At the conclusion of the Under 18s Championships at the Australian Indoor Hockey Festival, Crookwell had three representatives boasting highly successful tournaments.
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Brad Smith (NSW), Zac McGregor (ACT), and Jayde Della (ACT) all took part in the tournament, and it was Smith who tasted the ultimate success as NSW lifted the trophy last Thursday, towards which he contributed eight goals.
Despite the ACT’s underwhelming tournaments, McGregor and Della both played well, and Crookwell Indoor Hockey Sub-Committee president, Meghan McGregor, said that the ACT Men’s side’s primary impediment was one of depth.
“They certainly had their opportunities,” McGregor said. “I think that it was just the lack of depth in the team cost them in crucial games.
“They lost 4-2 to Queensland, who were in the final against New South Wales, and in that game they missed a stroke and didn’t score from any of their corners.
“If they had a bit more depth or a bit more experience as a team, then it would be different.”
Della, who lives in Crookwell but rarely competes in hockey anymore as she has dedicated herself to league tag, played in her fourth Australian Indoor Festival this year, and wanted to go out on a good note.
“It’s my last year in 18s and I wanted to go and have a crack at it,” she said.
With all of her experience in the format, Della took on an informal leadership role within the side this year, one which will no doubt have a formative impact on the young up-and-coming stars of the Under 18s ACT side for future festivals.
McGregor feels a similar way and said that there are “lots of good things happening at ACT, and they’re looking to progress their players.”
However, she knows that the ACT will struggle to keep pace with NSW in the immediate future, owing to the strong structure that this year’s winners already have in place.
“NSW should be strong again in this age group next year, because they played their two oldest kids with their youngest players, and then they played their 17 year olds all as one team,” McGregor said.
“It’s nice to have the luxury to be able to do that.”
Despite a fifth-place finish for the ACT Men and a fourth-place finish for the Women, Della said that the tournament was extremely enjoyable because “We were a new bunch, and we all gelled together so easy.
“It was a good tournament, it was the best tournament I’ve played personally.”
The Under 21 Men’s and Women’s tournaments will wrap up with finals today, and will be followed by the Open Men’s and Women’s tournaments on Wednesday.
The conclusion of the Open divisions on Saturday January 26 will mark the end of the three-week-long festival.
McGregor advised local fans to keep an eye on the Crookwell Hockey Facebook page for the announcement of a signup date for the 2019 season.
