Eddie Harper selected for GB Hockey Development Programme

Stamford School sports scholar, Eddie Harper, was selected for the Men’s Great Britain Elite Development Squad for 2019/2020 season on 27th September 2019. The training squad is comprised of 34 players within the age ranges of U18 to U23 and leads to selection for U21 and U23 appearances. The GB EDP forms a passage to the GB Senior Training Squad, accelerating the development of future medal winning Olympians.Eddie has represented England at U18 level throughout the 2018/19 season, spanning several international and home appearances. Just earlier this year, he was selected to represent England at the 2019 Six Nations competition in Eindhoven, in all five tournament matches against Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Germany and Holland, where he scored his first international goal against Spain.Following repeated selections at Junior Regional Performance Centre level, it was Eddie’s performance at the England Hockey Futures Cup last year that earned him selection for a National Age Groups Squads assessment weekend, whereby he was chosen as one of the final 25 strong England U18 Squad. His Hockey career flourished when he joined Stamford School when he also began playing for Royston Hockey Club and City of Peterborough, moving to National League at the age of 16 to play for Cambridge City Men’s 1st team. Eddie displayed a passion for sport from a young age, first announcing his desire to play hockey for England during an assembly in Year 4 at Therfield Primary School.Following the news of his selection, Eddie said: “It’s been a very demanding few weeks, mentally and physically, but I’m absolutely thrilled with the result and I’m really looking forward to my next challenge.”Regarding Eddie’s next steps, Ian Harper, Eddie’s father, commented: “It is a very exciting and challenging time for Ed, and rightly so, he is very chuffed. He is great kid and his Mum Jane and I, along with our respective partners, his brother Max, and all of his extended family, we could not be prouder.“