Canterbury Hockey Club Ladies player-coach Jen Wilson has been invited to join the coaching staff of the Scottish national team.

The 36-year-old striker – born in Zimbabwe but a triple-Olympian with South Africa – has guided the Polo Farm club to two top-two finishes in the Investec National Premier Division in her two seasons in charge, qualifying for Europe on each occasion.

The forward – top-scorer at the Athens 2004 games and a Beijing 2008 and London 2012 veteran – said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity. It came out of the blue but I was
delighted.

“I was involved on the coaching side with their strikers last summer in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games and at the Investec Cup. I think it developed from there.”

She added: “It’s good progression for me and a good learning opportunity for me to work with (coach) Gordon Shepherd.

“It is a good stepping stone for my coaching career and supports my work as head of hockey at King’s School and as coach of Canterbury Ladies – although it won’t affect my commitments there.

“Scotland tend to train in full-time blocks in the summer months before a major competition and will be training in June, July and August ahead of the European Championships at Lee Valley, London, at the end of August.”