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Post by SHB-EIT Sport Scholar – Aaron Ball

May 13, 2013

 

EIT Student – Aaron Ball

I’m off to a good start at EIT having passed four out of four tests with a B+ average.  My timetable is set up rather nicely in that I end up with Monday and Tuesday mornings and Friday afternoons off, giving me plenty of time to train and put in extra study.

Hockey got underway over the summer.  Those of us selected for the Central Districts Academy started pre-season training in mid-February.  I was training in full kit in up to 28 degree heat.  I scored a 16.5 on the yo-yo test (which is similar to a beep test) – good, but I could do a little better.  After the initial training, there were five trips to Palmerston North.  EIT had started by then.  In the following month, I trained hard and managed to move up to 17.5 in the yo-yo.

So now I’m into the full swing of things, training three times a week, doing gym sessions three to five times a week, playing volleyball and training twice a week for futsal.  I was unfortunate in not making the Futsal nationals this year – the tournament clashed with trial dates for the Central District team.

The trials went well.  I made the squad which meant another four trips to various venues in Palmerston North, Wanganui and Levin.  The team was named and I was in it.  Wooohoo!

I lost my spot in the Hawke’s Bay team with Junior Black Stick (New Zealand Under 21) player Sam Greaney’s return to the Bay.  I looked to other regions to play in the Central hockey league and,  after getting in touch with a Central Academy coach from Taranaki, ended up playing for them.

Club hockey is also underway and two rounds into the competition we have 24 goals for and 0 against.  I’ve touched the ball once in the last two games, so it’s pretty boring at the moment.

With a tournament just around the corner, I’ve been training pretty hard to ensure I’m ready and that I play my best.  Chosen from this tournament, the Junior Black Sticks team will be heading over to Germany for the Junior World Cup at the start of next year.  The tournament will be held in Whangarei over 5-11 May.

Well, that’s me for now.

Train hard.