Tasman hockey sides head north for NZ champs
Eli Kepes, centre, is part of the Tasman men's side which will attend the national tournament. Photo Peter Jones
Fourteen Marlborough players will be involved when the Ford National Hockey Championships begin in Hamilton tomorrow.
Eight women from Marlborough have been included in an 18-strong women’s Tasman Tigers squad, coached by Denise Lloyd and Matt Hair.
The Tasman men’s side will include six players from this side of the hill. They will be coached by Paul Jones and Jarad Jones.
Both sides will compete in Tier 2 at the annual champs, the Tasman women in Pool A alongside Southland, Wairarapa, Taranaki and Waikato.
In the Tasman men’s section are Noth Harbour, Otago, South Canterbury, Tauranga and Taranaki.
The men kick off their tournament against South Canterbury at 10.45am tomorrow, while the women open up against Wairarapa at 1pm.
Play-offs begin on Thursday with finals played on Saturday, September 16.
The Tasman teams.
The Tasman Tigers women’s team: Rebecca Kersten – Captain (Nelson), Alisha Lewis (Nelson), Jackie Chapman – vice captain (Nelson), Julia Kersten (Nelson), Pip Lunn (Marlborough), Taylor Duffy (Marlborough), Grace Davies (Marlborough), Stacey Curry (Marlborough), Veronica Hardman (Marlborough), Emma Burrell (Marlborough), Millie Volckman (Marlborough), Celia Watson (Marlborough), Alice Winter (West Coast), Alyssa Blacktopp (West Coast), Mikayla Sweetmen (West Coast), Ella Heffernan (Guest Player Canterbury), Ruby Evans (Guest Player Canterbury), Jessica Scatchard (Guest Player Canterbury). Coaches: Matt Hair and Denise Lloyd. Manager: Claudia Clarke. Physio/Masseur: Laurence Turner.
The Tasman men’s team: Sean Gibson – captain (West Coast), George Rubbo (West Coast), Connor McLean (West Coast), Grant McMillan (Marlborough), Jared Buckley (Marlborough), Eli Kepes (Marlborough), Hugo McDougall (Marlborough), Bradley Jacobs (Marlborough), Ollie King (Marlborough), Sam Fitzgerald (Guest Player Central Otago), Daniel Beveridge (Buller), Toby Bowden (Nelson), Allan Weaver (Nelson), Jay Quinn (Nelson), Nick Brazzale (Nelson), Freddie Griffiths (Nelson), Dean Hawley (Nelson), Jared Jones (Nelson). Coaches Paul Jones and Jarad Jones. Manager Kirsty Thompson.