MITCHELL Watts is champing at the bit to don sky blue after being named in the 2014 NSW Primary Schools Sports Association (PSSA) boys’ hockey team.
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Watts was named in the NSW side after a strong performance with Western at the PSSA state carnival last month.
Playing centre half, Watts guided his side to five straight wins over Sydney West (9-1), North Coast (6-nil), North West (7-nil), Riverina (4-nil) and Sydney East (5-nil) to qualify first in pool B.
Playing perennial heavyweights Hunter in the semi-final, Western lost out 2-1 before beating a rejuvenated North Coast unit 2-1 in the third place play-off.
Along with Watts, Parkes’ Kyle Thompson and Dubbo’s Ryan Simpson were also named in the NSW side.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Watts said.
“I thought I played pretty well, I don’t want to brag though.”
Watts represented Western at last year’s state carnival and said having experience made his job easier in 2014, his final year of primary school.
“It was good last year to see what it was like [at that level],” he said.
Watts and his fellow New South Welshman will head into a two-day camp at Maitland at the end of the month, before going to Hobart from August 3-8 to take on the nation’s best in the School Sport Australia 12 years and under Championship.
“I don’t know much about the rest of the guys, they are from all over,” he said.
“The camp will be a good chance to get to know the rest of them. We should go alright. I think Queensland and Western Australia are meant to be pretty good.
Watts said he won’t be lacking preparation for the national carnival as he is part of the Orange under 13 boys’ team that will head to Grafton from July 18-20 for the NSW Hockey Field State Championships.
“It’ll be good to try and lead the guys around a bit,” he said.
A jack of all trades, Watts also represented Western PSSA in rugby league and touch football in 2014.