Two of the association’s brightest young stars, Eryn Norie and Oscar Smart, will compete at the Australian championships in Launceston from March 13-21 as part of Victoria’s under 18s sides.

In further good news, veteran Dennis Martin will pull on the green and gold when he heads to Barcelona for the Grand Masters Hockey World Cup from June 21-30 with the Australian over 65s.

Norie, 18, was delighted when she received the news.

“I was pretty ecstatic, I’ve worked really hard after missing out last year, I was a train-on,” Norie said.

“I’ve been training twice a week with skills and doing fitness outside of that, so it’s about four sessions a week and the gym on top of that.

“It will be very tough (competition), NSW are always tough and Queensland.”

Norie has most recently played for Wombats on the Border, but will move to Melbourne later this year to line up with Camberwell in a bid to further her career in the sport.

Smart, 17, was also selected as a train-on in 2017, but has worked hard to earn a call-up 12 months on.

“I haven’t actually stopped training,” Smart said.

“I had a week off over Christmas, but I’ve been training on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a couple of (Albury-Wodonga) Spitfires’ boys and doing some running.

“I was very excited because last year I got train-on, so I was a bit devastated, but this year when I found out I made it, I was very happy.”

Smart, who also represented NSW last year at the Pacific School Games, has been a regular in Victorian sides at the nationals, but admits this tournament will be different.

“With under 15s you have 14 and 15-year-olds, but this time there will be 18, 17 and 16-year-olds,” he said.

“It’s a good, wide range of players and you really get the full experience out of it.”

Fellow Border hockey product Eden Davis has been named as a train-on member of the side.

Meanwhile, Martin was only informed on Sunday night he would have the chance to live out his dream of playing for Australia.

Martin, who turns 65 this year, has been involved with Victorian teams in masters hockey since 1993, but admits his Australian selection is the greatest moment of his sporting career.

“I’m hoping to keep going to get into the Australian over 75s,” Martin added.