Rookie to state team in 3 weeks

VICTORIAN representative Taylah Zilavec has only been playing underwater hockey for three weeks, but has clearly taken to the sport like a duck to water.

The Point Cook resident joined the Geelong Underwater Hockey Club less than a month ago, but respected coach Stuart McCallum recommended her for state honours, such is her talent.

Tomorrow she will represent Victoria at the under-15 nationals in Cairns, along with fellow Geelong club member Tiana Krilcic from Bannockburn at her second championships in as many years.

“Tiana’s had three years under her belt already. It’s her second nationals,” McCallum said.

But it’s Zilavec’s rapid improvement that has impressed the Victorian assistant coach.

“She just turned up one night and said, ‘I’ve seen something about underwater hockey and I’d like to give it a try’,” he said.

“Three weeks later she’s in the (Victorian) team. She won our rising star award, she’s been magnificent.”

McCallum hopes both teams will shine on the national stage.

“I think the under-19 team have got a really hot chance this year,” he said.

“The under-15 team, because we’ve got a few new players, we don’t really know the opposition. It’s really hard with these sort of things, we don’t have a clue what the opposition is like.

“We surprised ourselves winning last year, even though the competition was good.

“I expect them both to do well. I’m more hopeful for the under-19s because they’re getting to the peak of their ages.

“But we’ll see how we go, we just don’t know.”