Cairns Hockey: Parker taking on new role at school championships
Layla Parker will take on a new responsibility at this year’s Queensland School Sport 13-19 Years Girls Hockey Championships, as a mentor to up-and-coming shot-stopper Rhiannon Forbes.
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Layla Parker admits being a goalkeeper can be a lonely existence at times — but somebody has got to do it.
The 17-year-old will represent Peninsula at the Queensland School Sport 13-19 Years Girls Hockey Championships in Townsville from this Sunday.
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It will be Parker’s fifth campaign at the tournament, which brings together the best school-aged hockey players in the state.
She will be taking on a new responsibility at this year’s championships, as a mentor to up-and-coming shot-stopper Rhiannon Forbes.
“She’s pretty good already but if I can help her out in anyway, I’d love to be a part of that,” Parker said.
“I haven’t played that much hockey with her but from what I’ve heard she’s definitely one to look out for.
“It will be good to work with someone younger than me, just to help her out but to also help me out as well and not put so much pressure on myself and know I can always rely on her.”
Parker’s advice for her 14-year-old protege was to “make the most of it”.
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“It is a four-day tournament and can be quite daunting — you’re playing the best of the best at school-level hockey — but I just say give it a go and take every chance, because otherwise you’re going to regret it,” she said.
“Also, you’re the eyes at the back of the field, so you have a big say in what goes on.
“It may not seem like it being stuck in that little box, but you saying ‘move right’ to one players could change the whole game, they could get an intercept and then it could completely go a different way from there.”
After sharing the goalkeeping duties with Mareeba’s Laura Trezise in previous years, Parker took on the solo keeper’s role in 2019.
“Laura and I had a great time playing together but last year was the first time I was by myself,” Parker said.
“It was a bit daunting, especially with playing the tournament in Cairns, but I definitely enjoyed the challenge.
“If you have two keepers you might only play half the tournament, but you also get to not be so alone in it.
“You’re always as a team, but there’s only a few people that understand what you’re going through as a keeper.”
The QSS 13-19 Years Girls Hockey Championships start on Sunday and wrap up on Wednesday. The boys’ championships will be held in Rockhampton on the same dates.
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While sharing the goalkeeping duties can make the job a little less lonely, Layla Parker says it also presents its challenges.
“It’s usually up to personal preference but most of the time when I’ve gone away we just play a half each and we alternate playing the first and second half, just so its fair because there are perks and a few cons to playing each half,” she said.
“With the first half you don’t really know how the other team’s going to come out, or how even your own team is going to respond to that, so it’s unknown territory.
“Whereas with the second half, everyone’s in the game and warmed up and you have a couple of minutes to be fully prepared and to get into the zone.”
Originally published as Cairns Hockey: Parker taking on new role at school championships