Hockeyroo potential

By Lachlan Ellis

She’s played for Victoria and made the Under 21 squad, and now a Moorabool hockey star is just one step away from national selection.

Darley’s Zali Ward was named as one of just 23 members of the Women’s National Development Squad (NDS), which, in Hockey Australia’s own words, “is an integral stepping stone in the pathway program, and comprises athletes identified as being on the fringe and available for Hockeyroos selection”.

Ms Ward was notified of her selection by email on Monday 21 March, and said she was in disbelief when she read her name in the list of players.

“I couldn’t believe it. I got the email and thought, I’ll open it up, I can’t wait to see who’s in it. But then I saw my name, it was so unexpected, I was just over the moon, I couldn’t believe it,” she told the Moorabool News.

She’s come far since her first hockey match – a fill-in game in the Under 10s where she “had no idea what I was doing except running around the grass field” – and admits she “hated hockey at first” after switching from netball to hockey when she was 11.

“There were so many rules, it was confusing…but I came to love it, the freedom, the ability to always improve on your skills. You could run anywhere, that’s what I liked,” she said.

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-03-29/4

in the 29 March 2022 edition
OR
pick up a paper around your town.