This is Ireland’s first ever qualification for the prestigious tournament, which will take place in Heidelberg, Germany next January.
McCabe, managing director at Oasis Travel, was training with the Irish outdoor hockey team when one of the coaches suggested he try out for the indoor hockey team, a niche sport that is seeing a resurgence of popularity in Ireland. Outdoor hockey teams have 11 players, while indoor hockey teams have six including the goalkeeper, and the game is played with lighter sticks on a smaller court with sideboards.
“I had never played indoor hockey until a couple of years ago,” explains Scott. “But I really liked it, I went through the trials and played with the Ireland team in the European second division, which we won.”
Now Scott balances his responsibilities at Oasis Travel – which has eight branches across Northern Ireland – with hockey training in Dublin and travelling the world to play matches.
As part of the Ireland team’s preparation for Germany, they have travelled to South Africa and Malaysia for tournaments.
“I’m very fortunate to work for a family business where I can take the time for sport, and everyone at Oasis is very understanding,” he says.
He balances hockey and work commitments, by getting up earlier when he’s on tour, and clearing emails for a couple of hours before breakfast. During those trips where there’s a time difference, such as Malaysia, he says being away actually gives him the headspace to progress business projects, without being interrupted by the constant ping of emails.
“It sounds full on,” he says. “But when I’m not in a team meeting or training, there is free time, which I use for work, when others might go for a walk or take a nap. Then, when it’s match time, I put the laptop away and focus 100% on the game.”
Scott says it’s a huge honour to be playing for Ireland against the best indoor hockey teams in the world. “It’s an exciting time for the sport in Ireland because we’re relatively new and we’re really hungry to give it a go. A team like Germany has more players and better financial backing, but we don’t want to be there just to make up the numbers, we want to compete really hard… in the Irish way,” he adds.
Demand for the sport in Ireland “has been blowing the roof off” in the last 18 months, he says. “It really opened my eyes when a few of us were asked to help coach teams for a youth tournament – there were under-16s, under-18s, girls and boys, and it was like a festival.”
And when he played in South Africa, he had a little taste of the adulation that comes with elite sport, when more than 1,000 local children turned up to watch an evening match, and besieged the players with demands for autographs and selfies. “That was pretty surreal,” he laughs.
Scott (front row, second right) with the Irish indoor hockey team in South Africa in 2025
However, building a grassroots movement all the way up to international level has come with financial challenges. The Irish team currently have no major backers and self-fund all their training, kit requirements and travel to international tournaments.
“We are actively seeking sponsorship to help us on this journey,” Scott says. “Achieving our funding goal is an ambitious but vital step in making this opportunity possible. We are a niche sport but our team players come from a variety of different backgrounds and ages, so any sponsor would be widely promoted within different industries. And we’re small enough to say to a sponsor – what do you need from us? There’s not a lot of red tape involved.”
“Travelling the world, playing elite-level teams, is the best preparation for the European and the World Cups but it’s finding the money to do it. We want our coach to be able to pick the best team, not simply the players who can afford it.”
With eyes on future World Cups and ambitions for global dominance in the sport of indoor hockey, is there a danger that the travel industry will lose Scott to the glamorous world of international sport full-time?
“Ha, no,” he laughs. “Oasis Travel is my priority but I have to enjoy my sport while I’m young and healthy enough to play like this. Certain other things in life will have to take a back seat for now but I’m so fortunate to travel the world, both for work and for my sport.”
For sponsorship enquiries, please contact Scott McCabe via enquiries@oasis-travel.co.uk
