Rutherglen hockey prospect Tess Palubiski on national radar with futures squad selection

Rutherglen's Tess Palubiski earned selection into Hockey Australia's women's future talent squad after her impressive performance for Victoria at the recent under-18 national championships in Launceston.

The 18-year-old striker led Victoria's goal-scoring tally for the tournament, including two in the space of a minute to draw her side level in the grand final against Queensland, which they lost in a penalty shootout.

Incredibly, the year 12 student and school captain at Catherdral College Wangaratta was almost going to step away from the sport in 2021 to focus on her studies after her 2020 season was cut short by COVID-19.

"I'm in year 12 and having the leadership duties as school captain, I didn't think it was going to be something I could balance, but one thing led to the next," Palubiski said.

"Having COVID happen last year changed my drive. Because we've been doing it for so long, a lot of the girls worked out it wasn't something they wanted to do, but I was the opposite.

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"It gave me the motivation to get back on the field and play the sport I love and it has also led to my current achievements.

"I was considering not even playing hockey, let alone under-18s, but I did a couple of camps to get back into the trial process and I felt so at home.

"I was selected for the Victorian under-18 team and was top goal-scorer for Victoria in the tournament.

"I can't believe it led to me making the Australian futures talent squad and I'm now in the Victorian under-21 women's team.

"I was actually sitting in my chemistry class and I jumped out of my chair because I'd seen an email my coach had sent me in regards to the futures squad.

"I'm so shocked with how this news has come about, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

Australian Kookaburras great Mark Knowles selected the future talent squads of 33 athletes as a shortlist of players he hopes will feature at a national level in the not too distant future.

"It's the starting pathway for competing for Australia in future competitions," Palubiski said.

"They base this squad on the players most likely to represent Australia in the next two to 10 years at junior or senior women's level.

"It's development for the next two Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

"We'll go away on camps, because of COVID we don't know the exact dates, but we'll learn tactical skills, game planning and all of those elements you need in a game and off the field as an athlete.

"It's teaching us all the ins and outs and watching our development over the coming years for future selection."

Palubiski hopes she can follow in the footsteps of Albury's Jocelyn Bartram, who started in Hockey-Albury Wodonga and has gone on to play 48 games for Australia as a goalkeeper.

"It would be a dream of mine to be one of the representatives from this region to play with the Hockeyroos," she added.

"I'm so lucky to have the support of my family and my school because I don't think I could have done it without them."

Palubiski plays for Essendon in Melbourne's premier league competition on Saturdays and has made the odd appearance for her beloved Corowa-Rutherglen United when she's been able to.

She hopes to play well at the under-21 national championships in Moorebank, Sydney, which are scheduled from June 30 to July 7.

Former CR United player Dylan Martin is in the Kookaburras squad for the Trans-Tasman series in New Zealand.

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