BATHURST’S Jessica Watterson is stepping up for one of the biggest challenges of her promising hockey career this week, but will have the support two familiar faces in Keely Hunter and Esther Hotham.
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The Bathurst Premier League Hockey trio head to Newcastle as part of the NSW side competing in the under 18 women’s Australian Hockey Championships, which run from April 10 to 21.
All three have represented NSW before, but for 15-year-old Watterson, this is her first year in the higher age group.
“I am nervous and excited and just want to play well,” she said.
“I expect the competition to be a lot tougher and faster, but I think I can hold my own and I’m just looking forward to playing.”
Both Hotham and Hunter played under 18s last year and remember the pain of losing via penalty strokes in the final to Victoria. This time they want to go through and win the national title.
“It will be hard this year, our first three games are really tough, we have Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia, so we will have to play well from the first game,” Hotham, who plays her club hockey with Bathurst City, said.
“It will be tough, but I think we will do well. We do have a younger side than last year, but all the players have played representative hockey before, so I know they will be fine.
“Playing for NSW is always fun, I have been working hard on my fitness and having Jess and Keely in the side is also a comfort, because we know how each other play and I am just excited to get out and play.”
Both Hotham and Watterson will play as strikers and are and deemed goal scores for the 18s side, while Hunter may have her chance as well.
“This year I am a floater, meaning I can play any position the coach wants to put me in, it is both a good and bad thing because I don’t have a permanent position,” Hunter, a Souths team-mate of Watterson’s, said.
“If someone is injured then I slot straight into their position, it is also a good thing because I get to play all over the field.”
Playing in Newcastle the NSW team will not have far to travel or take long to adjust and Hotham thinks that could be an advantage.
“I played my first state tournament in Newcastle and I think most of our team would have played there before, playing there will be good because the weather will not be much different, so we will not have to adjust,” she said.
Both Souths and City missed their state representatives in the opening round of the Premier League Hockey competition due to NSW training and they will miss a further round after Easter.
Hunter and Hotham are also in the under 21s NSW squad so they not only want to perform well in their last year of the 18s side, but will be pushing for selection in the older age group.
Bathurst goalkeeper Kate Brown will also be attending the 18 championships, playing for ACT.
