If you don’t already know it, remember the name Eva Reith-Snare.
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She’s long been considered one of Orange’s brightest talents and in regularly representing her state she’s always justified that hype, but no more so than in the opening few months of 2018.
Last month, at just 16, Reith-Snare helped her NSW side to an undefeated gold medal win at the Hockey Australia Under-18 Championship at Launceston, and capped the tournament off with a sparkling effort in the decider that earned her player of the final honours.
On the back of that, she’s been named in NSW’s preliminary under-21 squad alongside Chloe Barrett but, in an even bigger achievement, also made the cut in the women’s Futuroos squad.
An identification process for the nation’s best underage players, the Futuroos is essentially Australia’s under-18 squad and outside training camps they’ll face New Zealand, Japan, India, South Africa and visiting university and school teams from Asia in games.
“I’m stoked,” Reith-Snare smiled.
“I don’t really know much about it, we’ll hear more after the Commonwealth Games I think. It’ll be my first time playing for Australia, it’s really exciting.
“We’ve got a trial in the next school holidays for the under 21s, but that’s a long shot for me, I’m just very happy to be in the squad. My name’s in the mix there now.”
After beating Queensland Maroons (3-1), ACT (7-0), NSW Blues (10-2), Queensland Gold (8-0) and drawing with Western Australia (1-1), NSW beat Victoria 2-0 in the semi-final to earn a decider berth against WA.
That final was as thrilling a gold medal game as anyone could’ve hoped for too.
“It went down to the last seconds,” Reith-Snare explained, adding the MVP win was an exciting bonus.
It’ll be my first time playing for Australia, it’s really exciting.
- Eva Reith-Snare
“We were up 3-2 and they got a penalty stroke with about 30 seconds left. Our goalkeeper saved that, but then they got a short corner. The hooter went, but we played the corner and we managed to keep it out.
“I thought I played well in that final, well enough to win I guess. I did my job.
“We were coached by (former Hockeyroo) Katrina Powell too which was great experience.”
That’s not all though.
The multi-sport talent was also picked in NSW Combined High Schools’ open softball side earlier this year, but unfortunately was forced to miss the NSW All Schools carnival because she was in Tasmania.
“Hockey is my number one sport so I wasn’t too upset. I was a little disappointed I guess because it would’ve been nice to have a crack,” Reith-Snare said, she was also speaking to the Central Western Daily just hours after helping her Orange High School open girls’ cricket side to a win over Canobolas Rural Technology High School on Monday afternoon.
“I didn’t really expect to get in so I sort of thought ‘it doesn’t really matter’ but then I did make it and the dates clashed.
“I’m still in year 11 though so there’s always next year for that, hopefully.”