Junior nationals: Queensland country kids hockey’s heartbeat

As the Queensland under 15 and under 18 hockey teams prepare for national titles - all livestreamed by News Corp - we ask: Why are country kids the backbone of junior state teams?

What is it about regional Queensland and hockey. Country towns and hockey seem to go together like apple pie and ice cream, like a good country pie and sauce.

The strength of Queensland hockey will be on display when News Corp livestream the under 15 nationals and under 18 nationals across its platforms this week.

Bathurst hosts the under 15s (April 8-16) and Launceston the under 18s (April 9-15), all to be shown on News Corp’s various mastheads,

So why does regional Queensland provide so many players to state teams?

Of the 16 members of the under 15 boys No. 1 side, 13 are from country Queensland, while in the under 15 No. 2 team eight were from the regions and out of the girls two under 15 squads, 13 were from Queensland country.

In the under 18s state side, 10 boys were country kids while 11 country girls were in the under 18 team.

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Former hockeyroo captain and veteran of more than 300 internationalsMark Knowles said regional Queensland had always been able to produce elite players.

“The strength of hockey has, in the past, and continues to lay in the regional areas.’’

Knowles said in regional Queensland the facilities and venues were outstanding, while in smaller communities “if your friends play hockey, you play hockey.

“You stick in your own lane a little bit,’’ the Rockhampton legend said.

Wanderers' Hayden Pease with the ball

He said in regional areas, it was also easier to play multiple sports because venues were closer together, while there was also a tendency for sporting bodies not to compete against each other, rather work out a way for juniors to play multiple sports.

For example, when Knowles was growing up he played cricket, hockey, rugby league, tennis and golf, which he said helped his development.

Knowles said the facilities in places like his home town of Rockhampton were also outstanding, while the sport was backed by good people.

“You have to have good people trying their best to help young kids on the journey and that is the hardest part. You want a good experience and Rocky ticks a lot boxes,’’ he said.

Capricornia's Brock Christensen

Well known Rockhampton hockey identity Lyn Tucker, an ex-Queensland under 21 and Australian indoor captain, said “really good and dedicated coaches’’ were the cornerstone of the sport when she played in Central Queensland.

And she said there was also a culture where players coming through looked up to Rockhampton’s internationals like Knowles, Kym Ireland, Jamie Dwyer and Matt Gohdes.

Maroochydore celebrate Charlie Jackson's goal. Picture: Tom Threadingham

“Having Kym Ireland playing with you and coaching you was pretty inspirational,’’ Tucker said.

“And with Jamie and Mark, they go back whenever they can to help and coach.’’

Gold Coast and Ascot player Kyra Livermore. Picture, John Gass.

Knowles said across the state, Brisbane included, “we are still producing very, very good players, but not producing as many numbers’’ because all sports faced increasing competition for athletes. But he stressed the quality of hockey player was still very high.

Knowles said hockey’s family orientated atmosphere and an outstanding pathway system were reasons for the sport’s success.

He said young people can make state teams through the under 12s (schools), 13s, 15s, under 18s and under 21 national competitions. which was a strong pathway.

Mackay’a Claire Colwil, right (AAP Image/Kelly Barnes)

THE TEAMS

Under 15 Boys No. 1: Dominic Anderson (Brisbane), Jesse Bender (Brisbane), Kaleb Benny (Gold Coast), Ryan Cartwright (Cairns), Will Cronk (Toowoomba), Liam Harrold (Brisbane), Lennox Hassum (Gold Coast), Matt Hawthorne (Toowoomba), Jaiden Lenzina (Rockhampton), Cooper Mackenzie (Rockhampton), Kaleb Mayfield (Mackay), Max Montgomery (Sunshine Coast), Brock Philip (Mt. Isa), Lachy Savage (Ipswich) and Samuel Savage (Ipswich) and Jacob Wilson (Maryborough).

Parks forward Chandarayuth Sary smashes home a goal during the Townsville Hockey under-15 clash at the Townsville Hockey Complex.

Boys No. 2: Lachlan Blackmore (Gladstone), Chandarayuth Sary (Townsville), Lachlan Davies (Mackay), Thomas Deakin (Brisbane), Jordan Donald (Brisbane), Luke Hall (Tweed), Joel Hubbard (Brisbane), Tyler Kenny (Maryborough), Harry Kirkwood (Mackay), Max Mackley (Brisbane), Brodie McDowell (Tweed), Matthew Nixon (Brisbane), Sam Riggs (Mackay), Jack Staples (Maryborough), Kye Webster (Gold Coast), Lachlan Ziviani (Toowoomba).

Georgia Harris from Arana Ascot Junior Hockey Club.

Under 15 Girls No. 1: Kara Bradley (Brisbane), Imogen Burger (Tweed Border), Montana Carr (Brisbane), Amy Chiu Chong (Brisbane), Meka Crick (Maryborough), Sophie Davis (Townsville), Bobbie Hamlet (Toowoomba), Georgia Harris (Brisbane), Eleanor Holmes (Brisbane), Mihaylia Howell (Brisbane), Ellie Kendall (Brisbane), Camryn Mathison (Gold Coast), Nina Murphy (Tweed Border), Sophia Papantoniou (Brisbane), Lily Richardson (Brisbane), Karissa Van der Wath (Brisbane).

Paul Hubbard.

Under 15 girls No. 2: Tammin Andrews (Gold Coast), Bridie Bedford (Tweed Border), Kailei Bowers (Brisbane), Madeline Casey (Brisbane), Ella Hagenbach (Toowoomba), Alira Heterick (Tweed Border), Shanelle James (Brisbane), Anastasia Long (Brisbane), Melanie Lum (Cairns), Mia Newbold (Brisbane), Talia Parry (Sunshine Coast), Bree Pendrigh (Cairns), Lara Pyle (Brisbane), Zara Seivers (Cairns), Amelia Wilson (Brisbane), Charlie Jackson (Sunshine Coast).

Georgina West takes a penalty shot. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Under 18 boys: Jacob Anderson (Brisbane), Ryley Bobart (Gladstone), Daniel Burge (Toowoomba), Diarmid Chappell (Fraser Coast), Bailey Charlesworth (Gold Coast), Brock Christensen (Rockhampton), Geoffrey Crofton (Brisbane), Jack Hawthorne (Toowoomba), Paul Hubbard (Brisbane), Ryan Hughes (Brisbane), Zac McCoombes (Brisbane), Josh Nixon (Brisbane), Hayden Pease (Rockhampton), Ashton Price (Gold Coast), Damien Rapisardi (Brisbane), Pat Sheedy (Mackay), Kipp Thrupp (Brisbane), Ryan Wilcox (Fraser Coast).

Stella Harris of Easts has made the Queensland under 18 team.

Under 18 girls: Jordan Bliss (Mackay), Sarah Cocharan (Cairns), Claire Colwill (Mackay), Chloe Daly (Sunshine Coast), Hannah Cullum-Sanders (Fraser Coast), Stella Harris (Brisbane), Mekenzie Hermann (Toowoomba), Amity Humphreys (BWHA), Madeline Kenny (Fraser Coast), Fiona Laybutt (Tweed), Kyra Livermore (Gold Coast), Liv McArthur (Cairns), Jasmin Morrissey (Tweed), Jane Ramsay (BWHA), Annelyse Tevant (Fraser Coast), Demi Walker (Mackay), Georgina West (Brisbane), Eliza White (BWHA).