Hundreds of people in Bathurst for Hockey NSW Under 13s Girls Championships

While the three-day tournament began on Friday, the fun started on Monday with a Premier League Development Clinic, followed by a Goal Keeping and Goal Scoring Clinic on Thursday.

The week-long event has seen hundreds of hockey players and their families from across the state congregate in town.

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Bathurst Hockey Centre manager Melissa Bestwick said not only has it been great for the girls but it's been great for the community as well.

"It's been a huge week but definitely well supported and it's great to see plenty of smiling faces," Ms Bestwick said.

"We've had seven full days of hockey and definitely brought a lot of hockey players and their families to Bathurst.

"It's not only wonderful for us down here but the community as well."

Coinciding with the Bathurst Winter Festival, the players and their families were able to enjoy some downtime and explore what the town has to offer.

Ms Bestwick said the competitors got a lot of enjoyment out of the ice skating rink and the other attractions at the festival.

But when it came to game day, the Bathurst girls benefited from having the home ground advantage.

"Both our Bathurst teams have played very well and have enjoyed their time off the field as well, so it's a great experience for them," Ms Bestwick said.

"To be in their home town, family and friends that may not be able to travel to watch them play in these sorts of tournaments can come down and watch. It's a great benefit for them."

Bathurst mayor Robert Taylor said the number of people in Bathurst due to the Winter Festival and the hockey tournament has been fantastic for the community.

Not only have the accommodation businesses benefited but the local restaurants, cafes and other stores all reap the rewards from the number of people attracted to Bathurst through these events.

"It's fantastic to think we're going to have a large number of people here for the NSW under 13s girls state hockey titles in tandem with the Bathurst Winter Festival's Brew and Bite," Cr Taylor said.

"Both events will bring thousands into the Bathurst CBD and the wider area, which will be fantastic for the local economy and the many businesses that benefit from it.

"The weather outlook is looking far better for this weekend. It'll be cold, but cool weather is indeed hockey weather, and as for the Bathurst Winter Festival, it's in the name, so it should be a fantastic weekend."

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