Rookie shows veteran new tricks
Anita McLaren says she will take a leaf out of Kelsey Smith’s book and ‘‘play with a bit of confidence’’.
The Black Sticks speed demon was due to depart for the Olympic Games last night, clearly keen to avenge their agonising fourth place performance in London four years ago.
For the first time heading into a major hockey tournament such as the Olympics, she will be joined by another Nelson player, 21-year-old Smith earning a place in the squad after a breakout past 12 months where she has done basically everything asked of her following a series of late injury call-ups.
Having come through the same system and attended the same school you would think it would be Smith looking to McLaren for guidance, but it appears the 28-year-old, and New Zealand’s alltime leading scorer, is the one taking tips.
‘‘I need to take a leaf out of Kelsey’s book and play with a bit of confidence and just play my game,’’ McLaren said, before flying out Argentina where the team will be based ahead of the Olympics.
The 239-cap player said she had been impressed with what Smith had brought into the New Zealand set-up, always giving her all in every game, and wanted to follow her lead.
‘‘She always plays to her potential, which I really admire.
‘‘She doesn’t let the occasion affect her and for her to keep playing with that confidence will help us win a medal.’’
McLaren was still packing yesterday, just hours before the team departed Auckland International Airport, and said she ‘‘never enjoys’’ leaving home but was looking forward to finally touching down at the Olympic village.
‘‘When you get there the food hall is pretty exciting and I know what to expect now, I’ve been to London, but I’ve never been to the Olympics in Rio so it’ll be exciting to see what the village will have.
‘‘When we get welcomed in we’ll be there for four days, which gives us time to be girls, be crazy, go adventure and get excited, then we’ll leave for four days to take some time out and come back in really focused right up until the closing ceremony.’’
The Black Sticks finished last at the recent Champions Trophy but McLaren said their final placing hadn’t knocked the players’ confidence in the lead-up to Rio.
‘‘We have to be confident. We’re the ones who have to believe it. We’ve been putting everything into it so of course we believe we can medal, we’ve got the potential for sure.
‘‘I know everyone jumped up and said ‘what’s happening?’ but we never doubted ourselves and I never felt pressure or thought we’re not ready because we are.
‘‘The games just didn’t fall our way unfortunately and we didn’t click, but we’re happy with the opportunities we created and we’ve got a lot more to give so I’m still really excited.’’
New Zealand play two practice games in Argentina before flying into Brazil ahead of their opening game against South Korea on August 8.