Michelsen's big year about to get a lot bigger

It is a good year to be in the Black Sticks, says Northland's Stacey Michelsen.
Having only just returned from playing at the Samsung Champions Trophy in Nottingham, England, the 19-year-old Auckland University Law and Commerce student was named  in the 18-strong Black Sticks women to contest the BDO World Cup.
It means another overseas trip, to Rosario, Argentina, next month, as well as some good time management - to fit in her part-time studies as well as the heavy training programme.
"It has been a good year opportunity-wise, and we couldn't have asked for a better build-up to the World Cup," the midfielder, who now has 30 caps, said.
 This year the Black Sticks played series against Argentina, India and then the Champions Trophy - and while the results hadn't always favoured the Kiwi girls, Michelsen said the team had learned from their mistakes and  gained from their experiences.
"Hopefully we will be able to fix our errors in time for the World Cup, where we will be looking to make the top eight. It's a hard road for us - we are in a hard pool, but we will see how we go."
After  their fifth place at the Champions Trophy, the Black Sticks were promoted to a world ranking of seventh. They are under no illusions just how tough their competition will be at the World Cup in Rosario.
"The competition will be similar to the Champions Trophy but there will definitely be a few teams there who are not on par with those who played in England, but there will also be extra teams who are high quality and didn't make the Champions trophy - such as Australia and Japan ... they are both in our pool," Michelsen said.
The Netherlands and Germany are also in New Zealand's pool at the tournament which starts on August 29, and both teams beat the Black Sticks in Nottingham.
But this time when the Kiwis faced those teams, they would be aware of their weaknesses, the midfielder said.
"We are back home for three weeks and we are doing a lot of video scouting - identifying weaknesses in our opposition and also doing extra turf work - improving our defensive structures and conditioning."
New Zealand had an average of 3.5 goals scored against them during the Champions Trophy - a figure they wanted to lower by working on their defensive structure, being more physical, she said.
Black Sticks coach Mark Hager said the key focus  was to tighten their game and build consistency  to improve on the international stage. "The reality is we're still a young team, that's developing. However, if we want to compete successfully at the international level we need to be in the game for all 70 minutes."
Hager named a similar team to that which competed in the Samsung Champions Trophy  this month, including Northland players Charlotte Harrison, Samantha Harrison, Ella Gunson and  Michelsen, who plays for North Harbour now but represented Northland before moving to Auckland several years ago to finish secondary school. Anna Thorpe was also included in the World Cup team provided she passed a medical on August 14. Thorpe tore her quadricep
in a warmup match against Argentina  before the Champions Trophy and has been having intensive rehabilitation. 
Noticeable   team omissions include  Kate Mahon and Northland's Laura Douglas, who played in Nottingham.
The coach said the final decision was based on selecting players who would provide the flexibility he needed through the defensive and attacking lines. Both players are on the standby list in case one of the named players is unable to travel.
The Black Sticks women qualified for the BDO World Cup by winning the Oceania Cup in Invercargill in August 2009.
In Pool A, they will play Netherlands (world ranking 1), Germany (4), Australia (5), Japan (9) and India (13) in their pool. 
Pool B  comprises Argentina (2), China (3), England (6), Spain (8), Korea (11) and South Africa (12).
 
BLACK STICKS
Goalkeepers: Beth Jurgeleit (Wellington), Bianca Russell (North Harbour).
Defenders: Emily Naylor (Central), Clarissa Eshuis (Midlands), Lucy Talbot (Auckland), Natasha Fitzsimons (North Harbour).
Midfielders: Kayla Sharland (captain, Central), Stacey Carr (Canterbury), Ella Gunson (Northland), Sam Harrison (Northland), Gemma Flynn (Midlands), Anna Thorpe (Northland), Stacey Michelsen (Northland), Anita Punt (Wellington).
Strikers: Krystal Forgesson (Auckland), Katie Glynn (Auckland), Piki Hamahona (Central), Charlotte Harrison (Northland).
NZPA