Push from coaches helps teen hockey prospect Jade Smith earn national schoolgirls call-up

TEEN hockey prospect Jade Smith credits playing and training tougher to her rise which now includes Australian schoolgirl selection.

Jade Smith has made the Australian schoolgirls team. Photo: AAP/Ric Frearson

TEEN hockey prospect Jade Smith credits playing and training tougher to her rise which now includes Australian schoolgirl selection.

The Moreton Bay College student caught the attention of selectors as she scored the winning goal to help Queensland to the under-16 girls title at the Pacific School Games in December last year.

But advice from her coaches to push herself all the time also helped elevate the game of the Easts Hockey Club player, who has made it a point to always go flat out no matter how fatigued she may be.

“I’m more determined now,” the 16-year-old said.

“My coaches pushed me to train and play a bit harder and over the years I realised that I could push myself a bit more.

“I always leave it all on the court before the buzzer sounds now.”

The midyear trip to South Africa with the national schoolgirls side will be a new experience for the Greenbank resident even if she does have past representative call-ups to fall back on.

“I think it could be a really big eye-opener playing against girls from overseas but I’m looking ­forward to seeing what I can learn,” she said. “My biggest goal was for the team to win. Getting selected for Australia just topped it all off.”

Also adding a layer of cream to the Pacific School Games victory was the ­presence of Jade’s schoolmate and fellow Easts player Ella Brown in the Queensland team.

“It’s great having someone that you know so well play with you at that level,” Jade said.

“We’ve got really good chemistry on the court.”