Five go mad as big day nears

The wait is nearly over for the Junior Black Sticks, who head to Boston, Massachusetts for the Junior World Cup this week.
Five Northland players - Jacinda McLeod, Nicky Howes, Ella Gunson, Stacey and Carli Michelsen - are included in the team and have been frantically fundraising and training for the campaign.
"Everyone is nervous but very excited - we've been in touch on Facebook and counting down the days," McLeod said.
The Junior Black Sticks go into camp at Auckland today  and will play warm-up matches tomorrow and Wednesday against the Black Sticks senior women before leaving for Boston on Thursday.
The World Cup starts on August 3, and New Zealand joins Pool C along with the Netherlands, Spain and China.
"We have no idea about any of the teams - and can only go on what their senior teams are like," McLeod said.
"Then again, we will just go in and play our game ... and not let anyone near our goal.
"We have pretty high expectations of ourselves and we hope to do well there, but we will just take every game as it comes."
Junior Black Sticks' head coach Chris Leslie, who will be assisted by Northland Hockey chief executive Grant McLeod in Boston, said while he was confident in the team, limited team trainings could potentially be a disadvantage for the girls.
"Preparation has been limited as we are regionally based. The last time we were together was at Easter when we had a training camp in Whangarei - simply due to funding or a lack of it," he said.
At Easter the Junior Black Sticks played an Invitational Northland side in a practice match, which the JBS won decisively, 4-1.
The girls have all been training with their clubs and regional sides, while several juniors - including Gunson and Stacey Michelsen from Northland along with Lucy Talbot, Gemma Flynn and Katie Glynn have been involved with the Black Sticks seniors series against China and Argentina, Leslie said.
Coaches had kept in touch regularly with individuals about their personal training programmes, plus the Northland contingent had the added bonus of having Grant McLeod on hand in Whangarei to assist them with training.
"The build up hasn't been ideal to be fair but there are good athletes among them who can perform well ... they have the ability to do well we just need to focus once we are there and recover quickly from the travel."
The Junior Black Sticks play their opening match with the Netherlands on August 3, followed by Spain and China, while finals and classification matches start on August 14
It has been an expensive exercise to get the players to Boston but, after a huge fundraising effort from players and their families and friends, all five selected athletes will be on the plane.
Due to a Sport and Recreation funding cut to hockey, each individual had to cough up $8000 to play at the JWC.
On Saturday night, a quiz/auction night was staged at Northland Hockey Complex as a last minute fundraiser for the Northland girls, as well as for Shay Neal, who was a part of the Junior Black Sticks men's side at the recent World Cup in Malaysia.
* Junior Black Sticks: Jacinda McLeod, Nicola Howes, Natasha Fitzsimons (who replaces Alana Millington), Carli Michelsen, Stacey Michelsen, Kate Savory, Petrea Webster, Lucy Talbot, Danielle Jones, Ella Gunson, Katie Glynn, Gemma Flynn, Cathryn Finlayson, Bridget Blackwood, Tae Samuel, Frances Shaw, Sophie Devine, Fiona Morrison. Non-travelling Reserves: Charlotte Edwards (Northland), Merania Hibbard, Nicole van Oosterom, Casey Haumaha, Ali Perry, Pippa Hayward, Bridget Allen.