ALBURY goalkeeper Ben Hooppell is on the fast track to world cup glory.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The former Wombat has been selected in the Hockey Australia National Junior Squad for this year.
The 25-man squad is seen as a springboard to representing his country at the 2016 junior world cup and 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Hooppell’s selection followed an intensive selection process where players were assessed at the 2014 national under-18, under-21 and Australian Hockey League championships, Asia development tour and in a series of national junior camps across the year, including a youth development camp on the Gold Coast in December.
The second year university science student said the latest selection was a giant step forward.
“We had camps all year as part of the futures program and then finished in December with a program where about 50 of us trained and eventually played games against teams from Japan, India and New Zealand,” he said.
“They had planned to release the squad in early January so there have been some nervous moments in recent weeks.
“This group will be cut again to 18 before the 2016 junior world cup but it is also seen as a squad for players to be selected for the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast two years later.”
Hooppell, 19, said the eight Victorians in the futures squad had all made the cut for the under-21 national squad.
“This is a huge breakthrough, not just for me but all of us,” he said.
“It certainly says a lot about the standard of hockey in Victoria.
“Having people I have played alongside for some time also being selected in the national squad hopefully helps in the long run.”
Hooppell has spent the past year in Victorian hockey’s top tier competition, playing for Camberwell in the premier league.
“I have been lucky to be trained by two former Olympic keepers, George Bazely and Lachy Dreher, and ex-Australian hockey legend Jay Stacy,” he said.
“I have an opportunity to play at the highest level with Altona.”
Hooppell has also recently had his Victorian Institute of Sport scholarship extended for this year.