Kate Brown, Maddison Lippiatt, Ailie McGarity and Zoe Watts all impressed selectors with their efforts training with the NSW squad to progress to the final the state team.

Aimee Ashcroft was also selected in the squad and was unlucky to miss out on team selection after strong performances throughout the year.

All five girls were a part of the Bathurst team that won under 13s Half State Hockey Championships division one title at Parkes in mid-July, after beating South Coast 4-2 in the grand final.

Their coach Lee Clarke said after the tournament that her team were a very talented side who lost only one game all season.

“I also thought our forwards were exciting to watch, with speedy wingers, skilled inners and one of the best centre forwards I’ve seen in junior hockey in Maddie Lippiat,” Clarke, who also praised Brown, said.

The four girls said they are looking forward to the competition and expect the competition to be tough.

“It will probably be a step above what we have experienced so far,” McGarity said.

The whole team will get together later this month to train before the the start of the carnival on September 29.

Also showing the strength of hockey in the region was the selection of Renee Hunter from Lithgow, Rachel Divall from Orange and Mariah Williams from Parkes to bring the total number of Central West players in the state team to seven out of the 16.

NSW UNDER 13 INVITATIONAL TEAM: Kate Brown, Maddison Lippiatt, Ailie McGarity, Zoe Watts (Bathurst), Rachel Divall (Orange), Renee Hunter (Lithgow), Mariah Williams (Parkes), Lily Brazel (Parramatta), Anna Brotherson (Grafton), Zoe Collier (Manning Valley), Samantha Coulter (Parramatta), Kimberly Gooden (South Coast), Samantha Danckert (Central Coast), Claire Johnson (North Shore), Hayley Martin (Macarthur), Chloe Montgomery (Goulburn).