TAMWORTH’S Lori Edgar, Billie Mitchell, Tayla King and Lachlan Butler are hoping to strike national gold in the nation’s capital.
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The young hockey prodigies will head to Canberra this week to represent NSW in the U13 and U14 Indoor Invitational tournament.
They are part of a strong North West contingent on state duties, with New England’s Mia Emanuel playing for the 14s girls, Hayley Lennon the 13s girls and Nathan Czinner and Jake McCann the 13s boys.
Butler is also in the 13s boys while Edgar and Mitchell join Lennon in the girls and King joins Emanuel in the 14s girls.
For Edgar and Mitchell it will be their first time playing for NSW, and they can’t wait.
Both were surprised to hear their names read out in the state squad.
King has been in this situation before.
Last year she played for the 13s at the corresponding tournament.
“We went through undefeated,” she said.
She was also part of the outdoor side that won gold, and has high hopes for this weekend.
“It’s basically our outdoor team,” she said.
“We’re expecting to do well.”
She has been playing indoor for almost as long as she’s had a stick in her hand.
She finds it a bit of fun between outdoor seasons but also enjoys the different challenges it presents.
“I find it’s a lot quicker,” she said.
For Butler that’s one of the things he enjoys about indoor – “the challenge of it being a bit faster”.
Mostly though, it allows him to still play hockey over the summer.
“I love hockey,” he said.
Anytime he gets to play is good.
He’s been playing indoor for about six years – or “half of his life” as he put it, and said making the NSW team was one of the goals he’d set himself.
It will be his second time playing at a nationals, but first for indoor.
“I played for the Blues in Adelaide last year,” he said.
He said the side had come together well.
“I’m confident we’ll do well,” he said.
“A lot of us have already played together.”
All four will be playing for Country in a few weeks in the annual City-Country (outdoor) challenge.
Mitchell, Edgar and Butler have all been selected in the 13s while King is in the 15s.
The nationals start on Friday and will conclude a busy week for the Edgars.
Lori’s brother Colby has qualified for the ABCRA’s National Junior Finals.
They begin at AELEC tonight.
Colby will compete in the 8&U11 steer ride.
It will be the eight-year old’s rookie finals and he can’t wait.
“He’s excited to be riding at AELEC,” mum Janelle said.
The Canberra tournament will finish up the indoor “nationals”.
On Sunday in Melbourne, Armidale’s Katrina Rekunow won gold with the 18s.
They beat Victoria in the final 5-4, with Rekunow netting the match-winner.
After leading 4-1 at half-time, NSW got out to 5-2 before conceding two unanswered penalty corners.
But they managed to hold on for a one-goal win.
