FJORDHUS Reivers held its annual summer hockey camp last week at Tweedbank.

The camp was at maximum capacity with all spaces filled with enthusiastic hard working youngsters.

Over the three days the players had the opportunity to learn and develop new and current skills taught and demonstrated by five young Scottish Internationalists, Charlie Jack, Jude Boslem, Ellie Rutherford, Ava Findlay and Erin Lawrence with assistance from Helen Montgomery and Janet Jack.

The squads, divided in to u12s and u16s, were also involved in team building exercises, slip n slide (floor to score) and lots of other fun activities and small sided games.

The highlight however, was a visit on Wednesday morning by current GB and Scottish international player Sarah Robertson, returning to where she started her club hockey.

She spoke to the youngsters about her hockey journey and what it takes to make an international player. All present were enthralled with her stories and without doubt she has inspired many of the young players to work hard and develop their hockey.

Sarah was extremely generous in donating lots of GB and Scottish kit, which was awarded to players who had demonstrated a tremendous work ethic and winning learning attitude.

Sarah,who has been competing in the new FIH pro league since Christmas, told the camp: "We finished the pro league at the end of June by playing at the rugby club Harlequins Stoop where a hockey pitch was laid temporarily.

"We beat New Zealand 3-1 in front of 12,000 home fans, which was a brilliant day and an incredible experience.

"Since then we have had a two week trip to Tokyo, Japan to prepare for the 2020 Olympic Games.

"The climate and the culture both being very different to what we are used to back home so it was a great opportunity to get ahead of the game.

"I am now back in Scotland and have joined the Scottish Women’s squad ahead of our European Championships in Glasgow.

"After this I will go back to the Great Britain team where our attention turns solely to qualifying for the Olympics and then hopefully preparing for them.

"It’s a busy, challenging but really rewarding stage of my career and it’s great to share these stories when I am home."

While Sara was perhaps the star of the three-day camp, it was the players themselves who made it a success.

The enthusiasm and eagerness to learn attitude was fantastic throughout and many hockey friendships were formed.