Although many may have been reeling from the effects of the Mo Darts event from the night before, the Hockey Club managed to draw a crowd for their Annual Hockey Sevens tournament on 16 November. The tournament provided some light-hearted and cheery entertainment in the name of good sportsmanship and tackling testicular cancer.

Even in an arena with a frozen pitch, the atmosphere is anything but cold. Blades slice through the ice as the puck zips from stick to stick, the eyes of an enthusiastic crowd tracking the colourful stripes on the rink. Ice hockey has a passionate global fanbase, but few in St Andrews seem to follow our own team.

When you think of shinty, you might picture a cold Scottish morning — the crash of sticks (or caman) on muddy turf, a game recognised by few outside the Highlands. Often compared to field hockey but known as a more physical alternative, shinty is a true spectator sport. I spoke to club president Niamh Hague to find out why it’s thriving at St Andrews — and why it continues to capture the imagination of so many.