Dylan Martin, 17, has been travelling from Wagga for three years to line-up for Corowa-Rutherglen each weekend — last year as a key member of the Division 1 premiership team.

But this year the teenager’s commitments have gone to a new level — travelling to Sydney on Saturdays to play for the University of NSW and back to the Border on a Sunday to represent United.

That commitment and obvious ability have now been recognised with his selection in the Australian Futures squad for this year — the launching pad for another up and coming Border hockey star in Ben Hooppell.

Mum Lesley said her son was over the moon.

“He got the call from the AIS coach at school,” she said.

“It will mean camps with elite players, training at the AIS and playing in internationals against kids from other countries in similar squads.

“We made the move to Corowa a few years ago to play hockey at a higher level and also have our eldest son and daughter at the club.

“It’s a big commitment but it really has been worth it.”

The futures squad is made up of 30 athletes from all over Australia that have been identified as potential international athletes and focuses on player development, enhancing the player pool for up coming national teams with Hockey Australia.

United’s Division 1 men’s coach James Foster said it couldn’t have happened to a “nicer bloke”.

“He plays as a striker for our team, I think he is going to go a very long way with his hockey, as he is an exciting young player with an unbelievable work ethic and not to mention a down to earth nice bloke,” he said.