Hockey international Shea McAleese is indebted to a group of Hawke's Bay businessmen for helping him realise the final chapters of a memorable career.
Echoing the sentiments of Black Sticks women's most-capped defender, Emily Gaddum (nee Naylor), McAleese thanked the Hawke's Bay Sports, Events and Educational Consortium Inc (HB SEEC) for its fiscal fillip in helping them in their final quest for the Rio Olympics in winter, provided the pair make the cut of their respective coaches in the lead up to the premier sporting stage in the northern summer.
"As New Zealand players we're not earning big sums of money so we need all the support we can get to play professionally," he says, mindful when he returns to Auckland to prepare with the camp for Rio pursuing a fulltime job isn't an option as it would detract from valuable time needed to train, watch videos and partake in recovery sessions.
"We have to be more elite sportsmen if we want to win in Rio so thanks to them [HB SEEC] again," he says of the Bay businesses who also help with the operations of the annual Festival of Hockey starting on Saturday.
Like Gaddum, the 31-year-old from Napier is in the twilight of his career following 122 international caps and representing his country in the two previous Olympic Games.
