HOCKEY - Olympics beckon again for striker Provan

Northland-based Jaimee takes on hectic schedule
It's been a year of changes for hockey international Jaimee Provan.
The 28-year-old's 100-plus international tenure in the Black Sticks looked to be over last year when she was replaced by Whangarei teenager Charlotte Harrison but after being reinstated in the squad last month she's beginning to map out a second Olympic campaign.
The Christchurch-born forward's surprise omission for the Commonwealth Games allowed her to alter her life, which until then had been dominated by the demands of international hockey. She moved to Northland and took up a full-time job, and unofficially retired from hockey.
But the picture for 2007 has changed. Provan emerged from a meeting last weekend with new Black Sticks coach Kevin Townsend with a better picture of just how her hockey season will shape up.
"We just had a discussion about where would be best for me to play my club hockey - either staying in Northland or playing in North Harbour - and we both kind of decided that North Harbour will probably be better," Provan said.
The decision means that much of her Black Sticks training will occur in Auckland over the weekends.
"I'll travel down on Friday and have a New Zealand training on Friday night and then do a one-on-one with KT (Towns) on Saturday morning and then play my club hockey in the afternoon."
She also planned out her training programmes with the highly respected Kiwi coach ... and now knows what he expects of her in the build-up to Beijing.
"It's going to be a busy year - it's the first time I've worked full-time and played hockey, so it's quite a shock to the system trying to get used to the training ... it's hard to go running sometimes when you're tired out from a long day at work."
No decision has been made about where she'll play her provincial hockey but Northland fans shouldn't get too excited - she is unlikely to change out of the maroon of Harbour.
"We're reigning champions at the moment and we've got home finals this year, so it would be hard for me to switch sides and turn up to play against Harbour," she said.
Provan's axing from the Black Caps along with fellow veteran Niniwa Robert-Lang allowed her to turn her attention away from the game. She moved north to Ruakaka with fiance Johnny Claxton and started her job with Sport Northland as the organisation's active movement facilitator.
"Active movement is all about educating parents and early childhood educators on the link between brain development, movement and learning, so it's pretty full on and keeps me pretty busy."
With hockey out of the equation, Provan also had the time to take part in a reality TV series in Fiji.
She and Johnny, Northland Rugby Union's fitness trainer, took part in Treasure Island: Couples at War.
"It was pretty tough and I was lucky I had Johnny with me, although it's on a tropical island and Fiji - there was nothing much nice about it at all," Provan said.
"I'm really glad we did it - Johnny's gagging to do it again but I'm not so sure ... anyway there's no time now."
She was coaxed out of retirement by North Harbour to play in last year's National Hockey League and was a vital cog in the team winning the competition. She continued her comeback after Towns was made the new coach, training hard to be ready for the February trials.
Provan now trains twice a week with teammates Laura Douglas and Charlotte Harrison in sessions overseen by Bevan Gibbs at the Northland Hockey Centre.
"It all fits for me - this way I can still work full time, fit in a couple of trainings in Northland every week and then fit in three when I stay overnight in North Harbour over the weekend," she said.
The training is in preparation for the first series of the year - four matches against Australia in May, which will allow Towns to further refine his team for the Challenge Trophy and Oceania qualifying series later in the year.
Provan's participation in next year's Olympics is still uncertain but at least she's in the frame and she may yet make the team.