The hockey doesn't stop for four of Tamworth's most promising young talents.
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After spending the first week of their school holidays representing NSW at the 2023 Hockey Australia Boys Under 13 Carnival in Newcastle, Blake Judd, Rhys Mackay, Elliot Rodda and Noah Evans are headed back down there on Tuesday for three days of training with the Hockey NSW Futures Academy.
One of the recommendations of Hockey NSW's strategic plan launched in March, the development program will run over between 20 and 30 weeks, and across the 14s, 16s, 18s and 21s age groups.
The Tamworth quartet are all in the 14s squad.
Judd, Rodda and Evans all played for the Lions team at the nationals while Mackay was in the Stars side, which ended up third.
For Judd, his first nationals experience, he relished every minute of it, even if the hockey was "a lot harder" than he had expected.
"There was a lot more running and a lot better players," he said.
After making the training squad last year but missing out on the opportunity to play at the championships the striker had worked hard to earn selection this year.
"It was good," the 13-year-old said of pulling on the blue.
"I'd never really thought how it would be, but when I put it on I was excited and proud."
The equal second top goalscorer for the Lions, along with Evans, he said he took a lot away from the week.
The Futures Academy will be launched on Wednesday, as part of the Festival of Hockey.
Tamworth will all up have around 20 players involved across the four age groups.
After the initial three days, Judd's father, Matt, said the program will entail about six hours of training a week up until Christmas.
As well as the physical skills aspect, it also includes a gym-based element, and a knowledge-based element.
Post-Christmas they will then do their normal training before commencing a new phase of the program in April.
