Shinty: New Skye captain ‘blown away’ after being asked to wear the armband

New Skye Camanachd captain Ryan Harrison has spoken of the “friendly and welcoming” reception he’s received since moving to the island two years ago.

After progressing through the youth ranks at Glasgow Mid Argyll, Harrison became a mainstay in the senior side which went on to win the Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Challenge Cup in 2022, defeating Kyles Athletic 1-0 in the final.

However, the imposing full back was quickly snapped up by former Skye manager Willie MacDonald when he moved to the island a couple of years later.

Harrison immediately became a huge hit with the Skye support, and his performances were further recognised when Scotland manager Alan MacRae gave him a starting debut in last season’s shinty-hurling international against Ireland.

With the new season just weeks away, Ryan Harrison has now been named Skye skipper, something he regards as an honour.

He said: “When the manager Kenny MacLeod called me, I thought it was just to see how I was feeling after three tough nights of training, so I was blown away when he asked me to be captain.

“It’s a huge honour and I called my dad straight after Kenny phoned as this is something that means so much to me and to the whole family.

“To be honest, part of me did worry how folk would take the news as I’m not that long in the door at Skye and I didn’t know a lot of the lads when I joined the club, but I’ve had lots of messages already, including from the boys in the group chat and that means a lot too.

“That’s the way it’s been since I moved to Kilmuir as everyone’s so friendly and welcoming. I’ve settled in very quickly and the warmth I’ve felt in Kilmuir, and elsewhere on Skye, from the shinty folk means I certainly don’t feel like an imposter.

“Kenny came in for his second stint as manager during the early part of last season, so I hadn’t played for him when he was in charge before.

“We had an honest conversation, and he maybe wasn’t 100% sure about me being in the full back role but he called back towards the end of the season to say I’d proven my worth in the side and that was brilliant to hear.”

New skipper leads by example

Skye Camanachd manager Kenny MacLeod said: “A lot of players showed strong leadership qualities last season, so there was no shortage of candidates. The captaincy selection generated healthy discussions within the management team, but Ryan was the stand-out choice this time around.

“Since arriving on Skye, Ryan has really immersed himself in the club and the wider community. He’s a well-liked individual, respected in the dressing room and around the club, and he consistently leads by example through his attitude, standards, and performances.

“Ryan’s a Scottish international now and we’ve three internationals – Ryan, John Gillies and Willie MacKinnon – in the squad. That gives us a good mix of experience to go with the others.

“I like having a captain at full back as he can see the whole game in front of him and as well as his performances on the field, Ryan is good at training and in the changing room. He’s even made an excellent impression with our sponsors at events like the annual dinner dance.

“When I first came into the Skye first team as a player, there was a natural pecking order with older guys there to provide the experience and the younger ones fed off that. This current Skye squad is a bit different.

“They have been a young team for so many years now, but now they’ve all grown up and matured together. Whilst immaturity maybe crept in once or twice in the past, they’ve all now learned how to become leaders themselves and they’re all now at an age where they can make a real impact.”

[Source: Press and Journal]