Future Talent Squads awash with WA stars

This year’s Hockey Australia Women’s and Men’s Future (Under 18) Talent Squads have been announced, the players selected hoping to become the next crop of Australian hockey stars.

Female and male squads of 33 athletes were selected based on performances at the recent Australian Under 18 Hockey Championships in Launceston.

Congratulations to all the WA athletes selected:

Women's

Ella Du Preez

Nicole Enslin

Maddison Fenwick

Summer Greenway (GK)

Elyssa Melville

Saysha Pillay

Men's

Angus Adamson

Hamish Adamson

Luke Anderson

Hunter Banyard (GK)

Max Baynam

Max Freedman

Thomas Keating

Former Kookaburra and Hockey Australia National Athlete Pathway Program (NAPP) Technical Lead Mark Knowles said selection was tough based on the quality of hockey played across the tournament and particularly after a host of scintillating finals matches.

“Selection was really difficult. In both genders we saw a good range of players and what you get to see over tournament hockey is how players grow with consistency in their own game and also with their teams,” said Knowles.

“We saw players being able to play multiple positions which was one of the selectable skills we looked at.”

“The challenge for the group of selectors was looking at the players consistently and seeing the level of players against the better players and the better teams.

“We also considered physical, technical and tactical acumen, coachability and how they conduct themselves around the grounds. All of these things are important at this age and important as a Hockeyroo and a Kookaburra.”

Selection into the Future Talent Squad opens up significant doors and opportunities for players as they are seen as prospective Hockeyroos or Kookaburras for the 2024 Olympics but more predominantly the ensuing Commonwealth Games and Olympics including the 2032 Games that could be held in Brisbane.

The rewards for the 66 athletes selected include:

• the opportunity to be mentored by current Hockeyroos and Kookaburras
• taking part in a series of online education sessions
• having access to more specialised and targeted training and development through their institutes, academies or development programs
• participating in a five-day training camp in either late September this year or January 2022.

“This group is so important to us because we are in the pathway system and we are looking for players to represent Australia for the next decade,” said Knowles.

“It is about giving them an understanding and bringing them into what would be a normal high performance training environment.”

In addition, the announcement of the Future Talent Squads is also about uncovering up and coming coaches of this age group who may have not have previously had an opportunity to being involved with at an elite level.

“Working with our Member Associations, we will be looking throughout the states and territories for coaches who aren’t fully employed coaches but who show talent and interest in being involved in our pathway system and are keen to progress their coaching,” said Knowles.

“Hockey Australia Pathways Manager Ian Rutledge and I are really keen to expose more coaches to higher level hockey.”