Release date : Thursday March 11, 2010
Written by : Honorary
Secretary
Phil Hamill making headlines in local press
Mossley player and Bangor Grammar School pupil, Phil Hamill, could be off to Singapore to play for the USA U18s at the first Youth Olympic Games in August.
Phil has been invited by the USA's Mens' National Team's Head Coach, Nick Conway, for a trial with their U18 National Hockey Teamin San Diego, California, in July at the US Olympic Training Centre.
It all came about after Phil's Dad, Gerry was enquiring about training camps in New York or Pennsylvania as they were planning to visit family there and Gerry was trying to organise some training sessions for Phil.
Phil has been involved in the Ulster Development Squad programme and was recently a squad member of the Ulster U16s and wanted to keep his fitness and skill levels up while in the US.
It was during his search that he was told to contact Nick, and when the USA coach heard about Phil and that he carries dual nationality as his mum Barbara is an American citizen, he was immediately invited to attend the trial.
Phil who plays for Bangor Grammar 1st XI and Mossley, regularly turns out for the 2nd XI in Junior 1, was naturally apprehensive about his forthcoming trip.
He said, "When my Dad told me the news I could not believe it. I am nervous but I know once I am on the pitch I'll be fine!"
The 2010 Men's National Championship is a performance based selection process, where young athletes from across the USA come together to compete for a place in the National Team. The selection processinvolves training sessions and a competition where four teams compete in a round robin for the players to show off their skills, their tactical awareness and ultimately, to be part of the national team.
Phil, a registered USA Field Hockey Player, will be competing with the Easty Coast team, and, if selected, he could have an opportunity to play in the Youth Olympic Games.
Conway stated that the preparation for the Youth Olympic Games is, "a great opportunity to begin the process of developing our next U21 Squad, that will ultimately drive to compete in the 2012 Pan American Championships, and at the 2013 Junior World Cup."
Phil is really looking forward to his trial in the USA, and believes that this opportunity is not only due to his father's enquiries but also to the high standard of coaching he has received through his club, his school and the Ulster Development Squad Programme.
Phil hopes to make not only his family proud of him, but to gain selection to a USA National Team as a way to thank all of his coaches.
He said, "There are just so many people to thank, but I would like to say a special thanks to Scott McNeill (Mossley), Ricky Lee and Stephen Dawson (Ulster Hockey), Dowie Holley and Chris Harte (Bangor Grammar) and ofcourse to everyone at Mossley Hockey Club for all their support they have given me. "I will give it my best shot!"
