Amy Costello goes into this week’s EuroHockey Championships as an integral member of Scotland women’s hockey team and so it goes without saying that her country will be looking to her to lead by example in what is one of the most important weeks of the Scotland squad’s year.
But as also a member of GB’s international squad, Scottish success could, potentially, have a significantly detrimental impact on Costello herself, and GB’s, coming year.
The 2023 EuroHockey tournament, which begins today in the German city of Mönchengladbach sees GB split into the home nations, with England’s results being attributed to GB when it comes to world ranking points.
If England win this tournament, GB goes straight into the Paris Olympics next summer.
If they don’t however, GB will have to negotiate an always-tricky qualifying tournament in early 2024.
And with Scotland facing England, the world number six team compared to Scotland’s ranking of 18, in the group stages at this week’s EuroHockey, Costello finds herself at the centre of a quite considerable conflict of interest.
“It’s very bizarre, to be in this position,” she says.
“I’m well aware what’s riding on this tournament for GB so it’s quite challenging because if Scotland do well, we could potentially take important ranking points off GB so it is quite conflicting.”
However, Costello, along with a select few of her Scottish teammates at this tournament who also are part of the GB set-up is in no doubt her sole focus will be on Scottish success.
Their campaign begins today against Germany, with their other group matches against Ireland and England to follow and with a strong summer behind the Scots, including a draw against England last month in a series they narrowly lost, Costello is in an optimistic mood, despite the absence of captain, Sarah Robertson, due to injury.
“At the end of the day, we want to win and do Scotland proud so the GB stuff can’t come into it,” the defender from Edinburgh says.
“I have to approach it that I’m there to play hockey and not think about anything else. The few of us that are involved with GB have talked about it and we all need to go out there and do our jobs, hopefully put in a good performance and focus only on that.
“Scotland have big goals too – we want to stay in the top division for a start but we also have an ambitious goal of getting through our group. That’ll be tough but we’re not shy of setting these targets and nothing is impossible.”
This tournament is a rare outing in the blue of Scotland for Costello, who plays her club hockey for English side, Surbiton.
The 25-year-old year-old is currently immersed in GB’s preparations for Paris 2024 in what is the defender’s second Olympic cycle.
Costello was also included in GB’s squad in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics but missed out on Olympic selection at the final hurdle, being named as a reserve and so not playing a part in any of GB’s matches in Tokyo and therefore not being awarded a bronze medal when the team finished in third place.
It was, she admits, such a stinging experience that she seriously considered stepping away from hockey permanently.
However, she persevered and finally, Costello returned to her old self.
It’s not been an easy road, but one that Costello believes she’s stronger for travelling.
“Had you asked me post-Olympics how I felt, I wasn’t even sure I’d pick up a stick again I was so disappointed,” she says.
“It took a good year and a half to feeling how I do these days, where I’m back enjoying hockey, wanting to be on the pitch and wanting to train.
“The disappointment is definitely less raw now, although I’m probably still not quite fully over it. It’s always going to hurt a little bit but that’s not a bad thing. So I’m feeling in a good place.”
Paris 2024 is now only 10 months away and although Costello’s immediate focus is performing for Scotland, her longer-term goal is ensuring that she does make the final Olympic cut for GB this time around. And while there are few certainties in elite sport, there’s several vital lessons Costello believes she’s learnt from her Olympic disappointment that will, she hopes, ensure this Olympic cycle has a more positive outcome for her.
“Second time around, it does feel different. I’m more clued-up about what this next year might feel like, and having missed out last time, it fuels me that bit more this time,” she says.
“Having reflected on the Tokyo cycle, I could maybe have pushed a bit harder at certain points and so I’ve learnt to just throw absolutely everything at it and make sure I have no regrets.
“Last time, I almost feared selection and thought a lot about what it’d feel like to be picked or not be picked whereas now, I’ve been picked for things and not picked for things and so this time, I’ve got absolutely nothing to lose and just want to throw absolutely everything at it.
Yes, of course I want to get picked for the Olympics next summer but if I don’t, I’ve still got so many more attributes so I don’t need to fear not being there.”
