Scottish Hockey is working with consultant, Ben Grant, as it investigates how Esports can offer participation, education, and life skills opportunities through hockey.
As Scottish Hockey embarks on the Build phase of its overarching strategy, it is logical that gaming’s use in driving inclusion and participation in the sport is explored, setting conditions for potential success in the future.
91% of UK 3 to 15 year olds are now playing some form of video game (transcending socio-economic status, with ca.27% of UK children living in poverty).
The benefits of gaming are multifaceted, with 64% of university level gamers being physically active 3+ days a week, to young girls who play nine hours of video games per week being 3.5 times more likely to study a STEM subject in school.
Scottish Hockey is delighted to work with Ben Grant on exploring how Esports can grow hockey in Scotland, while offering educational opportunities to all.
Ben has amassed a number of achievements early in his professional career, from receiving the top commendation from the UK’s prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for his Outstanding Leadership across the British Army, to steering the performance of a European award winning online marketing campaign.
Ben’s journey into Esports started in 2020, when he set up an online gaming match to keep soldiers connected during Covid-19 lockdown. What started as a small four player game, soon evolved into a semi-professional club of 250 members, competing in regular Army Inter-Corps competition.
Ben led British Army in Scotland research into how Esports could enable defence outputs, with a particular focus on creating innovative STEM opportunities for young people, linked to the future workforce requirements of the cyber age. Since then, he has worked with stakeholders from across government, industry, academia, and most recently professional sports, to explore how Esports can augment organisations across an array of outputs.
No stranger to traditional sports, Ben has represented Scotland at age group level over track 400m & 4x400m, and is a two-time British Army 800m Champion. He is a recipient of the Remploy Citizenship Award, and has previously been selected as a Queens Commonwealth Baton Bearer in recognition of his contributions to grassroots sports and communities.
Currently, Ben is working closely with Esports Scotland to build on the organisation’s success following its medal winning Commonwealth Games debut in 2022, and to set conditions for formalised Esports sports governance.
Ben said, “I’m excited by the work being undertaken by Scottish Hockey as a modern, forward leaning governing body, and I’m looking forward to working closely with the team in the coming months. It is an innovative project, and one that has great potential to unlock opportunities for everyone through sports.”
