SCOTT Foley strapped the pads on and made his way into the goals for a hockey game almost a decade ago.
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No one has asked him to play any other position since.
At just 21, the Capital League goalkeeper, will today bring up a century of games for the elite Hockey Albury Wodonga men’s team at Goulburn.
Foley has experienced the highs of going to Hockey Victoria Premier League finals in 2011 and 2012 and the lows since as the Spitfires look to establish themselves in the Capital League competition.
And he’s convinced the Spitfires’ move to Canberra will, in the long term, make the game on the Border stronger.
“It was a big step up and we lost a lot of players as well,” he said.
“The past 12 months has been about re-building with a younger group and becoming a team.
“It has taken us that time to gel.
“The improvement has been incredible — we are not copping the hidings we did last year and now know the benchmark for being competitive.
“The players at this level are more skilful, and the ball movement is much quicker.
“In the Victorian state league, we bounced up and down so you didn’t have to improve. It was just a matter of squads finding their own playing level through promotion and relegation.”
Foley said the demands of Capital League had improved his game.
“I saw plenty of action last year and, as a goalkeeper, that has to fast-track your development,” he said.
“I don’t have size on my side so I have to use my brains and agility.”
Foley, who started playing with Magpies when he was 12, stills play for that club.
He said he would continue with the Spitfires while his form held.
“You get used to the travel — it’s about 6000 kilometres a year — and while I started training with the Spitfires when I was about 15, I didn’t play my first game until a year later,” he said.
“Ben Martin, who was the keeper then, was instrumental in my understanding of the game and nearly every coach and senior player has helped in the past five years.”
The Spitfires meet third-placed Goulburn off the back of a winning weekend double against Tuggeranong Valley last Saturday and Sunday.