSW Opens Team. For a number of years I have played indoor in the NSW Opens Team who are arguably one of the most successful teams on record.”
Born to Play Hockey
“I began playing hockey pretty much from the time I could walk. I grew up around hockey fields, following my older brothers Hayden and Kieran to hockey carnivals across the state. Our mum Jenny would drive us in the Tarago while our Dad, Ian, would work what seemed 24/7. Blake and I would spend our days running around and playing hockey on the sideline with other young kids like us; then we would pile back into the Tarago Time Capsule and arrive in Wollongong. It was a natural progression for me to follow in the footsteps of my brothers, and also my dad who was also a pretty handy hockey player (well, from what he tells us)”
Practice makes Perfect
“During my childhood, we lived next to the University of Wollongong hockey field. Blake and I would go across to the fields, sometimes multiple times a day, and practice for hours on end. We would practice our basic skills, and the important stuff like scoring goals, drag flicking and strokes. Sometimes Blake would even kit up as a keeper and ask me to belt some balls at him. Lucky I couldn’t hit them hard back then, and arguably still can’t. I played in state teams (both outdoor and indoor) from U13s until U18s. I also made a couple of Australian junior squads”.
Scott & Sutho
“I started at Sutherland under the watchful eye of JC in the U17s, and was fortunate to win a 2nd Grade premiership with current 1st Grade coach Peter “Spud” Tait along the way. But a 1st Grade premiership in Sydney has always eluded me. A couple of years ago I was lured back to Sutherland and I am still here to tell the tale. I still play hockey because I re-discovered my love for the game a few years ago and realised it will always be a massive part of my life for so many reasons. I have made many lifelong friends and I have met some incredible people. My goal this year is to play the entire season injury free and win the big dance in September.”
The 2024 season
” I hope to see you all at our home games this year, cheering us on to hopefully bring the flag back to Sutho. If you see me around, come up and say hello. All the best to everyone this year, good luck and most of all, have fun! Go Sutho!”
