The 2017 Trans Tasman Masters Challenge between Australia and New Zealand Masters teams will be held in Whangarei, New Zealand from May 2-6, and Mudgee hockey star Alison Wilson has made the cut.
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Travelling as part of the Women’s 45s, Wilson and her fifteen other starting teammates will travel to Whangarei’s turf fields to contest three fixtures over the weekend.
The first battle for the Australian side is held on May 2, when Wilson’s side will get a chance to test their mettle together on the Real Deal Tyres Turf.
Then it’s on the LJ Hooker ground for their second fixture two days later, and their campaign concludes on May 6 at Currie Electrical Turf.
The squad was selected from the National Championships that were held last October, in Hobart.
Though NSW’s squad pipped ACT to claim second last, Wilson impressed the selectors alongside five of her other teammates to confirm her spot in the national team shirt.
“Everyone tells me that this is a pretty damn good achievement,” Wilson laughed.
“Playing for Australia is the pinnacle of your sport, and I’m pretty stoked that I got selected and a bit daunted at the same time.
“Now that I’m in it’s a fantastic feeling to be at that top level.”
Wilson looks back at her qualification with pride.
“We didn’t have a really great tournament, but they selected the national team from that tournament,” she said.
“I was included in the top six which was pretty good.”
The NSW players that were selected for the squad were Denise Gersbach, Tracey Makings, Leigh Rogers, Josephine Springthorpe, Trina Tromp and of course Alison Wilson.
Looking towards the contest itself, Wilson is excited to get her boots on the turf in New Zealand and play under the Australian flag.
“To be honest I don’t really know how we’ll perform as a group,” she admitted.
“I’m one of the rookies in the squad, there are three or four of us that haven’t ever presented before, so I’ll assume the core group that have represented before are strong and as a team will do pretty well.
“We don’t know how strong New Zealand really are though, so we’ll see how we go.
“For me personally, as always, I just want to do my job and contribute to the team as much as I can. I want to walk away knowing I gave my best shot.
Wilson’s parting comments were of the hockey scene in Mudgee.
“I have been playing the sport since I was 9 and I’ve had the opportunity to travel inter-state, across NSW and now overseas because of it,” she said.
“It’s a fantastic community, and Mudgee hockey is a great group of people who want to grow the sport, especially through juniors.”