THE next generation of Sunraysia hockey players is about to make new friendships as they travel to Melbourne to compete in the Junior Country Championships.
Sunraysia Hockey Association’s Junior Co-ordinator Jess Melsen said the two-day event at the Greensborough and Footscray Hockey Centres would help local juniors make new “connections” with one another and said those relationships could help keep more youngsters in the sport.
There are 164 juniors registered to play hockey in the Sunraysia Hockey Association and just under half have committed to participate in Under 13s, 15s and 18s girls’ and boys’ categories on Saturday and Sunday.
The association will send boys and girls teams to Melbourne for each age grade.
“We find those players that have got those social connections within their club, or the associations come back (to play) because of the friendship side of things,” Melsen said.
“Particularly in Under-13s, where they don’t know many (players) from other (local) hockey clubs as … they play them once a month.”
Nine regional hockey associations are sending 44 teams to the tournament and Melsen said the tournament’s hybrid hockey surfaces would give local juniors a chance to play with variations in ball movement that would improve their “3D” hockey skills.
“(In Mildura) it’s very flat,” Melsen said. “Once the ball bounces – maybe once or twice – it then rolls on the ground, whereas there it might bounce that little bit longer.”
She said the surface would give the ball a “jink” and allow players to lift the ball over sticks rather than playing just left or right, forward or back.
Although the overall success of the trip will be judged on how well the juniors get to know each other, Melsen said the Under-15s boys’ squad had quiet hopes of going one step further after finishing runner-up in the 2021 tournament.
“They were surprised (how) they came together (in 2021) … and each game they built upon what they learned and made (them) stronger in the next game.”
Hockey Victoria is live-streaming Sunday’s games. For more information, visit: www.livehockey.com.au
