The hockey community was in full force over the Easter weekend as the Hoci Cymru Easter Series took centre stage at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
The event comprised of a series of international tests for the NAGS Boys and Girls, the Dreigiau Women, and the Senior Women sides.
Taking in the action was a roaring crowd that maintained its steady flow into the National Hockey Centre throughout the series, with a total of around 2,000 tickets sold over the event.
It was brilliant to see a bumper crowd watching through their screen as well, with a total streaming viewership of more than 10,000 over the series!
Hoci Cymru were thrilled to have seen such an enthusiastic, energised, and engaged crowd over the series, with people of all ages attending and demonstrating what the sport means to so many in Wales.
“I don’t play personally, but I have a wife and two daughters who play,” one fan told us. “One plays for the U18s and another in the Senior side, so it’s a big part of our lives with a lot of travelling and supporting!”
“Seeing my daughters playing and getting involved in team sports is absolutely fantastic,” another added.
“It’s really important, bringing social and physical benefits to boys and girls who play hockey,” one girl told Hoci Cymru, with another commenting that “it’s a great way to get people outside to help with mental health.”
And as one young fan put it when asked what she loved about hockey, “a lot!”
It was wonderful to witness fans flooding through the ticket gate to show how much the sport meant to them.
Hoci Cymru also talked to several fans about the Easter Series itself, and how important it was to host such competitions on Welsh soil.
“It’s wonderful to have these events,” we were told, “because people come and watch and enjoy, and are then encouraged to start playing.”
“It’s fantastic to come and support Wales, but also to be able to come and watch high-quality matches and learn from them, right on our doorstep,” another supporter stated.
One fan described the Easter Series as a “huge positive”, with such events helping in “building the sport, and getting more players into the pathway.”
“It’s really good to have the Easter Series here and have Wales play on home soil, as it promotes Welsh culture and our sport,” one fan explained to us. “A lot of the time people may think of us as just a small country, but it’s important to show our presence as well.”
“It’s brilliant to have these competitions here,” a couple went on to confirm. “It reaches such a wide audience and, you can see by the crowds here today with all the youngsters coming along, it’s a fantastic for everybody!”
A family went on to confirm that “it’s absolutely fantastic to see young people enjoying themselves with sport at the highest level in our local community!”
Hoci Cyrmu CEO, Paul Whapham, commented:
“A lot of factors made the Easter Series such a brilliant occasion, but the fans were without a doubt a major contributor.
“We’re lucky enough in Wales to have a loyal and passionate fanbase, and that was very visible as a selection of our Welsh sides took to the pitch over the weekend.
“The smiles, the noise, and the unwavering support of our athletes was amazing to see. Hoci Cymru would like to thank all of those who attended the Easter Series this year, and we look forward to seeing those fans and more for upcoming events.”