By Trevor Jackson
TOP-LEVEL hockey will descend on the Limestone Coast this weekend, with the South Australian Under 18 men’s side set to hold a training camp in the Blue Lake City.
The side is preparing for an upcoming tournament in Launceston in April, with the Limestone Coast camp to help ready the players against some strong opposition.
That opposition will come from two games set down against the senior men from the Lower South East league out at the Blue Lake Sports Park venue, with one match on Saturday and another on Sunday.
Those games provide the chance for the young players to face bigger bodies on the pitch as they look for success on the national stage.
Local players Aiden Cameron and Connor Millhouse will take their place in the state side again and would be keen to taste success on home soil.
It will be the second time the team has visited the region for a camp, with last year’s program a success.
“All the guys in the Under 18 state team would be playing top level or second level hockey in Adelaide,” LSE hockey competition director Graeme Millhouse said.
“That is quite a good level of competition, so it is good for our senior blokes to pit themselves against that calibre of player.”
While it is obviously a friendly scenario, the competitive nature of players always rises to the fore.
Millhouse said the last camp saw the state side win both games, with the South East men keen to return serve this year.
“It is a great standard and it is great for local hockey,” he said.
“Our senior blokes get to play against the best and people can come out and watch it and see what the best has to offer.”
Saturday’s game kicks off at 4pm, with Sunday’s match to start at 2.30pm.
