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Embracing an amazing opportunity, Sydney Uni Hockey Club’s (SUHC) Director of Coaching, Scott Barker is currently in Germany helping prepare the Russian National Hockey team for Round 2 of the World Hockey League tournament to be held in Trinidad Tobago from March 25 –April 2, 2017.

Barker has already had a stint as Assistant Coach for the Australian under 21s Men’s Hockey team and this latest appointment confirms his rising international coaching status.

With a wealth of coaching experience, Barker joined Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness (SUSF) in 2012 as its Director of Hockey and his guidance has brought much success to SUHC, including our Women’s 1st grade team in winning the Club’s first ever premier league title. Part of Barker’s role with SUHC is to create pathways for members of the SUSF Elite Athlete Program and to oversee both the men’s and women’s SUHC premier teams.

A great deal is at stake for the lower-ranked Russian and other teams in these early rounds of the World Hockey League as they vie for qualification to the World Hockey League Semi Finals in June and July.  The ultimate prize is winning qualification into the 2018 Hockey World Cup and Barker has been extremely pleased with the progression and professionalism of the team

“I have been very fortunate to be working with Russian National Team since January. Having  recently completed a training camp in Barcelona which included 3 games against Scotland we are now in Germany for 3 games v Germany u21’s, which is the perfect preparation for World League 2. Although I have been exceptionally impressed with their individual core skills my focus now is to provide them with game awareness and education to have the ability to play different playing structures in Trinidad and Tobago,” said Barker.

The Australian men’s team is not required to compete in these qualifying events given it is a recent Hockey World Cup, World League and Champion’s Trophy winner. Australia has direct entry in the Semi-Finals in Johannesburg from July 8-23 this year.

In the Trinidad and Tobago tournament Russia will lock horns with Switzerland, Barbados, China, Japan, hosts Trinidad & Tobago, USA and Canada.

Helping develop a National field Hockey team, as Russia improve its international standing, is a major challenge when you consider the pre-eminence of the sport of ice hockey in its culture and Olympic history. Barker’s timing is good as the field hockey sport under the Russian Hockey Federation is growing and determined to advance.

There would be no one more qualified and committed than Scott Barker to take on such a challenge and everybody at SUSF wishes him all the best in this exciting and impressive opportunity.

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