READY, SET, GO: The Orange Under 17s girls indoor hockey side is ready for the state championships. BACK: Steph Hinds, Louise Kempson, Rachael Hinds, Zoe Press. FRONT: Rachel Pengilly, Dionne Anslow, Tiffany Atkinson and Ebony Press. Photo: MICHELLE COOK 1001mchockey1
LAST year Orange entered one team in the Hockey NSW Indoor State Championships.
This year three teams will represent Orange.
The first will play this weekend in the under 17 girls championships at Unanderra.
Some of the players were in the under 15s side which made its debut last year.
Returning girls Dionne Anslow and Rachel Pengilly are looking forward to playing again.
“We’re a bit more relaxed this time because we know what to expect,” Pengilly said.
Anslow said playing the indoor form of the game is a nice change from field hockey.
“It’s something different. We want more people to play so we can get a competition going in Orange,” Anslow said.
The Orange sides recently had a training day in Parkes where they took on other sides and honed their skills.
“We had a practise day at Parkes and that was good,” Anslow said.
“Our defence is really strong. Our attack is pretty good too but our defence is stronger.”
Ebony Press is new to the sport but is looking forward to the challenge.
“It’s very different to field hockey,” Press said.
“You have to adjust a bit but it will help my skills in field hockey.”
Orange will compete in the division two competition at the under 17s championships this weekend.
They are in a pool with Illawarra (2), Campbelltown and Macarthur (2) and will play round robin matches on Saturday.
If they finish in the top two in their pool they will move into Sunday’s semi-finals and a win there will propel them into the final.
Indoor hockey is six-a-side including the goalkeeper.
Orange’s under 15 girls will go away from October 19-21 and under 13 girls will play from November 9-11.