Three Whanganui hockey players and two from the Rangitikei will be taking part in a new senior representative hockey competition, starting tomorrow.
The competition is an initiative amongst the Central, Midlands and Capital Hockey regions, consisting of seven men's teams and three women's squads playing a round-robin format from tomorrow through to July 23.
Kathy Norman, community manager for Central Hockey, said the aim is to give players a programme leading into the Ford National Hockey League and the national tournaments, being held in Wellington this September.
Tech College Old Boys's Lee Moir and former TCOB and Whanganui High player Joseph Redpath will be joined by Rangitikei's Angus Griffin in the Central West Men's team, who will play Hutt Club Men tomorrow at the Collegiate school turf.
Their team is made up of players who began playing representative level in either the Taranaki, Whanganui, Rangitikei or Horowhenua associations.
Levin's Corey Prouting will coach the side which includes several Central Under 21 players, runnerup at the recent tournament.
Whanganui's Junior Black Stick Emma Rainey and Rangitikei's Pippa Norman, a Collegiate old girl, will play for the Central West Women's team, who are facing Central East Women at the Twin Turfs in Palmerston North.
This side is made up of players from five associations - Taranaki, Wanganui, Rangitikei, Horowhenua and Manawatu - and includes current New Zealand representatives Georgia Barnett and Michaela Curtis.
Games will start at 12pm.
The competition will be held at grounds from Carterton to Napier, Rotorua, Taupo, Palmerston North, Levin, Whanganui and Stratford.
It will be one-off matches on Sunday's, followed by a mini tournament being played at Napier's Park Island on Queen's Birthday weekend.