BACK HOME: Capital's Dane Lett is a New Zealand Development squad member.PHOTO/FILE
Hockey fans are in for a full day of action next weekend when top talent from throughout the lower North Island will be on show in Wairarapa in the first of the National Hockey League pre-season men's and women's matches.
Hockey Wairarapa, Capital Hockey, Trust House and JNL are hosting the matches at the Trust House Hockey Wairarapa Complex on Sunday along with open training sessions for young Wairarapa players run by the two Capital teams beforehand.
Regional rivalry is expected to be strong with both Capital teams up against their Central counterparts - the women playing the Central Mystics and the men facing the Central Mavericks.
Top talent from Wairarapa, Junior Black Sticks and New Zealand development squads will feature while several Black Sticks players will be absent in their lead-up to next month's Commonwealth Games.
It will be the first time the Capital women have played a match in Wairarapa when they face the Central Mystics at 12.30pm. The Capital squad features Wairarapa player Felicity Reidy alongside New Zealand development squad member Katarina O'Callaghan, NZ under-21 players Dani Deans and Kelsey Smith and Black Stick Ani Roberts.
The men's match will see Capital take on the Central Mavericks in a repeat of last year's pre-season match at Clareville, won 10-3 by Capital. The Capital squad includes New Zealand development squad members Dane Lett from Wairarapa and Jake Smith, alongside Wairarapa's Benedict van Woerkom, Daniel van Woerkom, Trent Lett and Nick Finlayson. Adding to the line-up are NZ under-21 players Harry Miskimmin, Ollie Logan and Matt Symonds.
Before the games both Capital teams will run two training sessions for players under-11 and under-13 years.
The day will finish off with a men's derby when the Dalefield Dodgers play Red Star.
"Making the National Hockey League accessible to the Wairarapa community at the first-class venue we have at Clareville was something we were keen to see continue after the success of a similar event last year," Trust House chief executive Allan Pollard said.
"We've been pleased to partner with Capital Hockey and Hockey Wairarapa in promoting what will be an exciting day." Hockey Wairarapa executive officer Kelly Govan said the involvement of players who called Wairarapa home was a drawcard.
"We're always keen and eager to see players who grew up here come back and share their talent and skill. Dane, Trent, Benedict and Daniel have coached back here in the holidays - the local kids know them and love that they are involved at the elite level.
"It's great to be able to offer the experience to local children and we're hoping lots of them will make the most of the opportunity to get some training in with these teams."
Capital Hockey chief executive Anne-Margaret Campbell said Wairarapa had a tremendous hockey history and continued to produce exciting talent.
"These pre-tournament games provide a great opportunity for our NHL players from Wairarapa to perform in front of their home crowd and for both squads to inspire our future NHL, Junior Black Sticks and Black Sticks players.
"We are more than indebted to Trust House for their wonderful support of Capital Hockey and their work in bringing this day about."
Capital Hockey is the regional franchise for the Wellington, Wairarapa, Nelson, Marlborough and Buller hockey associations which collectively have more than 7500 registered players. Central Hockey covers associations from Taranaki, Rangitikei, Wanganui, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay and Horowhenua.