With no discrimination between sports, regional athletes' pathways to the top have been at the forefront of discussion for some time now, with governing bodies often trumpeting the continued foundation being put in place to provide as much opportunity as possible.
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There's no debating the positive impact of those discussions and there's also no denying the ever-increasing opportunities those regional athletes have, however, there's also no question those chances magnify exponentially in metropolitan areas.
Of course with countless variables like population and proximity coming into play there always will be more opportunity in the city and that's a huge reason moving to bigger, metropolitan areas is - and probably always will be - a most important step for young stars chasing their dreams.
But in no way does that make it impossible to reach the top level from the country, Orange's Eddie Bone is living proof of that.
I always try to keep track of how the young Orange players are doing...so I'm really happy to see [Hayden Dillon] and [Eva Reith-Snare] doing really well.
- Eddie Bone
A self-confessed 'late bloomer', Bone's move to a major city wasn't based around chasing a career in hockey, following her time at Kinross Wolaroi School and a gap year she moved to Canberra for university.
Harbouring an ever-present love of the game she played while studying, with University of Canberra, but her chance at the higher level was a happy coincidence, at 19 she filled in for the ACT's under-21 side because they didn't have enough players.
The rest of history of course, now she's a 197-game veteran of the Hockeyroos and a Commonwealth Games gold medal-winner who's preparing for her second appearance at the Olympic Games, in Tokyo later this year.
The message behind that, as Bone said while running junior clinics alongside twin sister Meredith in Orange last week, is 'people can do it from Orange and from the country', which is why she's been so excited to follow the progression of Confederates' Eva Reith-Snare.
A regular in NSW under-age and school-based sides, Reith-Snare was handed an opportunity with the Jillaroos - Australia's under-21 side - earlier this month when Karri Somerville was promoted to the Hockeyroos squad.
Granted, Reith-Snare did say in her speech after winning Orange City Council's 2018 Junior Sportsperson of the Year award she's planning a move to Sydney, but still, everything she's done in the game so far has come while in Orange.
"I've never actually met Eva but I'm really excited to when the opportunity comes up, we have communicated over 'The 'Gram' (Instagram) though, with the technology that seems to be what we do these days," Bone laughed.
"When Katrina Powell joined the Hockeyroos as our assistant coach I remember her telling me about this young girl from Orange and how talented she was, and how we needed to get her to Sydney and this and that.
"I remember thinking 'people can do it from Orange and the country too' so it's really, really exciting to see her get that opportunity through the Jillaroos and I know she's had some other pretty cool opportunities this year as well.
"I always try to keep track of how the young Orange players are doing. Hayden Dillon is another one I know who is doing amazingly well which is great to see."
Dillon is now co-captain of Wests' Hunter Coast Premier Hockey League side in Newcastle but began his career with Orange Wanderers.
After representing the Australian under 21s at the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia earlier this year he was a stand-out in NSW Pride's inaugural Hockey One campaign and was then included in the National Men's Development Squad.
"I actually remember having a training session with Hayden about a year ago and we ran around, tackled each other and that sort of thing and I remember thinking 'wow, this kid is just so good', so I'm really happy to see him and Eva doing really well and getting these opportunities," Bone said.
That's a huge part of why Bone returns to Orange every year around the Christmas break, or rather why she consistently runs coaching clinics during that period. Of course she comes home to be with her family over the holidays and, this year, to celebrate Meredith's wedding as well.
"It's the only time we really get off, I always try to head back this time of year," Bone explained.
"I'd done some coaching in Canberra and it kind of clicked I should do some more in Orange as well so I figured I'd come back a bit early (this year), I love being able to pass one some knowledge to the juniors here because this is where I want the next hockey superstar to come from.
"There's so many talented kids in this area so hopefully one of them might pick up a stick and think 'this is what I want to do'."
On her whirlwind rise to the top, which the Central Western Daily chronicled a number of years ago as well, and glittering career since, the 31-year-old defender labelled it 'crazy' that she's now approaching her 200th international appearance.
She's earned 197 caps for the Hockeyroos so far and looks set to mark her double ton in Sydney during Australia's FIH Pro League campaign, they'll face Belgium first up as they look to go one step further than this year's silver medal-winning effort.
"It is a little bit crazy," Bone said.
"I'm sure at the end of the day it'll be just like any other game because once you play that many they do kind of roll into one in a lot of ways, but it's taken me eight years to get to this point and when I look back on my career there's certainly been a lot of highs and lows.
"I think it'll just be another step, another highlight in my career and ... I think it should be in Sydney so it'd be great to have my family there, we'll see what happens come selection time.
"But the main focus for next year is the Olympics."
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