What an awesome start to the brand new U10 competition that I launched at Gold Coast Hockey! The goal isn’t just competition — it’s creating a fun, confidence-building environment where kids fall in love with the game and can’t wait to come back each week. WATCH VIDEO HERE: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVFCDwuEojZ/?igsh=ZWJqdWFmZmhoZXM0 Using boarded fields means: • More touches • Faster decisions • Constant involvement • Way more enjoyment Instead of getting lost on a big field, the kids stay engaged the whole time — and you can see it in their smiles. This is what junior sport should look like. 👏

Tonight we’re launching a brand new U10 competition at Gold Coast Hockey! The goal isn’t just competition — it’s introducing more kids to the game in a fun, confidence-building environment where they actually want to come back each week. We’ve set it up using boarded fields, which means: - More touches on the ball - Faster decision-making - Less standing around - Way more enjoyment for beginners Instead of kids getting lost on a big field, they stay involved constantly — which is huge at this age. Really excited to see how the kids respond!

Interesting article by ex-Hockeyroo Georgie parker. I am interested to hear everyone's thoughts...? (link shared at the end of post) My thoughts: Rhett Halkett has inherited a group that’s been together for a long time, with a very similar core over the years. At times that continuity helps, but it can also make a team comfortable and right now they’re not quite the powerhouse they once were. They can't score goals or threaten to score goals. Growing up in South Africa, the Australian teams were the benchmark. They were feared, respected, and set the standard. This is not the case anymore with the Hockeyroos... I feel a shift in training intensity and culture could help this group. Bringing in an external performance or conditioning voice (maybe an ex-player from their glory days) to really challenge the group might be valuable. Watching the Ireland and Argentina games, there’s clearly another level to reach as the team is clearly under performing. I do think the right players are selected — it’s not a case of obvious talent missing. They also have something many nations don’t: they train together sand are with eachother almost daily in a high-performance environment with excellent resources. The ingredients are there. I know Rhett personally and believe he’s a strong fit for the role and I do believe that he will do a good job - it will just take time. His experiences with the Dutch women and Indian men will have exposed him to very different cultures and styles of play, which is what this Hockeyroos team need. The question now is: how does he unlock the next level from a group that already has the talent? They will go to Chile and win the tournament and qualify for the World Cup... this is a no brainer. They have an easy qualification route. But, my question is: how will they get back to the powerhouse team that Australian hockey are known for? Time will tell and I am keen to watch this space... Link to Georgie Parker interview: https://thenightly.com.au/opinion/sport/georgie-parker-hockeyroos-have-long-road-back-to-glory-days-of-2000-sydney-olympics-c-21653953?fbclid=IwZnRzaAQAs4BleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe6DZydq8a5GB7_1SnjleJrvcoaVXm2vq_ElYYBKoMqP6ByENVvBcjLzuE8gI_aem_A6DviFi2fVorLiVnjhLTJA

Hey guys, Not sure who watched the Hockeyroos vs Ireland game last night. The game was drawn 0-0 at full time and the Aussie girls won the shootout 4-2. What was everyone's thoughts on the game? These are my thoughts: The Hockeyroos dominated patches of possession but struggled to turn territory into real scoring chances. They created a few early chances and pushed late in the game as well but they lacked circle efficiency and composure in front of goal. They need to be far more threatening in front of goal. I also felt that there build up play was a bit loose and only showed patches of what they can do going forwards. Ireland, meanwhile, looked dangerous on counterattacks and arguably produced the clearer opportunities, forcing important saves from the Australian goalkeeper and staying tactically compact throughout the game. They had a couple of good chances in the 4th quarter which were well saved! Australia will be disappointed not to convert control and home advantage into goals. Ireland will view this as a huge result, taking confidence from matching one of the world’s top teams and proving their defensive system and game plan can stand up at the highest level.

I see it every year — players arrive at the start of the season under-prepared and lacking fitness. As a result, it takes weeks (sometimes months) to catch up in training and matches, and confidence often takes a hit early. Pre-season isn’t about doing anything fancy. It’s about building a base. Focusing on the basics — first touch, passing, movement, positioning — sets players up for real growth and development once the season begins. Players who do the basics well adapt faster, learn quicker, and perform more consistently under pressure. Fitness is just as important. Being fit allows you to: - Train with intensity - Stay focused for longer - Recover quicker - Execute skills under fatigue The season doesn’t start on Round 1 — it starts in the weeks leading up to it. What do you struggle with most during pre-season? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below👇