Turi Hides will play in the NSW under 15 blues side at the national carnival to be held in Hobart. 

Leigh Rogers played in the over 45s Australian team last year and impressed selectors enough this year to be dropped down to the over 40s team.

She will play an international tournament against New Zealand in Melbourne in May. 

Meanwhile, Michael Collins is heading to a state carnival to attempt his fourth successive state selection and was also named as a shadow (reserve) in the Australian over 50s side  at the same Melbourne carnival where Rogers will play. 

Thanks to a partnership with the Bega Tennis Club, the trio have been regularly training on the Bega courts to keep in touch with the artificial turf surface used at big events. 

Turi said it had been a hindrance to local players after his selection. 

“The closest turf hockey field is in Canberra and I really have to train on the turf now I have reached this level,”

However, the youngster took advice from the two veterans to join them in training on the courts. 

All three regularly play in the Bega competition, but had stepped up their training in the lead up to the events. 

“I am doing a lot of gym work and running about six days a week,” Collins said. 

“We also train at the courts a few times a week just to keep the feel of the artificial turf.”

Rogers said she was working even harder this year to better her performance from the previous Australian tour. 

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to make selection this year,” Rogers said. 

“I wanted to prove that it wasn’t a one-off fluke.

“But to be dropped down an age group is a real accomplishment.”

Collins doesn’t expect to see any game time at the Melbourne tournament, but was excited to be named in the greater squad. 

“It’s a bit of recognition that what I am doing has been noticed,” Collins said. 

“After a number of years of rejections or non-selections you start to think what is the point.

“So even to be named as a shadow is very exciting.”

He made the selection as a shadow player after qualifying for the NSW division one squad for the third time. 

In a strange coincidence, both thought they had not been selected. 

“They announced the teams and I didn’t make the 45s so I was pretty devastated,” Rogers said. 

“Then I found out I was named in the over 40s,” she said with a laugh. 

Meanwhile, Collins heard the news from a fellow hockey player a week later. 

“My name wasn’t called .. but that’s how it goes,” Collins said. 

“About a week later I was having a chat and then on the web I saw my name in the train-on squad.”

For Turi it is his first state selection and has involved trials and extensive practice. 

Proud mum Suzie Hides said his determination was evident in his training schedule. 

“He has trained through the off-season summer period over the last two years to get to a level where selectors would see his talent,” she said. 

Turi travels to Hobart next week for his carnival, while the Melbourne Masters event will run early in May.