ALEX Mackay capped off a great year by winning the national indoor hockey championships with the NSW under 21s earlier this month.
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The NSW team went through the tournament in Canberra undefeated, winning the gold medal match against Western Australia 4-1.
On paper it looks like a reasonably convincing win, but the score was locked at nil-all until just before half-time.
They scored their first goal after 18 minutes and then grabbed a second on the stroke of half-time, taking a 2-nil lead into the break.
They added a third early in the second half and later increased their lead to four goals, before WA got a late consolation.
It is the second consecutive year Mackay has been a member of the winning team, after they took out the 2013 tournament in Wollongong.
There are a number of differences between indoor and outdoor hockey, such as the speed, weight of the ball and the number of goals scored.
Mackay described it as being like hockey’s equivalent of Twenty20 cricket.
This was Mackay’s last hurrah in the under 21s division and he said winning the tournament was an unbelievable feeling.
“I knew we’d be strong, but the boys all gelled together, which was very pleasing,” he said.
“This was our last chance to play together, so I couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish,” he added.
Although he didn’t get on the score sheet in the final, Mackay netted four goals during the tournament.
“That was a bit of a surprise, I’m not really renowned for it,” he laughed.
“I was just in the right place at the right time, I’m more about the assists usually,” he added.
Mackay will be too old for under 21s next year, so is hoping he can make the open’s team next year, who have now won seven titles in a row.
All in all, it has been a very successful year for Mackay.
In the Illawarra competition, his University of Wollongong team won another grand final, and he won a title in Sydney first grade with Moorebank Liverpool.
He also won the country championships with NSW in outdoor.
Normally Mackay would spend his summer’s playing cricket with Bomaderry, but had opted to take a break this season so he will be ready to go when hockey comes around again next year.
