Parkes hockey player Kurt Lovett has swapped the laid back way of life that is Parkes for the busy streets of Sydney to focus on his hockey career.
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The move has paid dividends for the 19-year-old with Hockey Australia announcing its Under 21 men’s squad to compete at the prestigious Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia next month.
A team of which Lovett is now a member.
Australia’s participation in the competition has been described as a valuable preparation event ahead of December’s Junior World Cup.
Lovett said his selection on the 20-man ‘Burras’ squad – which also includes Rio 2016 Olympian Blake Govers and fellow senior Kookaburra, Tom Craig – came as a big surprise.
“It was [very] nerve racking, to be selected in the top 20 is pretty cool,” he said.
“I’ve done a fair bit of hard work lately so it’s always a little surprising when it comes to these things.”
In Malaysia, Australia’s junior men will compete against England, Japan, Pakistan, New Zealand and the hosts from October 31 until November 6.
National Junior Coach Ben Bishop, who also hails from Parkes, said it’s always a difficult task to select this group.
“Our broader junior program has developed very good depth as a result of the great work done around our network,” he said.
“The group we have selected will enjoy another great competition in Johor this year against some quality international teams.
“High quality, competitive international competition is hard to come by for young Australian hockey athletes because of our geography and the cost of travel.”
It won’t be the first time Lovett will be heading out onto international territory.
He’s been representing his state, country and hometown of Parkes since he was 17 years old in Vanuatu, South Africa, Singapore and Malaysia.
While he admits his nerves are running a little high, he has his eyes set on one major prize at the moment.
“I have to make sure I keep performing to my best to make the Junior World Cup team...which only [comes round] every four years,” Lovett said.
And Lovett’s busy schedule doesn’t stop there.
Today, he set off to Perth with the NSW Waratahs for the Australian Hockey League Championships for two weeks.
Besides competing against interstate teams, Lovett will also be playing the likes of India, Malaysia and New Zealand.
He said it’s the first time he’s been selected for the Waratahs, which is an open squad.
“I was hoping to be selected,” he said.
“I train five to six days a week, obviously my training has been more intense [in the lead up to the national titles].”
He’s spent the last week resting his body so it’s in prime condition for the two-week tournament.
