Sarah Robertson, the Olympic bronze medallist, says it is a “huge honour” after she was confirmed as Scotland’s new women’s hockey captain, with the national side targeting a world top 10 berth as part of a long-term strategy.
Robertson will lead world No.18 Scotland as the build-up continues towards the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July and the EuroHockey qualifiers in France at the end of August.
The Borders-born former University of Edinburgh player, who has 107 Scotland caps along with her 62 Great Britain Caps, will be joined by vice-captain Katie Robertson, a teacher at Dollar Academy.
The duo are part of a new six-strong player group which has been evolved from a process involving players and staff.
Robertson and Robertson are joined by Great Britain squad members, Edinburgh-born Amy Costello and Fiona Burnet (Wimbledon), plus Scotland’s most experienced player, Glasgow-based Becky Ward and Eve Pearson.
The initiative comes as head coach Chris Duncan implements a long-term strategy, targeting a place for Scotland women in the world’s top ten.
Robertson said: “I’m very proud. I’ve played over a hundred games for Scotland, and every time it’s a proud moment, but captaining your country is a huge honour and it’s not something I ever thought would happen. I’ve been lucky to play in the squad under some amazing captains and it feels special to be added to that list.
“We’ve had a lot of progression recently with good wins against Ireland and Wales, and the squad is in an exciting fresh place, so I’m looking to help drive that and use my experience to help us keep moving forward.
“It’s exciting to get a clear indicator of where we’re at. Obviously one of our main aims is to works towards being in the top ten in the world, so this summer will be a good start on that journey.”
