After over 35 years playing hockey, Mark Harris has been relishing the prospect of a first Masters World Cup.
Welshman Harris represented Wales at under 15 to under 21 level and more recently over 40’s. Now, the senior barman at Penarth Yacht Club is set to trade pints for pads with Wales over-45s team at the second Masters World Cup of the year in South Africa, which kicked off last week.
Harris missed playing for Wales at the under-21 World Cup as the team failed to qualify. It took until a Home Nations event with the over-40s for Harris to don the red jersey.
The Penarth-based player was originally chosen to play in South Africa two years ago before the pandemic hit. With the tournament given the go ahead, he was one of 18 on the plane to Cape Town.
“I missed out on playing the World Cup when I was younger,” he told Penarth’s Nub News, “so it’s a huge opportunity for me to do something I love and there’s no better feeling than representing your country.”
With this life experience, he has been unable to bring his wife due to the costs of the trip, where he has also set up a GoFundMe page.
“She’s been so supportive throughout everything and has said that this is a chance of a lifetime for me to represent my country in a World Cup,” he added.
“For me, it’s the biggest stage I’ll ever get on. With a Masters World Cup or European tournament, you’ll get an official cap so I’ll be presented with a cap when I go.
“Of course, it would be amazing to win. But regardless of scores, to say that I’ve represented Wales in a World Cup is a massive thing for me.”
