Steven Collins, 15, of Capalaba will travel to Wollongong from January 21 to 25 to compete as a member of the Under 15 Queensland Indoor Men’s Indoor Hockey team in the Australian U15 Indoor Championships.
This is the first time he has competed as a member of the State team, playing shadow for both indoor and outdoor hockey in 2016.
The Sheldon College student took up hockey at age 11, as suggested by his older brother Adrian, now 18, and mother Cheryl who played for the Redland Hockey Association. At the time, he was looking at a replacement sport to rugby union.
“He really took up the sport by default,” Mrs Collins said.
His talent was recognised and Collins took up the sport with Bulimba, competing in the Brisbane Circuit. He represented Brisbane 1 team which won the State championship earlier this year.
Mrs Colllins said most hockey players continued the sport by playing indoor hockey once the outdoor season finished. For Collins this means playing with Toxic Sushi at Kedron which came runner up in the State championships, held in Rockhampton. It was from this competition that he was selected for the Queensland team.
“Hockey takes up all his time. He spends many hours at the sport at this level,” Mrs Collins said.
Collins has his sights on a career in mechanical engineering.