Northland trio have sights on World Cup qualification

SELECTION: Samantha Polovnikoff (left), seen here playing for the ChillTech Old Girls premier side, has been selected in the Future Black Sticks squad to attend the Junior World Cup qualifier next January.PHOTO/JOHN STONE

THREE Northland youngsters will be eyeing up a chance to help the New Zealand Future Black Sticks qualify for the 2016 FIH Women's Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile.

Educare Northland Talent Hub member and ASB Northland Secondary Schools Sportswoman of the year, Samantha Polovnikoff, along with Brooke Roberts and Nicola McDonnell, have been named in a 22-strong women's Future Black Sticks squad for a Junior World Cup qualifier in Australia next January.

Under the watchful eye of prominent hockey coach Alan Lints, Polovnikoff and McDonnell

have gone from strength to strength playing their junior hockey in Northland.

"Both those girls played up front for us as joint-strikers ... they were just fantastic together," Lints said of the duo's prowess playing for the local ChillTech Old Girls premier women's side.

Adding that Roberts, who is a product of Whangarei Girls' High School, is another great talent to emerge from Northland, Lints said the aspiring goalkeeper oozes "natural ability" and is "very agile".

While it's still to be confirmed which other teams will compete at the tournament, it's expected that Australia, who have recently had a series against Argentina, will be the Kiwis' toughest competition.

Planning to train Polovnikoff and McDonnell over summer, Lints said. "Hockey New Zealand have identified some skills they need to work on", and a key aspect of their work-ons will involve identifying how to shake the zippy, aggressive Australian defenders, as well as "converting opportunities" in the goal-scoring circle.

Head coach Sean Dancer named the Women's Junior World Cup qualifier squad from a recent Future Black Sticks Camp which saw 50 athletes attend a four-day training camp in Auckland under the guidance of the national coaches.

"I'm pleased with the depth that we are developing in this group, there is more competition between the players as they vie for selection," Dancer said.

"The key focus for our players over the next couple of months will be to improve their fitness - this is where we want to see the big gains."

The top two finishers at the qualifying tournament are guaranteed a spot at the 2016 FIH Women's Junior World Cup in Chile.

The Junior Black Sticks are also getting a taste for international competition, with 40 players set to come to Auckland for the Junior Black Sticks training camp, which runs December 4-7, 2015.

Following the camp, 38 players will be named to play against Australia in January, 2016.

-The Future Black Sticks are players identified as having the potential to be a Black Stick within 1-3 years, while the Junior Black Sticks are players identified as having the potential to be a Black Stick within 3-5 years.