 Mitchell Ottow suffered a serious neck injury in 2014 which prevented him from touring Australia in early summer 2015 with the New Zealand Under-19 hockey team.
It was a bitter blow for Ottow who had been knocking on the door of national selection for several seasons. Injury has strengthened his resolve. Last year he captained Westlake Boys’ High School to the Rankin Cup title (celebrations below), trialled for the New Zealand Under-21′s and regained his place in the 19′s. “I am really looking forward to the Aussie trip. Playing other countries and the best in your age group is a really exciting challenge,” he says. In December a training camp was held in Auckland where 36 players were selected to tour. They will be divided into two teams, White and Black. Ottow enjoyed interacting with the other players. “Seven of the players are from North Harbour so I know them really well and compete with or against them regularly. I have come across many of the others before, but I haven’t really talked to them because they are the opposition. It was nice to talk to them and realise they are nice guys,” he admits. Ottow concedes New Zealand knows little about their opposition, but will be filming games on tour to build knowledge. Managing the summer heat will be a big factor. “I have been working hard on my fitness, but nothing can really prepare you for the extreme heat on the Gold Coast. We will have to manage our fluids and subs really well,” he says. New Zealand hockey Campaign Manager Hemant Lala said: “The challenge for these young players will be to see if they are able to implement their new learning’s in an international competition environment.” Ottow identifies Rankin Cup winning teammates Benji Edwards and JP Rossouw as players to keep an eye on while Sam Hiha a striker from Napier BHS has also impressed. “Sam is really good. He is controlled on the ball and every time he gets it you sense something positive will happen,” Ottow says. It’s a positive time for hockey at present. Later in 2016 both the men’s and women’s senior teams will compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. PLAYER NAME - REGION - POSITION Zane Anderson - Midlands - Striker Reuben Andrews - Midlands - Defender Mark Bell-Kake - Auckland - Striker Wade Bennett - Midlands - Goalkeeper Jonathon Bloor - Midlands - Striker Malachi Buschl - Southern - Defender Te Hiraka Chase - Midlands - Defender Sean Crook - Central - Goalkeeper Lawrence Darling - Canterbury - Defender Garrick du Tiot - Midlands - Midfielder Benji Edwards - North Harbour - Defender Hamish Findlay - Canterbury - Midfielder Brandon Ford - Northland - Striker Kurt Ford - Northland - Striker Jesse Forsyth - Canterbury - Striker Travis Good - North Harbour - Striker Connor Greentree - North Harbour - Defender Angus Griffin - Central - Goalkeeper Xavier Guy - Auckland - Defender Xavier Hey - Central - Defender Sam Hiha - Central - Striker Moss Jackson - Canterbury - Striker Kalyan Jeram - Auckland - Striker Timothy Kerr - Capital - Midfielder Ethan Martin - Midlands - Defender Hamish McGeorge - Midlands - Striker Paraone Muru - Midlands - Defender Mitchell Ottow - North Harbour - Midfielder Max Rasmussen - Auckland - Midfielder JP Rossouw - North Harbour - Midfielder Dion Spackman - Central - Defender Ross Stembridge - Central - Midfielder Dylan Stevenson - North Harbour - Defender Jordan Ward - Southern - Defender Henry Will - North Harbour - Striker William Zhou - Capital - Goalkeeper Match Schedule Sunday 10th January – NZ Black vs NZ White Monday 11th January – NZ Black vs Japan/NZ White vs Australia Tuesday 12th January - NZ White vs Japan/NZ Black vs Australia Thursday 14th January - NZ Black vs Japan/NZ White vs Australia Friday 15th January - NZ Black vs NZ White  Pictured: Frances Davies, www.photosport.nz An extended squad has been named for the Junior Black Sticks Women’s tour to Australia in the New Year.
The tour is a development opportunity for young players who are deemed 3-5 years away from National Squad selection. The squad will play as two teams in games against Australia and Japan Under 19 groups on the Gold Coast from 8-15 January. Junior Black Sticks Women’s Squad Gold Coast Tour Josie Ackroyd - North Harbour Jessie Anderson - Canterbury Johanna Avery - Central Millie Calder - Canterbury Ailsa Connolly - Auckland Frances Davies - Midlands Ella Hyatt-Brown - North Harbour Polly Inglis - Auckland KateIvory - Auckland Hattie Jones - North Harbour Acacia Kelsen - Midlands Bridget Kiddle - Canterbury Kelsey Lewis - Midlands Alex Lukin - Midlands Amelia Marlow - Auckland Hayley Maunder - Northland Clodagh McCullough - North Harbour Maddi McLean - Southern Neve McLean - Southern Annie McNaughton - Midlands Whena Munn - Capital Tegan Muraahi - Central Siobhan Nuzum - Midlands Holly Pearson - Central Emma Rainey - Central Kayla Reed - North Harbour Tori Robinson - Midlands Kate Sellar - North Harbour Charlotte Symes - Canterbury DeborahYung - Midlands Casey-Mae Waddell - Central Tayla White - Auckland Madeleine Williamson - North Harbour Ginny Wilson - Southern Emily Wium - Canterbury Maddie Wotton - Canterbury |
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