Solicitor Sarah Jamieson will swap defending clients for scoring goals when the Edinburgh-born hockey forward makes her Birmingham 2022 bow.
The 28-year-old is making her second Commonwealth Games appearance, having already helped Team Scotland to a seventh-place finish on the Gold Coast four years ago.
Since then, Jamieson has begun practicing law for TC Young LLP, and says that her background in hockey helped to ease that unlikely transition.
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With the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games set to inspire people and communities across the country this summer, Jamieson hopes sharing her story will give others motivation to get involved in sport and turn their dreams into reality.
“The fact that I’ve always worked in teams with hockey helps me get on with my colleagues,” Jamieson explained.
“I’m used to being around a host of different personalities and with the clients I deal with I have to handle a range of personalities, that definitely helps.
“And always having had my training whilst studying, you learn to manage time a bit better and be ahead of schedule.”
This summer, Team Scotland, supported by funding raised by National Lottery players, will compromise of over 250 athletes, and having secured her place on the squad, Jamieson is looking for medal success.
Jamieson says she feared she would have to forgo her hockey career before starting her traineeship in 2019.
So she was delighted to have been offered a place by TC Young, with an office in Edinburgh allowing her to continue to play for club side Watsonians.
“Playing hockey filled time for a good couple of years post Uni, and I thought depending on where I get this traineeship, I might need to slow things down on the hockey side of things,” said Jamieson.
“I haven’t ended up having to, I might have a few more bag under my eyes but I’ve somehow managed to find a firm that really supports and loves that I play hockey to such a high level, but also understands that it’s up to me to organise my week and to get my work done.
“It just means the world that I haven’t had to sacrifice on either side.”
Next on the agenda is this summer’s Games, where Scotland will be hoping to secure a first ever hockey medal at the Commonwealths.
And though Jamieson concedes that Birmingham cannot match Gold Coast for glamour and sunshine, she believes there is one big upside to playing in the UK.
“Birmingham has quite a few perks,” she explained.
“Family and friends can come and watch, and it will be great to have more of a home crowd there.
“What’s so special about the Commonwealth Games is being part of Team Scotland, and I’m sure that will still carry over.
“It’ll be great to be in the village with the other sports and to follow their progress.”
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