Mackay’s Skye Vaughan to compete at nationals for basketball and hockey

Hard work and lots of training are two of the key ingredients behind the recent success of a talented young rising star in the Mackay sports scene who has her eye on the 2032 Olympics. Here are her recent achievements and what’s next.

Hard work and lots of training are two of the key ingredients behind the recent success of a talented young rising star in the Mackay sports scene who has her eye on the 2032 Olympics.

At just age 13, Skye Vaughan will compete at national championship events for both basketball and hockey.

Skye, who plays hockey for Norths Hockey Club, started playing the sport when she was five years old.

“My Mum plays hockey and all my sisters and my Grandma played,” she said.

Skye Vaughan, 13, playing hockey for the Norths Hockey Club Mackay. Picture: Contributed

She also began playing basketball for Mackay Meteorettes in 2019.

“My best friend plays basketball and she has played her whole life, so I wanted to play,” she said.

“My Dad played basketball as well.”

Skye will travel to Brisbane next Friday for the Basketball Queensland Future Development Program training camp.

She has had FDP training twice per week over five weeks in Mackay before attending the weekend-long training camp with basketballers from all over Queensland on September 2.

“I train every Tuesday and Thursday and there’s six girls from my Mackay team and five boys from the Meteors U14 boys team,” she said.

Skye Vaughan, 13, playing basketball for the Mackay Meteorettes. Picture: Contributed

“We have a coach and we just practise all our skills.

“From everywhere around Queensland they have selected a few people to be in this development program and we all get to go to Brisbane and train together for a weekend.

“I made it last year as well.”

After a strong season, the U14 Mackay Meteorettes finished second at the Basketball Queensland U14 Girls State Championships.

The Meteorettes lost to Brisbane’s Southern Districts Spartans 45-70.

“I was sad we lost,” Skye said.

Skye Vaughan, 13, playing hockey for the Norths Hockey Club. Picture: Contributed

“We dominated our pool and we won every game by like 20 to 40 and then we came into the grand final and we didn’t play as a team.”

However, the team qualified for the Basketball Australia U14 Club National Championships in Sydney from September 25–30.

Skye will also represent Queensland in the 2022 Hockey Australia U13 Carnival in Hobart from September 28 to October 4.

She will be leaving the basketball national championships early to make the national hockey event.

Skye said she was excited when she found out she had made the U13 Queensland Hockey Side.

“I didn’t even find out from my parents,” she said.

Skye Vaughan, 13, playing basketball for the Mackay Meteorettes. Picture: Contributed

“My friend texted me and was like ‘congratulations Skye, we made it’.”

She also made her A Grade debut for Norths Hockey Club this year and was named in the top 10 senior hockey players for grade A3.

“I wasn’t actually meant to be playing A Grade that week,” she said.

“I was just there watching some friends and I was about to leave and then the A Grade coach asked Mum if I wanted to play and she said yes.

“I was terrified.”

She said she had never competed at nationals before for either sport and was looking forward to it.

Skye Vaughan, 13, playing hockey for the Norths Hockey Club. Picture: Contributed

“I am looking forward to playing with my friends, meeting new people and winning a few games,” she said.

“My grandparents are coming to watch me in Hobart and I also have a cousin that made the boys nationals team.”

Skye has sports training every afternoon from Monday to Friday and then plays three games of hockey and two games of basketball on Saturdays.

She keeps Sundays free to catch up on her school work.

She said her secret to success was hard work and lots of training.

“Playing two sports that I love with my friends and sisters makes it easy,” she said.

Skye Vaughan, 13, plays basketball for the Mackay Meteorettes. Picture: Contributed

She said she had her sights set on competing at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics for either hockey or basketball.

Her mother, Tanya Vaughan, said the family was very proud of Skye.

“She works really hard and she gives everything she has got when she is on those fields and court,” Tanya said.

“With five daughters, Skye is the second youngest.

“Her sisters are her biggest fans.

“If not at her games they are watching the live stream.

“All are very supportive and proud of what she has achieved, especially this breakout year she has had.

“You can’t really be much prouder than we are of her.”