Selectors keep the faith in teenager
Goalkeeper named in Aussie side
gold.
Steinhardt said it was an honour to play for her state and an experience she would never forget.
“Playing for Queensland
HOCKEY: Tenthill teen Sarah Steinhardt will don the green and gold after a phenomenal performance at the Australian Country Hockey Championships.
The 17-year-old was selected to represent Australia after playing six games as a Queensland goalkeeper in the tournament, which saw the girls from the sunshine state take home
‘‘ PLAYING FOR QUEENSLAND WITH THAT BUNCH OF GIRLS WAS AN AMAZING FEELING.
SARAH STEINHARDT
with that bunch of girls was an amazing feeling, the team mentality was so amazing and to bring home the gold medal was incredible,” she said.
The Queensland girls put 32 balls in the back of the net throughout the competition while only four balls made it past their two keepers.
Steinhardt said the secret to Queensland’s success was teamwork. In just two training sessions the group of girls from across the state combined their abilities and became the strongest open women’s team in the country.
“I’ve never met a group of girls and just bonded so easily because we are all from different areas, so it was nice to have a good team mentality and to go away and play some good hockey,” she said.
Along with keeping up with her university assignments, Steinhardt’s biggest challenge will be preparing for her U21 Australia debut at the Oceania Junior Cup in December.
Fitness and agility will be the main focus of her training leading up to the tournament as Steinhardt prepares for a Fijian summer.
“It’s going to be 35 degrees with 90 per cent humidity so fitness will have to be really high,” she said.
While Steinhardt trains for the future, her goals are shortterm as she continues to accept every achievement with gratitude.
“It would obviously be amazing to go as far as I can but I just want to keep playing hockey and travel as far as I can go,” she said.
Queenslander Emily Hetherington finised as the tournament’s top scorer with nine goals.
– Meg Bolton, Gatton Star