Hardie-Jones went to Hobart on September 29 to compete in the Australian Women’s Veterans Hockey Championships before leaving for the World Masters Games in Sydney.

The national championships were played from October 1 to 10 with Hardie-Jones representing New South Wales.

“We arrived on the 29th to get together and start training since all the team members come from all over the State,” Hardie-Jones said.

“We performed very consistently over the 10 days with only one loss to Queensland.”

That game finished 1-0 while New South Wales also scored three wins and two draws with only two goals scored against them in the championship.

However, a lack of goals themselves meant New South Wales missed out on a final berth for and against.

Hardie-Jones, who is a regular face in the team and has gone on to represent Australia at Veterans level, said this was the first time in eight years New South Wales had not been in the final.

She left Hobart on Sunday, October 11 to complete in the World Masters games in Sydney with the first game at 8.30am the following morning.

“The team I played with in the World Masters was called Glove Box sponsored by a boxing clothing company from Sydney,” Hardie-Jones said.

“Seven of my NSW team mates played in the team and it was a great wind down after the nationals.”

There were 19 teams in the over-35s division and Glove Box registered one draw and four wins in the preliminary rounds to place third.

“We played the Chicks With Sticks in the finals,” Hardie-Jones said.

“This team included several ex-Hockeyroos.

“We were up 1-0 in the first half but then Chicks With Sticks scored early in second half and converted a penalty stroke with five minutes to go.”

The decisive penalty stroke gave Chicks With Sticks the win to progress through to the grand final, which they won 3-0 over Treasured Two.

Team Glove Box was presented with the bronze medal alongside the other two teams.

It was a very formal and professional presentation and it was a great experience to be a part of the World Masters Games,” Hardie-Jones said.