CULBURRA Beach’s Sam Wright-Smith will captain the PSSA NSW boys hockey team when they travel to Perth to compete in the Australian School Sports National titles.
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Before being selected into this team, he was first selected in the Shoalhaven district team and then the South Coast regional team, where he was co-captain with friend James Good from Kangaroo Valley PS.
The pair have played in the regional team together since year 4 and loved sharing the role in their final year being in year 6.
Then as a member of the South Coast team, he played at the PSSA state titles in Newcastle, where the state team was selected.
This is the second year for Sam in the NSW PSSA team, with him being selcted as a year 5 student last year.
While in Perth, Sam will compete with the top 12 years and under talent from around the country, including teams from ACT, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.
Sam, who said this is his highest honour to date, was humbled to be voted the captain by his peers.
"Yes, it was great to be voted as captain by my team mates at the state training camp,” he said.
“It is a big responsibility, and one that I am looking forward to."
Sam has been playing since he was five and began playing as his father and older brother also play.
He began playing in the Shoalhaven monkeys competition and now plays in the Illawarra-South Coast 13s and 15s competition.
Aged 12, Sam would love to one day pull on the green and gold for Australia.
“I would love to play hockey in Europe on day, and also represent Australia for the Kookaburras,” he said.
“I know it will take a lot of hard work and training to get there.”
Sam has also just been selected in the Hockey NSW State under 13 Blues team, to play in the national titles in Darwin in September.
