Lily Kable and Charlize Fitzpatrick are no strangers to representative hockey and now the two Bathurst junior talents will get another chance to represent their state at the Under 15s National Championships in April.
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With the championships to be held in Bathurst, 14-year-old Kable has been selected for the under 15s NSW State side, while 15-year-old Fitzpatrick will play in the NSW Blues team at the week-long championships.
Kable and Fitzpatrick were both selected to represent NSW at the Under 13s National Championships in 2018, with Kable picked in the under 13s squad again in 2019 while Fitzpatrick was in the under 15s state last year.
Kable - who attends and plays her club hockey with Scots All Saints College - said it was a massive achievement for herself and Fitzpatrick to be selected in the team.
"It was really good, especially with me being underage but it's a big achievement for the both of us," she said.
"It'll definitely be good for Bathurst to get everyone here for the tournament, with everyone getting to know Bathurst."
Both girls had to attend training camps, before coaches selected the final two NSW teams for the championships.
"To get into the training camp, you've got to go to state champs and they pick a squad of about 50 and those 50 go to the training camp," Kable said.
"We've got a really strong side - both teams are quite strong really - but I think we'll go really well.
"We've played with each other before. It'll be really fun."
While this year's under 15s championships will be held in Bathurst, Fitzpatrick - a MacKillop College student who plays her club hockey with Souths - said she and Kable will still have to stay in a hotel with their teammates.
"We have to stay together for the team bonding," she said.
While Kable was familiar with some of her teammates, Fitzpatrick said she hasn't played with many of her 2020 teammates.
Kable's under 15s side will be coached by James Birkefeld, while the assistant coach is Bathurst local Kent Bestwick.
There's another Central West girl in Fitzpatrick's NSW side - Jessica Healey - who plays in the Orange Hockey Association.
The championship will run from April 17-23, with games to be played at the Cooke Hockey Complex.
The under 15s boys championships will also be held across the same dates too.
Teams from all states and territories are expected to compete at the championships.
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