Keeper keen for championships

Rockingham Hockey Clubs Lex Krige is one step closer to achieving his dream of playing with the Kookaburras.

The 14-year-old hockey player from Mandurah Baptist College has been selected as a goalkeeper in the State under-15 squad.

“It’s very exciting, but your also scared at the same time,” he said.

Lex only started playing four years ago but was identified as a talented player early on by his club team, the Rockingham Redbacks.

The trials started with 12 goalkeepers who were cut down to four for the squad.

The squad was then split into the Gold team, made up of returning players, and the first-time state representatives in the Black team.

Krige expects the intra-squad games to be “very intense” but is also looking forward to making new friends.

“I actually can’t wait because I haven’t hit a ball in a while either,” he said.

Lex is also keen for the 2020 Under-15 Boys’ Australian Championships, which will be held in Bathurst in mid-April and hopes the championships can be a stepping stone to bigger things.

“I can’t wait to (go); I haven’t been to those parts of Australia yet, so it’s going to be kind of fun to play hockey as well as go sightseeing,” he said.

”I honestly want to see myself play for Australia, and that would be amazing if I could.”