Hockey: Defender creates history for Lindisfarne College

SCHOOL FIRST: Harry Lawson is the first Lindisfarne College hockey player to be selected for a national squad while still at school. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR

LINDISFARNE College's sports records book took a pounding this week.

Director of Sport Derek Martin was making sure he had his facts right when announcing Year 12 student Harry Lawson as the first hockey player to make a Black Sticks squad while still at the school. Defender Lawson joined Napier Boys' High School midfielder Cameron Gladding as the two Hawke's Bay players selected in the New Zealand under-19 team.

"It was my major goal for the year and I know what did it too," Lawson, 17, said.

"It was getting lots of game time for Central Region under-21 team when I was still 16."

A Hawke's Bay age group rep from under-13 Hatch Cup level to under-18s, Lawson, was referring to his stint with the Central Region under-21 team which finished fifth in their national competition this year. He also played for the Central Region under-18 side which finished fourth at their national tournament.

Because the New Zealand team was announced last week he has yet to hear the side's schedule. It usually travels to Australia for several tournaments.

The selection completed a memorable year for Lawson in the code. He earned his hockey colours at the school and was named the 1st XI's MVP.

Earlier this week Lawson was named the Male Hockey Player of the Year at the Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools Sports Awards function and at the recent Hawke's Bay Hockey Association awards ceremony he won the best under-21 player award.

"I've had a lot of good coaches over the years ... it would be too hard to name them all," Lawson said.

However, this year he has been grateful for the assistance he has received from his 1st XI coach Mike Soons, Central under-18 coach Jake Blanks and Central under-21 coach Corey Prouting.

A hockey player since he was 4, Lawson, was also a more than handy cricketer during his days at Taikura Rudolf Steiner School and Hereworth School as well as up to 2nd XI level at Lindisfarne.

"Because hockey was priority I couldn't play for the 1st XI cricket team at Lindisfarne. Now hockey is the only sport I play ... making the New Zealand under-21 team sometime during the next two years is the next major goal," Lawson said.

He knows some polished displays for the under-19 team will enhance those chances.
Lawson pointed out his national selection was the ideal form of consolation for not playing in a national-title winning Hawke's Bay or Central Region team to date in his career.

"I've had a bit of a rough ride in that respect. But it's hard to for us small region teams to compete against the likes of Auckland and a lot of it has to do with the group you come through with."

"At the same time it has helped me too because I get a lot of defensive work against the better teams."

Next year Lawson will complete his studies at Lindisfarne College and then transfer to Auckland to start a building apprenticeship.

"You've got to be up there to be seen by the selectors," he added.