Wairarapa hockey is celebrating the selection of two Dalefield players, Jesse Workman and Dane Lett, in the Capital men's team to contest this year's national league.
It is the first time two Wairarapa players have made the Capital men's National Hockey League side in the same season and adding to theexcitement is the fact that Dalefield coach Lance Hare has been appointed video analyst.
Workman and Lett are not new to NHL hockey - both have played for Central Mavericks in the past - but representing Capital will be something different. While Central is always considered a long-shot for the national title, Capital are invariably among the favourites. And that will again be the case next year, after they lost to North Harbour in extra-time in last year's grand final.
The road to making the Capital squad has not been easy for Workman and Lett, as they have had to travel to Wellington twice a week to attend extended squad trainings, which included both field and gym work, and the NHL team was not named until after a "friendly" against Central on Sunday, a match won by Capital 4-0.
Capital participate in a warm-up tournament in Taupo this weekend before commencing their NHL programme with a double-header in Dunedin a fortnight later. There they will play Canterbury on the Saturday and Central on the Sunday. Then they will head to North Harbour Stadium for matches against Auckland on September 18, Southern on September 19, Midlands on September 20 and Northland on September 22. Finals weekend is also at North Harbour, starting September 26.
