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Hockeyroos primed for World League Finals

The Hockeyroos are out in the quarter-final stage (Photo: Peter McCalpine)
Roar Guru
4th December, 2015
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Star defender Jodie Kenny says the Hockeyroos are in great shape ahead of their opening World League Finals match, against China, in Rosario, Argentina.

Kenny, who is to play her 150th game for her country against China, believes a tough training block before leaving Australia has the team confident and excited for the tournament.

“The team’s preparation has been great. We had a very hard block of training before coming away so the team is in great physical and mental shape,” Kenny said.

“There is a great vibe among the group at the moment. We are very confident in our preparations, we had a great block of training leading in and we are excited to get the ball rolling. We have had three practice matches in lead up where we played some of our best hockey.”

The 2015 Hockeyroos player of the year says she can’t wait to bring up her 150th in front of a large crowd in Argentina.

“I can’t wait for the tournament to get underway and to start with a personal milestone is a bonus. I feel very excited and honoured to have represented the Hockeyroos in 150 games. I treasure every match, however nothing’s quite like the feeling of playing in front of a large crowd, especially in Argentinian where they truly love their hockey.”

The Hockeyroos have a tough Pool B assignment against China on Sunday morning at 8:15am (AEDT). All Hockeyroos matches will be shown live and uninterrupted on Fox Sports.

Hockeyroos’ fixtures at World League Final, Rosario
All times AEDT
Sunday December 6 – 8:45am: Hockeyroos v China (Pool B)
Monday December 7 – 11:00am: Hockeyroos v Argentina (Pool B)
Wednesday December 9 – 4:15am: Hockeyroos v Great Britain (Pool B)
Friday December 11 – TBC: quarter-final
Sunday December 13 – TBC: semi-final / 5-8 playoffs
Monday December 14 – TBC: medal matches

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Kenny sat down with me to talk about the World League Finals and her career to date.

JD: What does it mean to you to play your 150th representing your country, especially on such a big stage?

JK: I can’t wait for the tournament to get underway and to start with a personal milestone is a bonus. I feel very excited and honoured to have represented the Hockeyroos in 150 games. I treasure every match, however nothing’s quite like the feeling of playing in front of a large crowd, especially in Argentinian where they truly love their hockey. China are a tough opponent who will challenge us, although I am confident that we will come out strong and get the win in our first game.

You won the 2014 Hockeyroos World Cup Player of the Year award. Where does that rank among your achievements to date?

It certainly is an achievement that is right up there on my list. To win World Cup player and recently 2015 Hockeyroos player of the year are two awards that I am very proud and honoured to receive.

How has the preparation for the World league Finals been for you and the girls?

The team’s preparation has been great. We had a very hard block of training before coming away, so the team is in great physical and mental shape.

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When did the squad come together to start preparations?

We actually have a centralised program where we are all permanently based in Perth. The team trains together year in, year out.

Can we get your thoughts on the upcoming matches of Pool B – firstly against China, then Argentina and Great Britain?

Every team in this tournament is going to be very competitive and that’s what makes it so exciting. We need to ensure we have good results in all our pool games in order to set us up for the finals.

Of your less experienced teammates, who has been training well and who do you think could make a massive impact during World League?

We have some younger, less experienced players selected for this tournament but we also have a great balance with our senior, more experienced players. Some of the fresh faces in the team are Maddie Fitzpatrick, Georgie Morgan and Renee Taylor who are all extremely skilful players. This tournament is a great opportunity to see how these players perform at the top level, as all will be pushing for selection in the Olympic squad, which is announced post WL4.

What’s the feeling among the girls heading into the tournament?

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There is a great vibe among the group at the moment. We are very confident in our preparations, we had a great block of training leading in and we are excited to get the ball rolling. We have had three practice matches in lead up where we played some of our best hockey.

How did it all start for you in regards to hockey, and how did it become such a big part of your life?

It all started for me back in Wamuran, a small country town in Queensland, at the age of seven. My older sister started playing and was really enjoying it and the sport filtered down the family with every sibling playing. I am one of six children living on acreage, so as you could imagine we had some great outdoor hockey battles. Both mum and dad played also, with dad being my coach for many years when I first started.

From there I played in both Sunshine Coast and Brisbane Associations, where eventually I started making state and school sport teams and I really started to build my dream of playing for the Hockeyroos.

With the 2016 Olympics coming up fast I’m sure you and your teammates are really excited for the next 12 months?

I can’t believe how fast it is approaching us. It certainly doesn’t seem like four years ago since the last olympics. It’s a very exciting time but there is obviously a lot to be done in the next nine months.

Can you provide some tips for young kids dreaming of representing their country in their chosen sport?

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Do it because you love it! It’s not all about getting to the top, some of the best memories are those created along the way. Having big dreams is essential, but every now and then you have to look back to see how far you have come.

Also – never underestimate the importance of having excellent basic skills!

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You can support the girls in their quest for the World League Finals on social media using the hashtags #Roovolution, #HWL2015, #MakeYourMark.

Follow Jason on Twitter @jased1973

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