STUDENTS SOAR AT NATIONALS
Duo chosen for Australia
HOCKEY: A pair of Fairholme College students is preparing to take their talents to Europe.
Tatum Stewart and Briana Suey were part of the Queensland U16 team at the weekend that took home silver at the Australian Championships, and will now share the green and gold together on the world stage.
The pair was selected to represent Australia to take part in the 4 Nations Whitsun Tournament in Germany next year, and both are thrilled at the opportunity to compete on the world stage.
“This is my second time being selected. I was chosen last year as a younger girl,” Stewart said.
“To be selected again, I’m still surprised and it’s still a shock and an honour.
“To get to do it with one of my best friends makes it even better.”
“I was super surprised. I wasn’t expecting it at all, and I’m so excited to go away to Europe with friends,” Suey said.
“It’s always good to go away with your friends. You know how to play with them and link up with them.”
Stewart, who was co-captain of the side at the Gold Coast, said the team put on a phenomenal effort before going down to New South Wales in heartbreaking fashion.
“We were an extremely dominant team and ended up scoring 40 goals and one against throughout the whole tournament which is massive,” Stewart said.
“We made it to the final where we were trying to defend our five-in-a-row reign, but unfortunately it went to a shootout and we lost in sudden death.”
The success of the girls at the regional and state level has fuelled further desires to take their talents further in the sport.
“I would like to make the Hockeyroos and the (Queensland) Scorchers, but it’s just little steps at a time,” Suey said.
“We’re lucky in Queensland that we’ve got a very thorough pathway program to get to these stepping stones,” Stewart added.
“Like Bri said, it’s just little bits at a time and just chipping away at it to see where you go.”
Despite being friends on and off the field, they compete against each other on weekends in the women’s A1 division, with Stewart representing Rangeville and Suey playing for Norths.
“We get to verse each other. I know what she plays like, she knows what I play like,” Stewart said.
“It’s always fun to mix it up.”