NSW SQUAD: Matt Magann has been named in the state squad.
Matthew Magann went to the Under-17 NSW State Championships as part of the Newcastle junior representative team in the same age group – and he left there as a member of the Under-16 NSW All Schools squad.
The Ashtonfield 15-year-old impressed high school selectors during last week’s tournament at Newcastle International Hockey Centre and was named in the 36-man state squad.
“They announced it after the final and I was pretty happy,” Magann said.
“I thought I had played pretty well but it was nice to hear my name read out.”
Newcastle finished the annual tournament in fifth position despite dropping just the one match.
They missed out on semi-finals based on goal differentials after finishing the preliminary rounds in a three-way tie at the top of their pool.
But individually Magann, who plays seniors with the Maitland Rams in the Newcastle Hockey Association competitions, had done enough to warrant a call up.
The year 10 student at Maitland Grossmann High School will join the fellow members of the state squad in Sydney on June 1.
This will be the start of a four-day camp at Olympic Park. Successful players will make the final NSW team to contest the School Sport Australia hockey championships being held in Tasmania in August.
In the meantime, Magann will travel to Tamworth next week as part of the Hunter opens team vying for selection in the NSW Combined High Schools squad.