Parkes will welcome some of the state's best junior hockey players to town this weekend as Parkes Junior Hockey hosts the Under 15 Boys State Championships.
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Twenty nine teams will play 75 games across three days starting on Friday at 8am.
Both the Stephen Davies and Mariah Williams Fields will be used throughout the tournament with the grand finals played at 1.15pm on Sunday.
Parkes is the only regional town in NSW to host two state field hockey championship tournaments this year, the Over 50s Men’s Masters last month and the Under 15s Boy’s this weekend.
Coach Glenn Johnstone said somewhere around 1500 visitors are expected to converge on Parkes.
“The one good thing about hosting championships like this is what it brings to the town just as much as the sport itself,” he said.
“It’s going to be a beautiful weekend weather wise and there will be plenty of good hockey.”
Parkes has two teams competing in the three division tournament
“Parkes will be represented in Division 2 and Division 3 and we have a strong chance in both divisions for our guys,” Johnstone said.
“If anybody wants to see some good athletes running around over the weekend then head over to the hockey complex, A division and B division are quite strong, there should be some really good hockey.”
Official charity partner of Hockey NSW, Little Wings, will be at the Championships on Saturday.
Little Wings is a not-for-profit free flight and ground transport service for seriously ill children and their families.
Business development manager Claudia Steiner said Little Wings has transported about 20 sick Parkes children to medical appointments.
“For families already under intense stress and financial pressure, long trips by car or public transport are expensive and exhausting,” she said.
“Little Wings makes their lives easier, with an efficient and safe way to travel to and from hospital for vital treatment.
“For children having ongoing treatment in hospital, such as chemotherapy, Little Wings offers the chance to travel home to spend time with family and friends in familiar surroundings.”
Little Wings does not receive any government funding support.
They rely on grants and donations from clubs, businesses and the public to keep the service alive.
