Three members of the Southern Storm have something to prove this year, with
midfielders Tessa Jopp and Maddi McLean, and goalkeeper Ginny Wilson
looking to catch the national selector’s eye.
Jopp and Wilson have recently returned from the Volvo Invitational Tournament in Breda, Netherlands, where the Future Black Sticks squad finished fifth of six in the Under 21 tournament. McLean was previously in the National Development Squad with Jopp over the 2014/15 summer, and will be looking to reclaim that spot. The Development Squad is one place
off being in the national squad itself, and Jopp will be hoping to receive the call up to the Black Sticks in the near future.
McLean and
Jopp will not be on their own, with experienced campaigners Courtney Ross and Sophie Wickens
completing the midfield, while Wilson will have Millie Cowan helping her lead the
defence.
Dunedin club players Lucy Harris and Leah Butt join the Southern Storm for the first time, after a strong season with their City Highlanders team, who will be looking to take out the Otago Club Championship this weekend.
The Storm and coach Rod Rzepecky will have their work cut out for
them however, with Southern the only women’s team without any Black Sticks amongst their numbers. The Storm will be looking to match or better their 2014 performance, where they stayed out of the last place playoff for the first time, to finish the tournament sixth of eight.
After their first match in Christchurch on 29 August, the Southern Storm players will be looking to inspire the next generation of girls when they coach primary school players in Dunedin on Saturday 5 September, before taking on a strong North Harbour team on the Sunday. They travel north to Whangarei for the remainder of their tournament, from 12 to 20 September.
Children’s Coaching with the Southern Storm
Saturday 5 September - McMillan Hockey Centre, 65 Harbour Terrace, Dunedin
1:00pm - 1.5 hours - $20.00 entry
National Hockey League - Round 2
Sunday 6 September - McMillan Hockey Centre, 65 Harbour Terrace, Dunedin - Free entry
Women
12:00pm
Southern Storm v North Harbour Women
Men
2:00pm
Southern Dogs v North Harbour Wolves
Southern Storm - National Hockey League 2015
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Alex Irwin
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Courtney Ross
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Dayna Holland
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Emma Spratt
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Ginny Wilson
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Kelly Nicholson
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Leah Butt
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Lucy Harris
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Maddi McLean
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Millie Cowan
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Polly Inglis
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Tessa Jopp
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Tori Vao
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Sophie Wickens
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Neve McLean
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Sarah Walcott
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Annameike van Vliet
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Michelle Prendiville
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