I may have covered this already. But daughter shows a surprisingly good aptitude for field hockey. She's been playing years and has gathered a fair number of player of the day's, player of the year, most improved, and best team member awards. Some of them against 'international' teams (that's other school teams on the world tour) but still hey they chose it not me.She's also a farily well thought of umpire and has picked up a number of age grade awards and medals and is a New Zealand grade umpire, and she umpires at a high level.
So fair to say we think her achievements are pretty cool, and that we pretty proud of her.
This year was rather difficult however, she wasn't picked in the Under 18A team, the reason given was fitness, which turned out to be pretty accurate, but she did get to go umpire the same tournament as the youngest umpire. Yeah we're proud.
The U18 team did go on to win the tournament, despite being a player short through injury - daughter having pulled out from the "b" team wasn't considered as a replacement.
And as with all age grade sporting codes it's come down to not what you do it's who you know. There was some very contentious decisions to take average ability players into a U21 team, and there is a very clique-like "elite" sports clinic that is by invitation only.
There is also currently a "Senior" squad that is made up of "up and coming" players again by invitation only, and daughter although made aware of the team invitation (she was copied by email), wasn't invited.
Seems she's offside with at least one of the selectors.
But we've always said that it's her choice to play or chose to play or not, and that we'd support her decisions and actions.
Today though the "Senior" squad finds itself a bit short and they've come cap-in-hand to get her to play against a Queensland team. And this is where it gets interesting since I'd like her to play to prove a point and to have some fun, and she is saying no.
It's not easy living your life vicariously!
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