By Lachlan Ellis<\/p>\n
A rising star in the field hockey scene will be wearing green and gold next month, and she\u2019s from Moorabool Shire.<\/p>\n
Darley\u2019s Zali Ward was named in the national side\u2019s National Development Squad in March, and was part of the Victorian Women\u2019s Premier League champions Essendon side in September \u2013 and now she\u2019s been named in the squad taking on New Zealand in two weeks.<\/p>\n
The 19-year-old was named in the 18-person Australian Under 21 Women\u2019s squad, also known as the Jillaroos, on 7 November, with the team beginning the Oceania Junior World Qualifiers in Canberra on Thursday 8 December.<\/p>\n
She said being selected in the national squad was a dream come true.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty exhilarating to think about the fact I\u2019m able to represent my country, especially at a junior level. It\u2019s an exciting time as an up-and-coming athlete, there\u2019s a lot of opportunity to grow my confidence,\u201d Ms Ward told the Moorabool News.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy family and friends are over the moon too, they\u2019re super proud and all their support over the years, and their encouragement to keep going and follow my dream, has really paid off.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s sunk in yet, it doesn\u2019t really happen I think until you step onto the pitch. At the moment, I\u2019ll just focus on my role and hopefully gel into the team quite well, that\u2019s the aim.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Ward is also in the middle of the Hockey One finals playing for HC Melbourne, after which she will take part in two weeks of training and then heading to camp on Sunday 4 December.<\/p>\n
By virtue of there being two spots for Oceanian teams, and Australia and New Zealand being the only two Oceanian teams competing in the qualifiers, the Jillaroos will automatically qualify for the World Cup, but Jillaroos coach Stacia Strain said the team will still be \u201ctaking the tournament really seriously\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere aren\u2019t many opportunities for the Junior World Cup eligible girls to practise tournament mode, so for us it\u2019s about making the most of the opportunity. A lot of these girls haven\u2019t played for Australia, so for them to sing the national anthem, wear the green and gold\u2026it\u2019s about understanding what comes with that and what the Jillaroos and this pathway program is about,\u201d Ms Strain said.<\/p>\n
The Jillaroos play New Zealand on 8 December, 10 December, and 11 December, and the 2023 Women\u2019s Hockey Junior World Cup kicks off in Santiago, Chile next December.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Lachlan Ellis A rising star in the field hockey scene will be wearing green and gold next month, and she\u2019s from Moorabool Shire. Darley\u2019s Zali Ward was named in the national side\u2019s National Development Squad in March, and was part of the Victorian Women\u2019s Premier League champions Essendon side in September \u2013 and now […]<\/p>\n