Tamworth's junior rep hockey players could be hitting the boards early in the new year with Hockey NSW planning for a full indoor state championship schedule through January and into February.
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The state body last week released the dates and venues for what will be six weekends of hockey action starting with the open's men's championships from January 7-9 and finishing up with the masters women (February 11-13).
With training and trials still not permitted, Tamworth Hockey Association president Ross Briggs said they haven't yet made any plans for any trials but added that they do have an association meeting coming up soon.
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Another likely topic of discussion at the meeting will be the proposed summer competition.
The THA recently sent a survey out to all current members and anyone that has been a member in the last five years gauging interest in a summer competition and about what format they would like.
"At this stage from the early reports back, we're looking at having a social mixed competition and junior competition," Briggs said.
Looking at probably a twilight competition, he doesn't envisage it will start until the new year as they negotiate the protocols for resuming community sport.
"At this stage we're looking at that 80 per cent mark that we can at least get some of our rep players back and doing some training," Briggs said.
"The summer comp will most likely start in the new year just so we can get over any hurdles."
The indoor championships will take the place of the Australian Indoor Hockey Festival on the calendar, after they became the latest national hockey event to be cancelled due to the ongoing COVID outbreak.
In making the announcement late last week, Hockey Australia said after collaboration with the various state and territory member associations it was unviable to hold the championships as planned in January 2022.
"It is incredibly disappointing to have to cancel another national hockey event but sadly it is naive to plan for a tournament in the current climate with the ongoing uncertainty and restrictions in place," Hockey Australia GM - Commercial, Communication and Events, Tim Cherry said.
"The way things stand, there would not be enough states/territories able to hold selection events and prepare, let alone participate, so it is the sensible and correct decision under the circumstances."
It was also announced that the national under-21 men's and women's sides' indoor tour of Europe scheduled for next month and this month's under-18 indoor training camps had been cancelled.
Several local talents were set to feature in those.
That news came as a double blow with Hockey Australia last month announcing the withdrawal of Australian teams from the Men's Junior World Cup in India (November/December), the Women's Junior World Cup in South Africa (December) and the Indoor Hockey World Cup due to be held in Belgium in February.
