Tassie FutureRoos hop to it
TASMANIA’S reputation for breeding international hockey stars has been strengthened, with four local products selected in the FutureRoos — Hockey Australia’s 2018 Recognised Future Athletes squad.
University’s Josh Brooks, OHA’s Henry Chambers and Julia Gunn and DiamondBacks’ Phillida Bridley have been identified as being four to seven years away from representing the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos.
The talented quartet impressed national selectors at the recent Under-18 National Championships held in Launceston last month, with Gunn and Bridley shining as the state’s best female prospects in some time.
Goalkeeper Chambers also made his Premier League debut for OHA at the weekend and says he has been working hard to improve in all areas of the cut throat position.
“My communication has really improved and also the technical side of my goalkeeping positioning and movement,” Chambers said.
“Achieving selection in this squad again gives me and the other selected athletes exposure to the high-quality, targeted training and facilities that the TIS and Hockey Tasmania offer for another year, which is significantly helpful.”
The Hutchins school student is off to the Netherlands in the school holidays for a week of intensive goalkeeper training with Irish International David Harte at European powerhouse Kampong Hockey Club.
But the 17-year-old says his dreams of representing his state alongside his Tasmanian teammates nosedived last week.
“It is disappointing to hear the recent news that Tasmania may not be able to stay in the Australian Hockey League because it has always been a dream of mine to represent Tasmania at the highest level, especially after the Tigers 2014 gold medal.”
“So many people have put such a lot of effort into junior hockey development in Tasmania and it would be terrible if the AHL became unavailable as a pathway.
“I would really love the chance to one day don a Tigers shirt, and possibly an Australian shirt, and I know lots of other Tasmanian juniors with the same dreams.”
The FutureRoos will next be involved in camps and competition against countries such as New Zealand, Japan, India, South Africa and university and school teams from Asia.
Tasmanian trio Jack Welch, Maddy Murphy, and Alissia Pearson have also been selected in the Australian senior Indoor Hockey squads, in preparation for the next Indoor World Cup.