Hockey Family

2019

The Hockey Family is renowned for the warmth it generates and its abilities to bring together people of many different nations, ethnic origins, cultures and religions. Most Masters Hockey participants know it, feel it at tournaments and recognise that it creates bonds and friendships that last for decades. However, it has the capabilities which amaze and surprise.

A particular example, which I will now describe, took place in Terrassa during the 2018 World Cup. It was brought to the attention of tournament officials that some players in an Argentine team were wearing tops or stickers on their sticks and kit which were very anti-British. The officials felt the need to take action to avoid creating unpleasantness and / or perhaps angry confrontations.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that at the centre of the stickers etc., was an Argentine goalkeeper, who had served in the Argentine armed forces and survived the Falklands War / Malvinas Conflict. His name is Juan Carlos Marino, a normal family man with children and grandchildren. However, the insanity of war had left its mark on him and Juan Carlos suffered post-traumatic stress for many years and struggled to fit back into civilian life. His wife and friends had supported him, but the nightmares remained.

He had been a semi-professional football player and loved sport. His friends introduced him to hockey and Juan Carlos found that he really enjoyed the sport which seemed to be a release mechanism for his stress. He also turned out to be a very good goalkeeper and was selected to play for Argentina in Terrassa!

Juan Carlos was very proud of the fact that he could represent his country in peace instead of war. Some of his team mates, aware of his stress issues, supported him by wearing the stickers in solidarity. After a brief discussion, the team managers and players agreed to remove the stickers and no official action was taken. Thinking that was the end of it, the officials were surprised when early next day, the Argentine team management excitedly described what had happened the previous evening.

As fate would have it, one of the Welsh teams was staying in the very same hotel. One of the Welsh lads had been involved in the conflict on the British side. The 2 men were introduced and over a number of beers, talked about their ‘shared’ experiences. They recognised that they were normal human beings who bore no malice to others, but found themselves in a situation they could not control, where they had to follow orders and do things that ordinary, decent human beings do not wish to do – try to kill other human beings.

The chats and the beers over several evenings and the Masters Hockey environment lifted the weight from both their shoulders and allowed them to begin to move on from the trauma of war. They knew in their hearts that they were good people who had a bad experience they would not wish to repeat. For Juan Carlos, it was something of a revelation and in his own words it ‘filled my soul to be next to one who had been my enemy in war and who today was my soul friend’.

Juan Carlos believes that Masters Hockey helped him achieve what he could not achieve alone and he thanks everyone, ‘for filling his heart with so much joy’ and his Argentine team mates for having persuaded him to take up Masters Hockey. Our sport had helped him move further along the road towards being the man he was before the conflict!

Juan Carlos was very happy to have his name and details mentioned. His Welsh soul mate preferred to remain anonymous and we have honoured these wishes. However, this story is worth telling because it is a fantastic example of how the human spirit can rebuild itself, even in its darkest moments.We can all take pride in the fact that a Masters Hockey event was the key that opened the door to allow two of our players to escape the darkness described. We all created the Masters Hockey Family by promoting an atmosphere which is inclusive, friendly, competitive in a healthy way and respectful of all, no matter who they are, where they come from, their skin colour or religious beliefs!