ORANGE will head into this weekend’s Hockey NSW Open Women’s Field State Championship with one thing in mind - themselves.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With Michelle Barrett and Beth Shea in charge of the coaching reigns of the Orange outfit at the Illawarra Credit Union Hockey Stadium at Albion Park, the 14-strong division two squad is expected to perform well against some stiff opposition.
And the key to that anticipated success is keeping things simple.
“I’m a big believer, especially at these tournaments, in just worrying about ourselves. We don’t want to try and think too much about our opposition,” Shea said.
“Every game is a bit of an unknown, and that’s a good reason in itself to not get too caught up in who we’re playing.
“If we can make the semis then anything can happen after that.”
Orange is in pool A of the girls’ division two championship in 2014.
They’ll tackle Illawarra in game one on Saturday morning before going head-to-head with New England, Manning Valley and then Lithgow in their remaining pool games.
In a bid to promote junior talent, the Orange team is stacked with players running around with Orange’s women’s Premier League Hockey teams, with Ex-Services guns Leanne Kennewell and Mel Hope looking after the team’s captaincy.
Shea said with some of those players in good form, a solid campaign was ahead of her side.
“They did really well last year and I think with a few good performers in the team this year, a few of the younger girls are that year older, we can expect to do well again,” she added.
Orange’s first game against Illawarra will begin at 11.45am on Saturday.
ORANGE: Allie Olding, Georgie Watson, Ebony Press, Chloe Press, Madie Smith, Larrisa Atkinson, Tiff Atkinson, Leanne Kennewell, Mel Hope, Mel Woods, Chloe Barrett, Ellen Van Hoek, Em Piper, Jade Williams.