A TEAM including Sunraysia hockey players tasted success at last week’s South West Games in Warrnambool.
Sunraysia Hockey Association (SHA) players combined with Bendigo, Horsham and Ballarat players to win the gold medal for field hockey at the annual sporting event.
The mixed team, organised by Jason Harris, who had moved from Mildura to Horsham, went through the round robin series undefeated before winning the final 1-0 against a Warrnambool team.
Player Mark Lohmeyer said it was a great weekend away playing hockey.
“It’s the first time we had competed at the South West Games – I think, being in a new place, Jason obviously heard about them and decided to round up a team,” he said.
“I think it shows the great reach sport can have and the contacts you can make in that we had a number of players from different towns come together and we were still pretty competitive.
“We played four round robin games, which we won, and I think across those games we only let in one goal. We had a pretty strong midfield, which didn’t allow them to get through too often.”
Lohmeyer said although full sides of 11 were playing, shorter game time made for a different dynamic.
“It was interesting because we knew we had to push the pace a bit more to score. We’re lucky we had some really good forwards and attacking mids,” he said.
“I think everyone was just excited to play some hockey. I know most of the others we talked to had all had interrupted seasons.”
SHA’s summer season continues each Thursday night at the Old Aerodrome Ovals complex. For further information follow SHA on Facebook.
