Rising stars of hockey in Gympie and Fraser Coast revealed

They are the young hockey players from across Gympie, Maryborough and Hervey Bay most likely to one day play for the Hockeyroos or Kookaburras, and some of them are as young as 14 years old.

They are the 30 rising stars of hockey across Gympie and the Fraser Coast, as nominated by their clubs and coaches.

Queensland has produced some of the best hockey players in Australia and the world down the years.

Gympie and the Wide Bay has been part of that history and now News Corp has got together with the hockey associations in Hervey Bay, Maryborough and Gympie to identify and celebrate some potential Kookaburras or Hockeyroos of the future.

Here is our list of 30 rising stars of the Gympie, Hervey Bay and Maryborough Hockey Associations.

Gympie hockey rising stars

Molly Hodgson - Age: 19, Position: striker or midfielder

Club: Cooloola Heat Div 1

Selected in 2021 U18 QLD Indoor Squad, 2020 U16 South QLD Development Squad and 2021 Wide Bay Secondary Schoolgirls

Molly Hodgson

Zoe Parker - Age: 17, Position: defender

Club: Cooloola Heat Div 1

Selected in 2021 U15 QLD Indoor Squad, 2022 U16 South QLD Development Squad and 2022 Wide Bay Secondary Schoolgirls

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Connor Innis - Age: 18, Position: striker

Club: Cooloola Heat

Selected in 2022 U18 QLD Squad, 2020 U15 QLD No.1 Team and 2022-2023 Wide Bay Schoolboys 

Gympie hockey young gun Connor Innis.

Amy Weston - Age: 15, Position: goalkeeper

Club: Panthers

Selected in 2022 U15 QLD Squad

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Romy Whittaker - Age: 17, Position: midfielder/striker

Club: Cooloola Heat Div 1

Selected in 2022 U18 QLD Squad, 2021 U15 NT Team and 2022-2023 Wide Bay Schoolgirls

Joseph Hodgson - Age: 15, Position: striker/midfielder

Club: Cooloola Heat Div 1

Selected in 2023 U15 QLD No.2 Team and 2020 QLD Primary Schoolboys Team 

Jonathon Wilcox - Age: 15, Position: striker

Club: Blades

Selected in 2023 U15 QLD Squad

Cody Fitzpatrick - Age: 15, Position: midfielder

Club: Cooloola Heat

Selected in 2023 U15 QLD No.1 Team, 2022 U15 QLD No.2 Team, 2021 U13 QLD Team and 2023 Wide Bay Schoolboys

Charles Greer - Age: 17, Position: defender

Club: Cooloola Heat

Selected in 2021 U16 South QLD Development Squad

Kaitlyn Collyer - Age: 19, Position: midfielder

Club: Cooloola Heat

Selected in 2021 U18 QLD Squad, 2022 Wide Bay Schoolgirls and 2022 Big Hockey Hit Out team

Talented Gympie hockey player Kaitlyn Collyer.

Hervey Bay hockey rising stars

Jett Wright - Age: 17, Position: striker

Club: Brothers.

Jett is a good striker getting picked in Qld u18 state squad in 2022. Jett is extremely good around the goal mouth.

Kurtis Douma - Age: 17, Position: striker/midfield

Club: Magpies

Kurtis has made a number of Qld teams through juniors and is looking at making u18 team in the coming weeks.

Seth Keal - Age 14, Position: Goalkeeper

Seth made his first Qld team in 2022. Great young talent and is working hard to getting better.

Cohen Usher - Age: 16, Position: striker

Club: Brothers

Cohen has made a number of Qld teams and is improving every year. Very silky skills and a great shot.

Breanna Taylor - Age: 14, Position: striker/midfield

Club: Magpies

Breanna made Qld u13 girls indoor and outdoor in 2022 and U19 Wide Bay girls 2023. Solid skills and great work ethic .

Mia Kenny - Age: 16, Position: striker

Club: Magpies

Mia has played in junior Fraser Coast teams and this year playing A grade women. Good team player and speed to burn.

Harley Woodall - Age: 16, Position: midfield

Club: Brothers

Harley has played in a number of Qld teams indoor and outdoor. Super fit and great skills. Great drag flicker that is only getting better.

Racheal Nissen - Age: 15, Position: defender

Club: Magpies

Racheal is a wonderful team player who is improving every year. She is playing A grade this year and will be pushing to make u15 State team this year.

Ziggy Rider - Age: 16, Position: midfield/striker

Club: Brothers

Ziggy made u15 Qld last year and this year making step up into A grade hockey.

Owen Taylor - Age: 15, Position: defender/midfield

Club: Brothers

Owen has played for Qld through his junior years. Great team player with great vision to set play up. Works hard to improve his game.

Gympie and the Fraser Coast has produced some red hot hockey players over the years. Here are the rising stars of 2023. Picture: Tom Threadingham

Maryborough hockey rising stars

Meka Crick - age: 17, Position: striker

Club: Granville

Meka is a talented striker and was a member of the Queensland U18 women’s teams last year and is looking for re-selection this year. Just named shadow for the Queensland U21 team as well.

Vada Thaggard - age: 17, Position: striker

Club: Uniroos

Vada is a skilful striker who is in the current U18 Qld squad pushing for a spot at nationals in the coming weeks.

Kirralee McCulloch - age: 17, Position: goalkeeper

Club: Colts

Kirralee is a hard-working goalkeeper currently in the Qld U18 women’s squad.

Tyler Kenny - Age: 16, Position: midfield/striker

Club: Granville

Tyler is a fast player who was a member of the Qld U16 team who won a silver medal last year and currently in the Qld U18 squad.

Jack Staples – Age: 16, Position: defender/midfield

Club: Granville

Jack is a tenacious defender who was also in the U16 Qld team from last year and a member of the Qld U18 indoor team.

Jacob Wilson - Age: 16, Position: defender

Club: Brothers/CBR

Jacob is a skilful and clever defender who was in the Qld U16 team from last year and in the current U18 indoor team and outdoor squad.

yra Crick - Age: 15, Position: defender

Club: Granville

Kyra is a tall and skilful defender and was in the Qld U15 team competing in nationals at Darwin recently.

Rihanna Newman – Age: 15, Position: midfield/striker

Club: Colts

Rihanna is a powerful midfielder who is works hard at improvement.

Picked in the Qld U15 team in Darwin.

Luke Helmstedt – Age: 15, Position: striker

Club: Granville

Luke is a crafty striker who has a knack of scoring goals. Was in the Qld U15 team competing recently in Darwin

Phillip Scougall – Age: 15, Position: midfield/defender

Club: Colts

Phil is a fast and hard-working midfielder who is represented Queensland in Darwin at the U15 Nationals.