Meet Rob Short – Canada’s #13
July 27, 2009
In August 2008, Rob Short led the Canadian Team at the Olympic Games in Beijing. At 36, he was the oldest player in the field hockey competition and the pundits predicted that Beijing would be his swan song, ending in style an international career rich with 277 Caps.
 |
|
A few months later however, in Santiago de Chile, Rob was still a key player in the Canadian Team that won the Pan American Cup, running the midfield, haranguing the troops and scoring goals. And, with Canada now qualified for the 2010 World Cup in Delhi, Rob has no intention of stopping his international career and is well on his way to reaching the mythical landmark of 300 international caps, attained by very few players on the world scene.
We contacted Rob in Holland while the National Team was playing in Russia (a visa problem prevented him from participating):
Rob, what is your current life like in Holland?
My life in Holland revolves around hockey. I am a professional hockey player and have been playing for the last 12 years in the Hoofdklasse, the top league in the world. Each week, we have six training sessions, two to three weight/running sessions, plus of course a match on the Sunday. On the side my spare time is used running my North American business, Mantis Hockey Ltd.
I have recently purchased a house in Amsterdam after living in Rotterdam for seven years. Once I made the move to Amsterdam, I fell in love with the city instantly! It is more international, it has beautiful architecture, parks, impressive museums and overall a great vibe. And, of course, the famous canals: I also bought a boat which I park in front of my house and appropriately named her “Canuck"! I have a Dutch girlfriend who also plays hockey so although we are apart for a good chunk of the year, we both understand that it is what we have chosen to do… and while missing each other a lot, we both love it!
How was this last season in the Dutch League?
It was difficult. I now play for Laren, a club that was promoted to the top tier again two years ago. Last year, we finished 10th and were forced into a playoff to stay in the top league. This year, after winning those playoffs, we had high expectations: the club hired one of the top coaches in the world, Roelant Oltmans, picked up Salman Akbar (Pakistan, who I feel is currently the best keeper in the world), Rehan Butt (also from Pakistan), Luke Doerner (Australian corner-specialist) and Eddie Ockenden (also from Australia, who was awarded the 2009 World’s Best Youth Player). We had the team and the coaching, but we only finished one spot better than the previous year, in 9th position… Somewhat disappointing!
 |
| Photo: Yan Huckendubler |
What is the secret to stay at the top level for so long?
Fitness is of course crucial. But the most important factor for me is the desire to win and the love of the game! Sometimes, I think about what it will be like to not play hockey anymore. I just had a 6 week break from the field now (which doesn’t happen very often!) and I am really anxious to start playing again! I love it so much that I honestly struggle without playing hockey for longer periods of time! It scares me to think of not having a team of guys to socialize with, to compete together with, and to have a common goal to shoot for. I will miss it very much when I decide to stop… All of these factors have kept me motivated and focused over the years.
Is the motivation to play for Canada still intact after all these years?
It has never even dropped an inch! Each time I put on the Canadian jersey, I am proud, excited, nervous and full of adrenaline. People laugh when I say that I want to play in the 2012 Olympic Games. It is my goal but, who knows, hopefully we will have some better players taking my spot by that time. Of course, my current motivation and focus are purely on the World Cup in India in March.
How is the chemistry with the younger players in the Canadian squad?
Great! To be honest, we lacked the chemistry in the last few years, due to a number of underlying issues. If a team is not on the same page, or if some individuals have their own agenda, you will never win, as we have learned the hard way. What our new coach Alan Brahmst has done, since taking over after Beijing, is let the team be responsible for their actions and it has worked well so far. I don’t say it would work with all teams, but it does with this group of individuals. The combination between veterans, middle-aged players now with Olympic experience, and the raw youngsters is fantastic.
I feel that the biggest factor for the team’s performance in Chile, where we qualified for the World Cup, was the buy-in from everyone, from the oldest to the youngest. Young players knew their role, had no expectations other than doing what they could and they did it perfectly. Our 21-24 years old players stepped their game up a notch, proving once again that Olympic experience, and playing top teams, does make a difference. Then our veterans performed well under pressure, which seems to have become a Canadian Team trademark in the Pan American competitions!
If I could choose the most important group from these three, I would choose the first: we would not have achieved our
|
| Photo: Yan Huckendubler |
goal without young guys supporting, learning, performing their role and eager to win. This is necessary for the future of our sport. Step into the team, be welcome, understand the importance of team chemistry, respect the hierarchy within the team, and make sure that every action / comment / discussion serves the team! While I doubted a few of the player picks prior to Chile, I now understand that Alan Brahmst selected the team with this in mind.
What are the prospects for the current team?
Top 8 at the World Cup! I cannot look further than that, but I have heard great things about some of the young players currently playing for Canada in Russia.
What are your top three memories with the Canadian Team since you started (back in 1994)?
I have four, but they are in no particular order:
2009 Pan Am Cup in Santiago: we shocked the hockey world again! Throughout the Olympics, we were forced to listen to some of the top coaches and hockey analysts suggest that we were not good enough to be there and that Argentina were much better. From myself and on behalf of the team, I would like to thank those "people who know": their doubts motivated us to qualify for India more than they can imagine!
1998 World Cup in Utrecht: scoring 2 goals against favorites Germany in a 4-4 tie! The whole tournament, played in front of huge crowds, was amazing. We finished 8th, taking Canada to its best ever finish in a world competition.
1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg: winning over Argentina to qualify for the 2000 Olympic Games! We were the favorites over Argentina at the time, but it was as sweet as when we are the underdogs.
2007 Pan American Gold Medal in Rio de Janeiro: winning in penalty-strokes to make it to the Beijing Olympics was a dream come true… and a real shock to the hockey world!
__
Rob Short first played for the Canadian Team in 1994 against Cuba and has now earned 284 international “Caps” (as of June 2009). He has played in:
- Two Olympic Games (2000 in Sydney and 2008 in Beijing)
- One World Cup (1998 in Utrecht)
- Three Commonwealth Games (1998 in Kuala Lumpur, 2002 in Manchester and 2006 in Melbourne)
- Four Pan American Games (1995 in Mar de Plata, 1999 in Winnipeg, 2003 in Santo Domingo and 2007 in Rio de Janeiro)
- Three Pan American Cups (2000 in Cuba, 2004 in London, Ontario, and 2009 in Santiago de Chile)
