Rising hockey star

Glen Waverley campus Year 12 student, Kristina (Krissy) Bates, has recently been named as a squad member for the Australian Futures Under 18 Hockey squad 2013/14, who will play in a four game test series against Japan in December. Krissy, 17 years old, began playing hockey at the age of 10 - at just 152cm tall, it was considered a good option for a ball sport, as height doesn’t really matter. She spends about 10.5 hours a week training and playing hockey.

Krissy plays for the Wesley College First Girls Hockey team, and outside school, the Doncaster Hockey Club (Women’s Premier League division), the Victorian Under 18 and Under 21 Women’s Hockey teams, as well as her latest and proudest sporting achievement thus far - the Australian Futures Squad 2013/14. She also has a scholarship with the Victorian Institute of Sport.

The midfield and striker player admits that she has had to become increasingly disciplined with her time management, and follows a detailed study and training timetable to manage her time between hockey and Year 12 school commitments. Krissy says that she idolises champion Australian hockey player Jamie Dwyer, “because he is similar to me in that he is fairly small, and is a very dangerous player. One day, I aspire to be as successful, and as well respected, as Jamie”.

After Year 12, Krissy plans to study a business-related course at university, but her dream is to represent Australia at Olympic level.

Wesley congratulates Krissy and looks forward to following her path in the future.