National honours for Far North hockey star
A CAIRNS junior hockey star has turned a steep learning curve into an international tour within 12 months after winning a place in the under-16 Australian Schoolboys team.
Brothers’ Jayden Atkinson will spend two weeks in South Africa next year after starring in Queensland’s win at the Payear cific School Games, which ended over the weekend in Adelaide.
Cairns Hockey regional coaching co-ordinator Matt Cook said the young gun, who played A-grade in Cairns throughout the year, had worked particularly hard to lift his game since an eye-opening national under-15 carnival last year.
“I had the privilege of having him in the under-15s last and he kind of worked out he had a lot to work on,” Cook said.
“He went well, but he probably wasn’t in the top bracket of players in the Queensland set-up and he came back and worked really hard after that tournament on a few areas of his game and he’s reaped the rewards this year.
“He’s very talented. He’s probably already one of the best dribblers in Cairns, has phenomenal skills and balance on the ball.”
Atkinson’s Brothers teammate Matt Reichardt was also in the Queensland team that beat NSW in the final.
Cairns also had representatives in the under-12s, including Ruby McMenamin, who starred in the girls’ charge to the title, while Austin Schenk and Hayden Lane were in the Queensland team that finished third. Far North junior Mackenzie McAvoy, who attends school in Ipswich, was chosen as a shadow player for the under-16 Australian Schoolgirls tour.
HE’S VERY TALENTED. HE’S PROBABLY ALREADY ONE OF THE BEST DRIBBLERS IN CAIRNS MATT COOK