EIGHT local underwater hockey players have been selected to compete in the WA state team.
The Australian Underwater Hockey National Championships will be held for the first time in Bunbury on January 4 to 8, and will see teams from each state compete for the national title.
Hayley Digney, Maggie Biffin, Shaun Hart, Scott Digney, Fergus Scoffern, Chad Mitchell, Jamie North, and Jason Miezies have all been selected for various divisions to represent Western Australian in the state competition.
Underwater hockey player Hayley Digney said teams have been training in the lead up to the event.
“We have been training in our teams at least every second weekend, and also training individually in between,” she said.
“The teams will play up to three games a day depending on the draw.”
Ms Digney said the WA teams were very successful at the games last year.
“WA is usually quite strong in the nationals,” she said.
“Last year we cleaned up and got gold in almost everything.”
“We also won the overall trophy, and this year we are out to defend it.”
Ms Digney has also been selected for the women’s masters’ national team who will compete in the world championship in South Africa in March.
“I’m looking forward to it because you get to have a high level of competition,” she said.
“For worlds we fly over a couple of days early to train as a complete team.”
“You get to know the other players quite well, and by the end of it you become close friends.”
