Sports: Hockey - Euan Dyer
- Year: First
- Subject: Physics
- Sport: Hockey
- Position: Midfielder
Details of your sporting career at Merton and Oxford
During 2021/2022 I played for the Men's first team, earning a Blue in Hockey.
What got you started in your sport?
When I was nine I watched hockey at the 2012 London Olympics and became really interested in the sport; soon after I joined my local hockey club.
How do you manage to stay competitive in your chosen sport while maintaining the level of academic work required?
I have had to decide what I prioritise. Regular training is very important to stay competitive in matches, and so I aim to attend all training sessions. This will sometimes mean arranging with other students to swap tutorial times for the day if tutorials are ever scheduled at the same time as training. Alongside that, I plan when I will work around my hockey schedule.
What’s special about the sporting side of life at Merton?
It is great to have a gym within 50 paces of my room that is free to use.
Who is your sporting hero?
When I was younger, one of the players I enjoyed watching the most was Christopher Rühr. He is a German International who won the FIH Rising Star of the Year award, around the same time that I started to really focus on my hockey.
What’s been your greatest moment on the field of play so far?
With Oxford – playing in the Varsity, one of the biggest crowds I have played in front of providing a great atmosphere that was made even better with a win.
In general – playing for the Under-23 Welsh Men's team in a test series vs Scotland Under-23s. It is the highest level of hockey I have played in so far, and it was great to be pushed physically, technically, and tactically during those three days.
…the worst...?
Missing a penalty flick to lose us a place in the final of a Junior Under-12 Welsh cup.
...the funniest...?
Forgetting to bring my stick to a hockey match when I was younger.
...and the weirdest?
The whole of the Malaysia Under-21s team walking off the pitch near the end of the game in a match they were winning, in protest against decisions made by the umpires.
Finally, what word, phrase or mental picture do you use to get yourself through the tough times in your sport?
During times when I have lost my form or feel I am not improving quickly enough, I visualise myself properly executing whatever it is that I am having difficulty with.