Pontypool mum Jo Draper’s job with Monmouthshire County Council led to her 12-year-old son taking up hockey.
That was in 2010 and today 26-year-old Jacob is preparing to represent Team GB in the quarter-finals at the Paris Olympic Games. It’s the second time he has played in the Olympics but three years ago, Covid restrictions meant his friends and family couldn’t be in the stands in Tokyo.
This time it’s a different story with Torfaen well-represented in the crowds in France.
Cwmbran Life spoke to Jo from her Paris hotel this morning where they’re getting ready for tomorrow’s showdown against India.
Jo, her husband Alastair Eustace, and their five sons live in Griffithstown. Her job saw her working in Monmouth and to make life easier, Jacob enrolled at Monmouth Comprehensive School.
She said: “Jacob was a footballer and played for Cwmbran Celtic, Cardiff City, a little bit of Bristol. The PE teacher ran boys hockey. That’s really rare in a non-independent school.
“She said ‘we’re down a player’ and gave him a hockey stick.
“He came home and said ‘I played this game of hockey today. I fancy finding a club’. I said ‘ok’ and spoke to someone at work who played at Gwent Hockey.
“He started playing alongside football. Hockey was a relaxing thing he did. Soon enough hockey took over.”
She said the “culture” at Gwent Hockey Club means the “older experienced players bring on the younger ones who have the legs” and this means it’s a supportive sport for all ages.
His four younger brothers all followed him into the sport. This week two of his brothers travelled back to the UK from Paris after seeing him play to take part in a large tournament in Malvern.
Jo said: “It’s amazing, amazing, overwhelming. We’re so proud to sit in an Olympic stadium and watch him play. He’s a strong player, you watch him and know what he can do on the stage. It’s special as he’s got his family around. Paris is as close to a home [Olympic] games as you get.
“There is a lovely atmosphere here. We’re staying about 12 minutes from the hockey stadium. I’m looking out of the window now and can see typical French shutters and Olympic bunting.”
She hopes Jabob’s and Team GB’s achievements encourage more schools to give boys a hockey stick to try the sport.
Jo said: “I’m on a mission to get all these local comprehensive schools to start giving boys a hockey stick. Footballers make great hockey players, it’s the spacial skills.
“I hope this [Paris Olympics) exposes more boys to hockey and shows this is something they can do.”
The knock-game starts at 9am on Sunday 4 August with Jo and Alastair planning a relaxing day in the city today before the nailbiting match tomorrow.
Jo said: “I’m going to be a nervous wreck. We’ve beaten India in the last two Pro League matches. But it’s tight at the top. Fingers crossed they’ll do it and get into the medals.”
As a promising young player, Jacob received funding from the Mic Morris Trust, run by Torfaen Council’s sports development team, to buy a pair of “proper hockey shoes”.
Jacob has been capped 81 times for Wales and 62 times for Great Britain. He plays for Pinoké in the Netherlands.
Mark Broom, one of his coaches at Cwmbran Celtic FC, was in Paris this week to cheer on his former player in the match against Germany. In a touching Facebook post he wrote:
“From Cwmbran Celtic to Team GB. Jacob played his junior football at Cwmbran Celtic managed by Mark Pritchard and then Dean Brown He was always a special stand out lad, I remember him always making a point of shaking my hand and saying Thankyou coach to me after every game we (Fairfield) played against Celtic, he stuck in my mind because of that gesture, it was special for a 7 or 8 year old lad.
“Jacob was to go on and represent the Torfaen academy squad which I managed and continued to set the standards not just as a player, but as an outstanding young man.
“His hockey journey started at about 12/13 years old and eventually at 16 had to make a tough decision for a young lad – Football or Hockey.
“Starting at Gwent Hockey, Jacob has played for some of the Top European clubs in Belgium and the Netherlands, has a European Champions title under his belt and has gone onto represent Wales and Great Britain Hockey and is currently out in Paris at his 2nd Olympic Games (The 1st being Tokyo 2020)
“I watched Jacob compete for Wales in the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham and recently in London at the pre-Olympic Pro tournament for GB (Vice Captain)
“I’m travelling out to Paris on Tuesday and next Friday I’m excited to get the chance to watch him play for GB Hockey against Germany in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“Jacob Draper is doing our community in Torfaen and Wales very proud.”