UK Lions Tour to India - Neil McIntyre
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UK Lions - India Tour
Kelburne are proud to announce that Neil McIntyre has to selected to represent the UK Lions during their tour India next week. Read about his experience and make sure to keep a look out for updates on their results.
Ever since Neil attended the Under 13 boys hockey tournament in Nottingham at the age of 10 it was an aspiration to be selected for the UK Lions, a team selected from the best players at the tournament. When he received the letter in 2012 to say he had been selected he was very happy and looked forward to playing. Although there was a lot of travelling involved the training and standard of hockey was excellent, playing junior club, district and national teams. The year culminated with a tournament in Belfast which was of a high standard and all the boys enjoyed. The next training session was to be the last of this group of boys but one of the parents, Satt Matharu, discussed with us the idea of keeping the boys together and going on an international tour. With Graham Bell and Pete Aitkens agreement plans were put in place to go to India to play in what would be an exceptional opportunity for some of the boys. Left - At Cannock in 2012 meeting Ashley Jackson, Glenn Kirkham and James Fair
On the 12th December all the plans come to fruition when Neil will travel to India as part of a UK Lions team to take part in the All India Maharaja Ranjit Singh Jr. Gold Cup Boys Hockey Tournament. The tournament takes place at Amritsar Hockey Club. It will be the culmination of a brilliant time as part of the UK Lions Invitational team. For Neil and myself it is a once in a lifetime opportunity and a great chance for Neil to play international hockey. The UK Lions side has several English, Scottish and Welsh junior internationalists and they hope to put up a good show with teams competing from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Malaysia as well as host country India. It will give Neil the chance to see different styles of hockey as well as the facilities other countries have. The boys will not only play hockey but will be given the opportunity to visit schools and do some charitable work, with the team taking gifts of medical equipment
UK Lions v Wales at Repton 2013
All teams attend the tournament opening ceremony and the tournament itself will take place from the 15th to the 20th December. The UK Lions will also play a friendly against Amritsar Hockey Club Juniors on the 14th December in preparation. It should be an excellent trip and all the boys are really looking forward to it. They have all come a long way since the under 13 boys tournament in Nottingham in 2012
Some of the UK Lions squad who are going to India Beeston 2014
