ORANGE took a different approach to this year’s Hockey NSW Under 15 Boys and Girls Indoor State Championships preparation, pitting its two respective sides against each other in the lead up.
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Orange’s under 15 boys’ and under 15 girls’ sides took each other on in two trial games on Monday and Wednesday, in a bid to sharpen up before the championships, which begin today in Niagara Park on the Central Coast.
“They were good hit outs,” boys coach Mark Pengilly said.
“It gave everyone a good chance to adapt back to indoor hockey from field hockey before the championships. Obviously they are very different in terms of height and stickwork, and the no lifting rule in indoor.
“Along with our couple of training sessions, the boys are ready, and really looking forward to it.”
Orange’s boys side heads into the championships with continuity in abundance having played together in the under 13 competition last season.
Pengilly said despite his players’ age, they are expected to perform well in division three against Nepean, Wagga Wagga, Manning Valley (2) and Central Coast (2).
“We played Nepean in the final of the 13s last year, I imagine a lot of those boys will still be there,” Pengilly said.
“Wagga would be strong as well I imagine. We’re young, but we have experience.”
Dennis Shrimpton, the girls’ manager, labelled his side “quietly confident”.
Orange goes into the division one competition against Sydney (1), Macarthur (1), Tamworth (1) and Illawarra (1) looking defend last year’s title.
“A lot of those girls have moved on, and some of last season’s under 13s have stepped up,” he said.
“So we are quite young, but there is a lot of talent around the side and we were very competitive with the boys in the trials.
“The metropolitan teams are always strong and I think we’ll play some tough hockey but they won’t get overawed and I think we’ll go pretty well.”
The boys take on Nepean at 1.50pm tomorrow to open their campaign, while the girls play Sydney (1) in their first game today.