Gisborne Boys' High School's Ollie Egan has capped an outstandig goalscoring year with his selection for the New Zealand Under-18 men's indoor hockey squad. Photo / Bonnie Easterbrook
Gisborne Boys' High School's Ollie Egan has capped an outstandig goalscoring year with his selection for the New Zealand Under-18 men's indoor hockey squad. Photo / Bonnie Easterbrook
Two Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI hockey players have been named in a New Zealand team for an indoor tournament in South Africa in December.
Boys’ High sharpshooter Ollie Egan and goalkeeper Francois Louw, who hails from South Africa originally, are in the New Zealand Under-18 men’s side forthe Nkosi Cup, which is being held in Cape Town from December 14-18.
It caps an outstanding year for both.
Egan, who has been in the Gisborne Boys’ High School (GBHS) First XI since Year 9, has scored more than 65 goals in club and school competitions this year – topping the individual goalscoring tally in the Poverty Bay Premier men’s competition and the recent Founders Cup secondary schoolboys tournament in Carterton.
Louw has been superb between the sticks for his school, establishing himself as an exciting goalkeeper.
Gisborne Boys’ High coach Wade Manson said he was “absolutely stoked” for both players.
“It’s cool for them to be able to get into the top representative level,” Manson said.
Gisborne Boys' High School First XI goalie Francois Louw and his defensive line in a secondary school tournament game. Louw has made the New Zealand Under-18 men's team to compete in an indoor hockey competition in his homeland of South Africa in December. Photo / Bonnie Easterbrook
“Based on where we are as a region, we don’t get many opportunities like this for players from here, so it’s great.
“While we don’t have indoor hockey played here, it is a clear pathway to higher representation.”
Manson said the game used to be played many years ago in the Army Hall on Fitzherbert St.
Indoor hockey is a variant on the traditional outdoor game and is mainly played during the off-season when conditions get too hot for outdoor play.
It differs from outdoor hockey in several ways.
There are fewer players – six to a team, including the goalkeeper. The field of play is much smaller, a hard surface in a sports hall or similar venue, with boards along the sidelines that prevent the ball from going out of play at the side.
“Fast, intense and packed with skill” is how it has been described by the international hockey federation.
Egan, in his last year at GBHS, said it was “wonderful” to get the opportunity to be seen playing at a higher level.
“I had only played indoor hockey once before the New Zealand trials held in Taupō earlier this month,” he said.
“It’s finally a chance to play the game at a different level to what we play locally. It’s real cool to take my game to that level.”
Louw, also in his final year at GBHS, was likewise rapt to get the chance to compete at the higher level.
