A KIRKCALDY hockey player has been made captain of his club – six years after injury almost forced him out of the game.
Paul Gillespie was an up and coming international prospect as a teenager until a shoulder problem threatened to wreck his playing career.
While playing for his hown town club he dislocated his right shoulder no fewer than eight times over a period o
f a year.
During that time he played very little hockey and dropped out of the Scotland scene after playing at both under 16 and under 18 level.
But Paul refused to turn his back on the sport he had grown to love and went under the knife in 1999 in an attempt to solve the problem.
He battled back from surgery and kick-started his career with National Division One side MIM Edinburgh.
He enjoyed four successful seasons at the club, one as captain, before returning to Fife to star for Alphadata Carnegie, which merged with Kirkcaldy Hockey Club five years ago.
Paul has since been rewarded for a string of outstanding performances for the Dunfermline side with the captaincy, although he admitted that his chances of a Scotland return are now slim.
"Since my injury I've been out of the international picture," said the 24-year-old former Kirkcaldy High School pupil.
"It''s frustrating to think what might have been had I not had the shoulder problem.
"I'm playing in National Division Two now, and the Scottish coaches tend not to look at players at that level.
"But I'm delighted to be named captain and I'll be looking to lead by example on the pitch.
"We have a lot of youngsters coming through so a top five finish would be a good achievement."
Anyone interested in taking up hockey with Carnegie should contact Bob Rennie on (01383) 736951.
