HOCKEY - Boston-bound juniors promise a good fight

Northlanders have made their presence felt in the New Zealand Under-21 hockey squads, with seven players selected to compete at the Junior World Cup in Boston during August.
Jacinda McLeod, Nicky Howes, Ella Gunson, Alana Millington, Stacey Michelsen and Carli Michelsen will line up for the under-21 women, while Shay Neal was selected for the under-21 men.
Old Girls centre back McLeod is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of playing representative hockey, having been selected for last year's under-21 side, which played the JWC qualifier in Australia.
Earlier this year McLeod missed out on making the Black Sticks squad of 31, which her fellow Northland representatives were named in.
It has not fazed McLeod however, who recently accepted a four-year hockey scholarship at Boston University, which she will begin in September following the JWC.
"I can't wait - it will be such an experience," the 19-year-old said.
For now, McLeod's focus was entirely on the under-21 World Cup - training and fundraising for the event taking up most of her energy.
Tomorrow, the New Zealand under-21 squad will gather in Whangarei for the start of a five-day training camp on Friday in preparation for the World Cup.
"We don't have a lot of funding and because of that, we only have the one training camp together," McLeod said.
"It will give us a chance to figure out our set play - and get to know how the team will play together." The under-21s also attend Black Sticks training every Wednesday, and every second Monday.
McLeod and the Northland girls were also named in the Northern regional team which hit the turf for the National Under-21 tournament at Whangarei on May 3-9.
New Zealand will face China, the Netherlands and Spain at the World Cup, and although her side would not be as well-oiled as some teams, they would still be in with a good chance, McLeod said.
"I think we have a good enough team to pull it together and enough common sense to use our time wisely ... we will put up a good fight."
While making the squad was a huge honour, the financial cost to get to Boston has been massive.
Sport and Recreation New Zealand cut funding for the national women's side after their poor performance last year, which had implications for the junior side - such as minimal training sessions and having to raise $8000 each for the trip to Boston.
With under four months to go until the World Cup, fundraising preparations are in full swing.
This Saturday at 3pm, the NZ under-21 women will play a Northern invitation team at the Rosvall ITM Centre in Kensington.