THE tremendous talents of four Urunga Hockey Club players have been recognised by Hockey NSW.

Ambrose Page, Phoenix Smith, and Josh Perry have been selected to participate in the Hockey NSW
Athlete Acceleration Program after their performances at the recent Under 18 Boys State Championships in Wollongong.

The three Urunga Hockey Club players are part of a squad of 60 boys chosen from across the state to take part in the prestigious program.

The Athlete Acceleration Program is NSW’s most successful talent development program.

It is a highly sophisticated program developed through extensive collaboration with the New South Wales Institute of Sport and Hockey Australia to help ensure that medal winning Olympians are produced and that the future of Australia’s elite performance is assured.

Urunga Hockey Club player Matt Kramer was also selected to the NSW Combined Independent Schools Open Boys team after standout performances at the Under 18 Boys State Championships.

Urunga Hockey Club president Travis Ford is the man in charge of coaching the four talented juniors.

He said it was no surprise their talents were recognised by Hockey NSW.

“They have a great work ethic and attitude on and off the field,” he said.

“They work really hard and are fantastic to coach, and they are just a bunch of good young men.”

Ford told News Of The Area the benefits the Hockey NSW program would have for the three players.

“It will teach them more elite hockey skills and prepare them for higher elite level hockey competitions,” he said.

Ford said his club had focused on developing juniors such as those recognised by Hockey NSW.

“We’ve been putting a lot of work into the juniors and making sure they enjoy hockey and have fun,” he said.

“Urunga had nine players in the under 18’s Hockey Coffs Coast squad at the State Championships, and that’s a result of developing the juniors.”

 

By Aiden BURGESS