NSW Shines Bright: Wrap-up of the 2024 U16 National Hockey Championship

The 2024 U16 National Championships took place in Hobart, Tasmania from April 4th to 11th. Showcasing high-level hockey talent from across the country, a strong representation of NSW athletes was on display in an event filled with intense matches and remarkable performances.

Both girls and boys were well represented with two teams for each: NSW State and NSW Blues. Our NSW State boys’ team displayed remarkable talent, reaching the gold medal match against origin rivals, Queensland Maroon. In a nail-biting encounter, the match ended in a 3-3 draw, only to be decided in a shootout where NSW State narrowly fell short, earning the silver medal. Their impressive performance throughout the whole tournament was highlighted by their 2nd position on the Team Goal Scoring ladder.

For our NSW Blues boys, they were given an amazing experience to be coached by former Olympian, Kieran Govers. In what was a competition where numbers made a difference, the NSW Blues boys finished in 5th place, despite winning the majority of their matches.

Individual standouts included Jett Johnstone and Lachlan Chyb, who ranked 8th and 10th respectively in the boys' top goal scorers.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ division, our NSW State team were also able to reach the Gold medal match, once again, against Queensland Maroon. Unfortunately, the team went down 0-2 in what was an intense battle all the way until the end.

Like all NSW teams, our NSW Blues girls showed immense pride, finishing 7th overall in the tournament.

The success of our teams was showcased once more as we had 3 girls feature in the top individual goal scorers list: Anneliese Cullen of NSW State came in at 4th with 7 goals, Lucy Deiderick of NSW State with 6 goals, and Jonti Adamson of the Blues with 4 goals.

NSW State girls as a team were placed 3rd in the highest goal-scoring team, with the Blues coming in at 6th on the ladder.

To view the scores of each game, head to https://hockeyaustralia.altiusrt.com/

Behind the scenes, Hockey NSW provided support with a team of umpires, coaches, managers, and support staff. As mentioned, former Olympian Kieran Govers lent his expertise as a coach for the U16 Blues boys, contributing to their development and performance. Katrina Mulcahy, Wellbeing Manager, provided support when needed for all athletes. And a big thank you to the umpires who represented NSW: Grace Healey, Bailey Moore, and Trent Wilde. Trent also umpired the gold medal boys match.

We extend our thanks to the rest of the support staff.

Overall, the 2024 U16 National Championships was a success for NSW with all athletes leaving their mark through outstanding performances and sportsmanship. The future of NSW Hockey is looking bright.

To recap the athletes who competed, please see below.