Note- This is my first article!

O Scotland?

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<div align="center"> 18 year old Roland Scith, a Scottish hockey player eligible for the upcoming S35 SMJHL Draft </div>

Roland Scith was going to be the greatest soccer, or rather “football”, player Scotland had ever seen. It was what he'd proclaimed at his 8th birthday party after his parents got him a custom Hibernian F.C. Jersey, the local professional team in the area. There was cake after the presents, but it remained untouched. The rest of the evening was spent scoring championship winning goals in the backyard.

So, when Scith decided at the ripe old age of 13 that he wanted to play hockey, and play for the decorated SHL in North America no less, it certainly came as a surprise.

“There was a [hockey] game on the TV, we were at a local pub and it was a station we don't normally get at home. Roland looked at me and asked 'Mommy, what sport is that?' I told him knowing what it was called of course, but that's about all I knew about it.” Scith's mother, Claire, recalls the moment.

The city of Edinburgh isn't known as a hockey hotbed, but it is home to the Edinburgh Capitals of the EIHL, the top professional hockey league in the United Kingdom. Scith joined the Scottish U14 team Murrayfield as a goalie just a few weeks after his interest began. At the age of 14 he played his way onto the U20 team, an extraordinary accomplishment. His next step? The SMJHL, of course.

He likes to attribute his growing success story to not only the support he received from his parents, but also from his childhood friend, Harry MacKinnon.

“I'm an only child, but my good friend Harry has kept me grounded throughout the years. We played football together growing up, and when I decided I wanted to play hockey he was definitely a big help in convincing my parents, which wasn't easy. There's a lot of fancy equipment you need to play this position.”

MacKinnon is an aspiring athlete himself- he decided to stick with football unlike Scith. He's currently a member of the Hibernian Under 20s team.

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From left to right, Scith and MacKinnon, the age progression from 2007 to 2017 </div>
“It's cool being able seeing each other chase our dreams. When Harry goes pro I'm sending you all his jersey.”

A dream like Scith's and MacKinnon's is something Scith's father, Kenny, had as well. Kenny played football for the Scottish club Cowdenbeath FC, a 4th division team in the now defunct Scottish Football League. However, he was cut from the team in 1998 when he was in his late twenties. It was the final straw for the recently engaged man.

“Money wasn't coming in, it never really was to begin with. I was going to get married and be a dad, so a career change was necessary, and [my wife and I] settled down in South Edinburgh while I went back to school for my Doctorate.”

He's currently a professor at the University of Edinburgh in the School of History Classics and Archaeology, teaching the odd history course to undergraduates, but generally not straying too far from his passion for ancient literature. This passion is showcased through the name of his son. For those who paid attention in English class, the name “Roland” comes from the old, French epic poem called “The Song of Roland”.

“I feel grateful and accomplished for being in the position I'm in now. I had a dream once and it didn't work out, but I'm very happy here.”

Roland is hoping his future takes him on a path different from his father's. And he's certainly been doing his part. He spent many hours away from home in his youth, whether it was driving in the car to practice or working hard on the rink. Kenny Scith remembers the criticism he received as a parent at times.

“I've had people say 'you're pushing him too hard' and 'just let him be a kid' but I'll have none of that. If I didn't move a bone in my body he would still be up at 5 in the morning going for a run. I can say with utmost confidence that my boy is just that driven.”

Scith attributes his agility, impressive reflexes, and unique hybrid style to the hours of time he spent playing goalkeeper on the football pitch. As he prepares for the upcoming SMJHL draft, he finds peace in the picturesque Scottish fields of his home.

“I like to think of the cottage [my family and I] go to every summer up in Perth to try and loosen up before a big game, it's how I stay focused. But this upcoming draft will be bigger than any game I've ever played. Playing in North America will be a big change of scenery and far away from my parents. It's gonna be tough mentally, but my life has been filled with people saying I couldn't do it, and this is just another hill to climb. ” ◘
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©SMJHL Media Company

Good read man

Well written article dude