Capital call for Wairarapa nine

A record nine Wairarapa players have been named in the Capital under-21 hockey squads for 2011.
In the women's line-up are Katherine van Woerkom, Jenna Anderson, Kristy Anderson, Ashleigh Marfell and Felicity Reidy while Dane Lett, Trent Lett, Ben van Woerkom and Nick Finlayson have made the men's team.
Interestingly that number includes three lots of siblings, the Andersons, Letts and Van Woerkoms, which would have to be some sort of record as well.
What's more, there are also four ex-Wairarapa players in the women's team and one in the men's, meaning there are 14 past or present Wairarapa players among the 42 selected, a remarkable statistic when you consider the Capital teams are drawn from Wellington, Wairarapa, Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast and Buller.
The latest sides were selected after an arduous three-day trial held in Wellington, which included fitness testing, trial matches and skill exercises.
Of the Wairarapa players selected only Dane Lett, Felicity Reidy and Ben van Woerkom have played at this level before with Lett, in particular, being a strong contender for the national under-21s.
Not surprisingly, Hockey Wairarapa regional development officer Jesse Workman is delighted at so many locals being recognised with each of them having been through the development and academy programmes here.
All five of the girls are still at college and Workman sees them as being top prospects for national under-18 selection this year and the same goes for Nick Finlayson, who came very close to earning that honour in 2010.
Both the Capital squads are holding training camps in Wairarapa this month.