Border hockey star Nan Latta has been a regular in Australian teams for the past decade, but her most recent selection has clearly been the standout.
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Remarkably, Latta has made her way back from what was thought to be a career-ending achilles injury in 2015 to be named skipper of the Australian over 40s team for the Trans-Tasman series in Whangarei, New Zealand, next week.
The three-match tournament will see Latta captain Australia for the sixth time in her career, with her sights set on making another World Cup squad next year.
“It was tough (to come back) and I didn’t know if I would or not, but I played a tournament in October and got through eight games, which tested it out for me and got selected from there,” Latta said.
“I missed out on the World Cup last year because of my injury and it’s going to Spain next year, so it was my end goal to get into the Aussie team for the World Cup next year.
“After that I’ll decide whether I want to continue playing or not.
“It was my first ever injury, I had never had something that has kept me out for more than a week or two.
“It was quite confronting, but I think I’m playing better hockey for it.”
After making the Australian team after a strong performance at the national championships in Hobart last October, Latta is hungrier than ever to win across the ditch.
“We’re playing the Kiwis over there, which is always a lot tougher when they come over here because they’re always strong on their home turf,” she said.
“It’s always a very close competition, which is good.
“They’re big and strong, so it can be intimidating, but it’s always good fun.”
Latta said the majority of the Australian side has stuck together since winning the 2014 World Cup in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
“I’ve played with probably 80 per cent of the team, there’s a few new players, but as long as everyone is fit and healthy its normally a fairly stable team,” she said.
Outside of her international duties, the former Albury-Wodonga Strikers captain is still maintaining a busy schedule of hockey every weekend.
“Because of the Capital League falling down locally, I’m playing for Hawthorn in Melbourne,” Latta said.
“I’ll be travelling down there playing on Saturday and playing for Norths on Sunday at home, so there’s lots of hockey.
“At my age, if you stop, it’s too hard to get going again.”
Latta flies out to New Zealand on Saturday morning before facing the Kiwis on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.