WAIS Starlet Named in Hockey Squad for AYOF
The Australian men’s and women’s hockey teams competing at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival will be forces to be reckoned with come January.
WAIS will be represented in the Australian women’s team after Kathryn Slattery earned selection in the 16-member squad.
Continuing a strong legacy that has seen the AYOF blood future Olympic medallists, the 2013 Australian Teams feature teenagers strong enough to be in the senior Hockeyroos squad and gold medallists from the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.
Talented youngsters Jane Claxton, Jordyn Holzberger and Karri McMahon will lead the women’s side of 16, which features players from every state. The trio have also been selected in the senior Hockeyroos squad for 2013 – a first for both Claxton and McMahon.
The opportunity to compete against the strongest hockey nations at the AYOF is a challenge the girls are counting down to.
Another name synonymous with Olympic gold is on the team – with 19-year-old Brooke Peris earning selection. Hailing from the Northern Territory but now based in Perth, Brooke is the niece of famous Hockeyroo Nova Peris, who won gold at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
The Aussie girls will get the chance to play out an Ashes derby against Great Britain on the turf of the Sydney Olympics from January 16-20, 2013. The women also face formidable opponents China and the USA while the men add Argentina and Malaysia to their list of challengers.
The Australian men’s team boasts three players who won gold at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010 – Casey Hammond, Flynn Ogilvie and Dylan Wotherspoon.
Having the opportunity to play another international competition is a great lure for the trio as they look towards selection in the Rio 2016 side. The AYOF launched the careers of 2012 bronze medallists Matthew Butturini, Matt Gohdes, Kieran Govers and Simon Orchard, so these young players know the weight the tournament carries for future Olympics.
“It’s a really good opportunity to impress senior coaches,” 19-year-old Ogilvie from Wollongong said.
“It’s good for us to get any chance to play international matches and we also have a junior world cup coming up so it is a perfect time for us to come together from different states and play together. It’s important to make connections.”
Hockey is one of 17 sports being contested at the 2013 AYOF, which will see 1700 athletes in action from 30 countries. For more information, go to www.ayof2013.olympics.com.au
– AOC
