FOUR teams of Tamworth hockey players will spend this sunny weekend inside at the Central Coast, competing at the State Indoor Championships.
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Two teams of boys and two of girls will compete across two divisions, with both top teams up against the best in Division 1.
The sides are made up of field hockey players who trialled for the championships, and while the skills are similar their are some major differences in how the game is played.
Manager Gaylene Schimaan said the game was a lot faster with players seeing a lot more ball than they normally would on the outdoor surface.
The indoor fields have barriers on the sidelines to prevent the ball going out, with the 20 minute matches almost non-stop action.
Goals are smaller, balls are smaller and there are only five players and a goalkeeper on the basketball court sized field at any one time.
“It is really really fast with a lot more angles and ball time,” Schimann said.
“It is a great game and we have some very good young players.”
Coaches Gary Littlejohns and Stuart Lane put the girls through their paces one last time on Wednesday at the Sports Dome, before the teams head off for the three day tournament. The boys hit off today (Fri) with the finals on Sunday while the girls start on Saturday with the finals played on Monday.
Young gun Billie Mitchell will bring a winning culture to the side after the 12-year-old returned from winning gold at the field hockey Nationals last weekend for NSW. Mitchell also took gold for NSW last year at the Indoor Championships, and this year is hoping again for selection in the state side despite playing two years above her age group.
Lori Edgar is another that won gold for NSW last year and is returning to do it again, while the second girls side got a great boost from a Grafton based player.
Grace Young was away playing rep hockey when her local side was put together and she somehow missed a spot.
“She decided to come to us instead which is great,” Schimann said.
Schimaan is encouraging more players to have a look at the sport in the hope that a junior competition can start up in Tamworth sometime in the next six months.
There is already a small senior competition that is growing in numbers, as it is the perfect off season game to keep the field hockey skills up.
Every year there is an exhibition tournament during the Kim Small Shield and Michael York Cup in Tamworth, and Schimaan is hoping that next time there will be enough interest to have a competition up and
running.
