21-year-old Hockeyroo Grace Young is vital to Australia’s Paris medal hopes
The future of the Hockeyroos is in good hands with an emerging youth brigade led by 21-year-old star Grace Young set to feature heavily the in team’s Paris medal campaign.
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Young by name, young by age – Hockeyroos tyro Grace Young believes she will be on the plane to Paris for the Olympics.
She has to. Her country’s medal hopes are at stake.
Whether that dream becomes a reality, the 21-year-old said it was the common goal of all 22 athletes in Hockey Australia’s high performance unit and it stoked a competitive fire to give the final 16 selected in the Olympic squad the best chance of winning a medal.
The NSW native is among the newest members of the Perth-based squad, called in last year, and is enjoying the baptism of fire that comes with an Olympic preparation.
“You’re training so hard every day and no matter how young you are, how long you’ve been in the team for, it’s an environment where everyone expects to go to Paris,” Young said.
“You never know what’s going to happen, but every person is pushing for it.
“Whether you end up going or not, you’ve been part of creating that training environment for everyone so, at the end of the day, we all play a part in it.
“It’s very intense but it’s so cool to be a part of it and be striving toward something together.”
DESTINED FOR GREATNESS
Young’s emergence has come as no surprise to anyone. The Grafton junior followed her older brothers into the sport and quickly caught the attention of talent watchers.
Among those is Hockeyroos coach Katrina Powell, who was at the NSW Institute of Sport at the time and remains an unabashed fan of the ultra-competitive defensive midfielder.
“Grace has been an identified talent in NSW hockey for a long time, she’s super-talented and she’s got this natural aggressive instinct that I really like,” Powell said.
“The first thing you notice is she’s always involved – and she wants to be.
“She’s super competitive and it really drives her. And that’s fun to work with.”
YOUTH BRIGADE
Young is one of six next-gen stars aged 19-22 who are powering the future of the Hockeyroos.
Age is no factor, though, once the white line is crossed on game day or in training.
“We had a group at the junior World Cup, which is good to have that sense of friendship and going through it together but I think the mix of us young ones and more experienced players is really good,” Young said.
“It doesn’t feel like we’re treated any differently, our voice matters just as much as girls who have been in it 10-plus years, so the way they do things, it doesn’t really feel like you’re young or disadvantaged.”
Ahead of her third Olympics, star striker Grace Stewart said the youth movement had added zest to the squad.
“They’re all an integral component of our team and they’re all pushing for spots at the Olympics,” Stewart said.
“Any of them could be in that Paris team and that’s what they’ve brought.
“All the younger kids seem to be a lot more skilful so they’re always pushing us older girls to be better.”
It’s that quality and competitiveness that has made Powell’s selection job that much harder.
“This squad is making it particularly difficult,” Powell said.
“Amy (Lawton) and Claire (Colwill) are two of the younger ones who have been involved with our group as part of World Cup and Commonwealth Games in 2022.
“Grace is in the mix for Paris along with Maddie Brooks and Tatum Stewart.
“It’s a really great core group of young players for the next generation of Hockeyroos, not just for Paris.”
SOLE FOCUS
Young has deferred her studies in occupational therapy to focus on the move to Perth and the intense schedule of training six days a week that comes with the Hockeyroos’ centralised build up to Paris.
“It takes all your energy to show up every day and perform but it’s a super-inspiring environment to be in, with everyone around you putting in the same effort,” she said.
“I feel like I don’t often take a step back and look at it because it’s very full on but, when I do, It’s like, ‘OMG, 10-year-old Grace would be quaking’.
“The fact I get to do this is insane, to train every day with my idols growing up and to be a chance of going to an Olympics.”
LEARNING FROM THE BEST
In her role as the defensive midfielder, Grace acts as a field general, vital in holding up opposing attacks and creating attacks the other way.
It’s a huge responsibility that requires elite fitness, speed and on-ball skill.
Young has all that in spades, fortunate to refine her game under the guidance of Olympians Kaitlin Nobbs and Jane Claxton.
Nobbs, the 2023 Hockey One MVP, has been a mentor playing alongside Young for NSW Pride.
“You have a big role as DM and you’ve got to be a calm, mature head and I’ve been able to learn heaps from Nobby in that area,” Young said.
HOCKEYROOS’ GENERATION NEXT
Maddie Brooks, 19
Claire Colwill, 20
Grace Young, 21
Lucy Sharman, 21
Tatum Stewart, 22
Amy Lawton, 22
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