All you need to know about the men's Black Sticks squad

Simon Child of the New Zealand Black Sticks poses for a portrait during the New Zealand Hockey Olympic Games Team Announcement at Hockey NZ. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand will field a squad with a blend of experience and youth for the Olympic men's hockey tournament in August.

RYAN ARCHIBALD
Birthdate: 1 September, 1980
Hometown: Auckland
Position: Midfielder
Previous Olympics: London 2012, Beijing 2008
Fact: Archibald has more than 300 New Zealand caps, but would be closer to 400 had it not been for injury, study, work commitments and time out of the game.

SIMON CHILD
Birthdate: 16 April, 1988
Hometown: Auckland
Position: Striker
Previous Olympics: London 2012, Beijing 2008
Fact: Child made his debut for New Zealand as a 16-year old in 2005 and became the youngest player to reach 100 caps.

JAMES COUGHLAN
Birthdate: 28 August, 1990
Hometown: North Shore
Position: Midfielder
Previous Olympics: -
Fact: Coughlan is one of five current or recent Black Sticks to have attended Westlake Boys High.

BLAIR HILTON
Birthdate: 28 August, 1989
Hometown: Wellington
Position: Midfield/striker
Previous Olympics: London 2012
Fact: Scored the winning shootout goal to beat Argentina and put New Zealand into the world league semifinals in Delhi in 2014.

HUGO INGLIS
Birthdate: 18 January, 1991
Hometown: Dunedin
Position: Striker
Previous Olympics: London 2012
Fact: Inglis is a Liverpool football fan

STEPHEN JENNESS
Birthdate: 7 June, 1990
Hometown: Wellington
Position: Striker
Previous Olympics: London 2012
Fact: Scored six of his 55 goals when New Zealand thumped Papua New Guyinea 18-0 in the Oceania Cup in 2013

DEVON MANCHESTER
Birthdate: 11 November, 1989
Hometown: Auckland
Position: Goalkeeper
Previous Olympics: -
Fact: Took up hockey in 2001 because he was too small to keep playing rugby

SHEA MCALEESE
Birthdate: 7 August, 1984
Hometown: Napier
Position: Midfielder
Previous Olympics: London 2012, Beijing 2008
Fact: Says he once modelled in a show for his mum's lingerie store.....(although this reporter is still uncertain if this is true!)

SHAY NEAL
Birthdate: 4 June, 1990
Hometown: Whangarei
Position: Striker
Previous Olympics: -
Fact: Shay and his sister Brooke once won a dance competition and travelled to New York to dance with the Step Up choreographers

ARUN PANCHIA
Birthdate: 22 April, 1989
Hometown: Auckland
Position: Midfield
Previous Olympics: -
Fact: Arun's brothers Daniel and Jared are also outstanding hockey players, with Jared having also represented New Zealand.

HAYDEN PHILLIPS
Birthdate: 6 February, 1998
Hometown: Levin
Position: Midfielder
Previous Olympics: -
Fact: The youngest in the team, 18-year old Phillips bolted into the squad having only made his debut in March.

KANE RUSSELL
Birthdate: 22 April 1992
Hometown: Dunedin
Position: Back/half
Previous Olympics: -
Fact: The drag flick specialist also excelled at athletics at cricket, winning the South Island schools championship in the javelin

BRADLEY SHAW
Birthdate: 13 February, 1983
Hometown: Christchurch
Position: Defender
Previous Olympics: London 2012, Beijing 2008.
Fact: Shaw is a teacher at St Andrew's in Christchurch.

BLAIR TARRANT
Birthdate: 11 May, 1990
Hometown: Dunedin
Position: Defender
Previous Olympics: -
Fact: Tarrant attended Otago Boys High along with Hugo Inglis, and wider national squad player Nick Ross, while Kane Russell was a couple of years behind the trio.

NICK WILSON
Birthdate: 6 August, 1990
Hometown: Palmerston North.
Position: Striker
Previous Olympics: London 2012
Fact: Wilson was a stand-by player in the 2008 Olympics, meaning he travelled and trained with the team but didn't stay in the athletes village

NIC WOODS
Birthdate: 26 August, 1995
Hometown: Hamilton
Position: Midfielder
Previous Olympics: -
Fact: Woods' drag flick prowess will make him a key figure at the crucial set piece during the Olympics.