JYE Bunt is a "devastated" coach.
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He had hoped that 2020 would be the year that the Bathurst women's side he coaches would make their return to the finals stage at the Hockey NSW state championships.
They won't get that chance.
The coronavirus pandemic has not only forced Hockey NSW to suspend all local competitions, but cancel a number of state titles which had been planned for this year.
Amongst those events to be cancelled was the Open Women's Field State Championships, which were to be played June 6-8.
"Obviously it's a tough time we are all going through. It's devastating we can't trial and play this year and it will make it a bit harder for next year," he said.
"For health and well-being you have to do it, but everyone gets a year older and there could be retirements. It does make it harder."
Bathurst was last crowned division one state champions in 2012 and the following year the side in lime green and white again made the decider.
But since then many associations have merged, meaning Bathurst has faced stiffer competition.
Bunt, who's wife Tamsin has been a stalwart of the Bathurst side, took over as coach in 2016.
That year Bathurst survived a relegation play off, downing Tamworth 2-0 in their final match to retain its place in division one.
The next two years Bathurst placed fifth - in 2018 it missed the semi-finals by one point - while last year on home turf the side was competitive but ultimately ranked sixth.
But Bunt was confident he would have had the squad to crack the top four this season.
"I think we would have been a little bit better than last year, I would have thought we'd at least go another step further and make the semis," he said.
"It's been a fair few years really of working hard with all the girls. They are always willing to learn, which has been awesome for us."
Bunt was also set to head to Launceston later this month in his role as assistant coach of the NSW Under 18 men's side.
Those national championships have been cancelled as well, Bunt saying: "Those boys are pretty gutted, they had a pretty strong team this year."
As for Tamsin Bunt, who is one of the squad members hoping to make the cut for Australia's Women's World Cup indoor hockey side, things have changed as well.
"They've been told to keep training. They had a camp they had to go to at the end of August that has been cancelled," Jye Bunt said.
"With the Olympics being postponed to 2021 and the World Cup at the start of '21, you don't know what impact that will have."
