A Father's Dual Focus: Strategy in Malaysia, Pride in Madurai
While the senior Indian men's hockey team was deep in preparation for their crucial Sultan Azlan Shah tournament match against Canada in Malaysia this Saturday, their chief coach, Craig Fulton, had his attention divided across two countries. Nearly 6,500 kilometers away, in Madurai, a piece of his heart was taking the field at the FIH Junior Men's Hockey World Cup.
Jake Fulton: A Hockey Prodigy Following Olympic Footsteps
The object of Craig's long-distance pride was his 16-year-old son, Jake Fulton, who made his Junior World Cup debut for Ireland in their thrilling 4-3 victory over Canada on Friday. At just 16, Jake is one of the youngest competitors in the entire tournament. The Fulton family, originally from South Africa, moved to Ireland in 2014 to pursue professional hockey, which is why Jake now dons the Irish green.
Hockey is truly the family's legacy. Jake picked up a hockey stick at the mere age of two and grew up idolizing Belgian star striker Tom Boon. Both of his parents are Olympians; Craig represented South Africa at the 1996 Atlanta Games, and he and his wife, Natalie, made history as the first married couple to represent South Africa at the 2004 Olympics.
A Bittersweet Moment for a Proud Father
Despite his immense pride, Coach Fulton couldn't hide a tinge of disappointment at not being physically present for his son's big moment. In a conversation with TOI, he explained the scheduling conflict. "I planned the annual training and competition calendar for the Indian team almost nine months ago, and at that time Jake was only 16," Craig said. "The news of him making the squad came only last month, and it’s quite a bummer that I can’t be there to watch him play."
While Craig will be cheering from a screen, the family was well-represented in the stands. His wife, Natalie, was there in person to cheer for their son. Although Jake did not score a goal in his debut match, he was a dynamic presence on the field. Playing for his father's former club, Pembroke Wanderers, in the Irish league, the young striker was a livewire in the attacking front, successfully setting up a goal and earning a penalty corner for his team.
