South United is preparing to make a foray back onto the Tamworth women’s first grade hockey pitch.
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It’s been 15 years since the club last fielded a first grade side but as they commemorate their 25th anniversary they are suiting up for a return.
“It’s certainly something we’re very excited about,” Souths womens president Anne-Maree Gerathy said.
She said it is a “whole new fresh start” for the club, with new uniforms in the works, and really a case of “now or never”.
“We’ve lost heaps of players over the years,” she said.
“We keep developing juniors but keep losing them because of the fact that we don’t have a first grade side.”
They have have had a couple of attempts at reforming over the years, but haven’t been able to quite get the numbers they needed.
“We’ve got four or five coming from Armidale, that’s helped us out,” Gerathy said.
They are indicative of the young talent coach Andrew Davy is excited about fostering with the traveling contingent including state reps Meg Lye and Mia Emanuel.
“There’s some exciting young players I’m looking forward to developing into first grade players,” Davy said, fellow state rep Amber Witney also springing to mind.
At the same time he’s under no illusions that it is going to be difficult for the first year or so at least.
“I think the first couple of years in first grade will be tough,” he said.
“It is a young group.
“But you’ve got to take the step.”
He is familiar with a lot of the players after coaching the second grade side last year.
When he took that on, it was with a view of establishing a first grade team again.
Gerathy said they are conscious of not taking too much from the lower grades, and damaging them.
“We’re hoping some of the younger girls will step up,” she said.
“A couple have shown interest.”
They started fitness training as a club earlier this month and will continue that at 6pm on Tuesdays.
The club will also be holding their AGM and sign-on day on Sunday February 19 at 2.30pm at the South Tamworth Bowling Club.
Tamworth’s Ehren Hazell, Harper Galvin and Jeremy Blakeley and New England’s Darby Chalmers have meanwhile been named in the NSW U18 mens State and Blues teams to contest the National Championships in Hobart in April.
The player of the tournament at last year’s nationals, Hazell will play for the State side while Galvin, Blakely and Chalmers will line up for the Blues.
