What a year it's been for Toby Collins.
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Not only has the Parkes teenager captained and played in multiple state and national hockey tournaments this year, he's done it while studying for his HSC and while the family waits to move back into their home after it was damaged by floods last November.
And to cap it all off, right now he's on a plane to Malaysia with the Australian Allstars Under 17s men's team to contest the 2023 Mirnawan Cup.
It'll be the Parkes High School captain's first time playing hockey overseas and representing Australia, and he's looking forward to the experience.
"[I'm really looking forward to] the experience of playing overseas and playing against other countries," Collins said.
The competition takes place in Kuala Lumpur from November 18 to 26 and is an international youth hockey tournament organised by the National Hockey Development Program of Malaysia and the Malaysian Hockey Confederation.
It also features teams from South Africa and India.
Players flew out of Sydney Airport on Friday afternoon.
Collins' Allstars selection comes after another stellar performance on the pitch this year, plus he was a member of the team last year but it was only a merit side that wasn't able to travel anywhere.
He competed at nationals in July with the Under 18s NSW State team which has seen him selected again for the same squad next year.
Collins captained the Combined High Schools (CHS) Western Region Open Boys Hockey side at the NSW State Cup which they won, his talent securing him a spot on the NSW CHS team and then the merit All Schools team.
He was also the captain of the Parkes High School team that competed in the State Cup in Moorebank.
"He's had quite a year," dad Steve Collins said.
"He was doing his HSC as well and not even living in his own home, we're hoping to move back in December.
"He's already got early entry into university, he plans to go to the University of Newcastle and he hopes to keep playing hockey there and in Sydney."
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Christine Little
I love sharing people's stories, particularly local stories that are special and important to the people of Parkes. If there is one thing I have learnt in my 10 years of community journalism, it's that stories are everywhere. All it takes is a good story teller to make it worth reading. Email: christine.little@parkeschampionpost.com.au
I love sharing people's stories, particularly local stories that are special and important to the people of Parkes. If there is one thing I have learnt in my 10 years of community journalism, it's that stories are everywhere. All it takes is a good story teller to make it worth reading. Email: christine.little@parkeschampionpost.com.au
