WARRNAMBOOL and District Hockey Association (WDHA) members feature prominently in regional representative squads to contest junior state championships.
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Thirty-three WDHA juniors will don South West Country Eagles colours for the annual championships in Melbourne from June 30 to July 3.
Its biggest representation is in the under 15 boys’ grade — 10 players hail from the WDHA. The under 13 boys’ and under 15 girls’ outfits have eight each.
Other players are from the Ballarat, Hamilton and Portland-based associations, as well as Hockey Victoria state league club WestVic.
WDHA president Tomas Tait said the strong numbers reflected well on the Albert Park-based association.
“It’s pretty huge for an association our size that we’ve got so many,” Tait said.
Tait said the travel demands on junior hockey players and their families to train for representative squads enhanced the achievement.
“We’ve got kids who are enthusiastic enough to try out for these squads. Unlike Melbourne, they’ve got to travel a fair amount,” he said.
“They’ll have their trainings in Ballarat, Hamilton and Warrnambool.”
Squads:
U13 girls: Neave Delaney (Warrnambool), Grace Austin, Ruby Cush, Sharney Millard, Isabelle Musson, Emily Pitts, Chloe Russell, Eleanor Vearing (Glenelg), Jessica Campbell, Lily Drury, Jemima Howell, Kahlua Smart, Ebonie Squire-Robinson, Zoe Thomas (Ballarat).
U13 boys: Shane Blignaut, Jace Cannon, Darcy Nelson-Hill, Joseph Nelson-Hill, Mason Nutting, Connor Parsons, Tyler Smith, Heath Yates (Warrnambool), Cody Holmes, Reagan Simons, Kaemon Smith, Dougal Sweeney (Glenelg), Leo Golder, Ben Jackson (Ballarat), Matthew Cannon, Rylan Newton (Portland).
U15 girls: Jade Delaney, Teri-Lynn Drummond, Rebecca Dyson, Samantha Jackway, Annabelle Nutting, Kelsey Ratcliffe, Naticia Varley, Natalie Wingrove (Warrnambool), Olivia Moore, Emma Robertson, Hannah Russell (Glenelg), Tayla Jackson (Ballarat), Maddison Clark, Elly Walters (Portland).
U15 boys: Thomas Gough, Jack Helmore, Riley Helmore, Noah Hetherington, Ryan Keen, Ben McLeod, Bailey Nicholson, Jacob Vagg, Harry White, Jack Yates (Warrnambool), Oliver Pitts, Josh Read (Glenelg), Jonti Golder, Lachlan Hansford, Aaron Lowe, Alex Shipham (Ballarat).
U17 boys: Chase Andersson, Dermott Colee, Connor Drummond, Stewart Manderson, Bryce McDonald, Riley Patel (Warrnambool), Shannon Donohue (Portland), Lachlan Clark, Harrison McPhan, Ben Shipham, Ben Toogood, Luke Tatchell, Thomas Verco, Perry Williams (WestVic).
