After finishing at the bottom of the ladder last season with just the solitary win, United are looking to be a force this season.

A mix of youth and experience and creating strong combinations across the field will go a long way towards making that happen.

There is plenty of ability in Parkes hockey’s female ranks, so there is no reason why the team can’t be very competitive.

Anyone interested in playing this year needs to be at the Stephen Davies hockey fields at 6pm Tuesday for a meet and greet and some small drills.

“We’re hoping to see heaps of takers, so don’t be shy,” United skipper Angie Peisley said.

“If you are unable to make it but are interested you can contact me on 0487 300 203.

“We are also seeking a coach, whether its just to run Tuesday night training, or if anyone is willing to take the role on full time and travel with us.

“Any help would be greatly appreciated, so if there is anyone brave enough, give me a call on the above number.”

Worrying signs for competition

The Central West Premier League Hockey competition continues to shrink with less Orange teams nominating for both the men’s and women’s divisions.

In the men’s competition, Orange Wanderers is the sole team representing the town. The club has formed as a combination of the Bloomfield and CYMS teams that have been regulars in the competition for many years.

Meanwhile, in the women’s competition Orange Cougars have folded bringing the number of Orange teams to three. However, Confederates are also struggling for numbers so Orange may only field two teams.

Dubbo also havenot nominated for the men’s competition, meaning they are no longer represented in the Premier League.

This means there are nine teams in the women’s competition - St Pats, Bathurst City, Souths (Bathurst), Panthers, Zig Zag (Lithgow), Confederates, Ex-Services, Kinross-CYMS (Orange) and Parkes United.

The men’s competition now has just six teams - St Pats, Souths (Bathurst), Panthers, Zig Zag (Lithgow), Orange Wanderers and Parkes United.

This is a far cry from the early years of the Premier League when the men had teams from Waratahs, Kelso, Confederates, Dubbo City, Dubbo Strikers and Parkes Rovers and Redbacks in later years.

The women’s competition also boasted teams such as Kelso, Waratahs, Dubbo and Canobolas City.

Lithgow seems to be the only association moving forward in terms of numbers, having moved from one team to two teams over the years.