Junior hockey players in Dubbo have a long tradition of performing well at the highest level and that trend shows no sign of slowing with three local talents preparing to play for NSW at upcoming carnivals.
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Lilli Campbell, Emma Corcoran and Ryan Simpson will be travelling to different parts of Australia to represent their state with Campbell playing for NSW at the National Championships at Brisbane in October while Corcoran and Simpson both made state school sides.
Campbell is one of only two goalkeepers chosen in the NSW squad and her mother, Deb, admitted it was a very big achievement, but one which wouldn't be possible without the high level of coaching here at Dubbo.
"It is and I'm so proud of her, she's worked very hard to get here and she's had a lot of help from Dubbo Hockey Association, Nikki Simpson, Craig Chapman and Gavin Weekes, who has been coaching her the last few weeks," she said
Campbell, who is continuing Dubbo's tradition of strength, has played for western region for the past four years and has also represented NSW Country but her mother admitted the selection in the state side was the highlight of Lilli's career so far.
"I think I was more excited but she was happy because she missed out last year and this year was her year. She's made a few other sides so this one is the icing on the cake at the moment," she said.
Simpson will be heading to Hobart later this month to represent NSW after impressing for western at the state carnival at Canberra last month.
Simpson is the first student at Orana Heights Primary School to make a state side in 15 years and his mother, Nikki,
"He's just blossomed in the last year," she said.
"He's here [at the hockey grounds] all the time, probably three or four nights a week and Saturdays. He still plays a bit of soccer on Saturday and umpires as well."
While Campbell and Simpson are enjoying the lead-up to representing NSW for the first time, Corcoran is adding another representative team to her already impressive resume.
The year 11 student at St John's College has been a regular in western and state teams in recent years but she said she even surprised herself by making the under-16 NSW All Schools side which will play at Adelaide this week.
"It was a shock, the level of competition was crazy and I didn't think I'd get picked so I was very excited and then nervous because I knew I had to train a lot before going away next week," she said.
With her hockey continuing to impress, Corcoran admitted it's getting a bit harder to find time for everything with her schoolwork also becoming more important.
"It's been good, there's lot of commitment and it can get hard with school but you do it because it's what you love," she said.
"I have to try and work on both so it's hard but it's definitely something I'm passionate about."