Ice hockey hero

St Kilda Road Year 7 student Joshua Van Douwen’s ice hockey career continues to grow from strength to strength. Earlier this year he travelled to Canada to represent Australia in a tournament called the 56th Tourni International Peewee de Quebec, where he was also selected to be the assistant captain of the team. In August, he will again don the Australian uniform for the national championships in Newcastle before heading to New Zealand in November for an international “friendly.”

Joshua is honoured to represent Australia and compete against the best teams from around the world, and feels very proud each time he wears the Australian uniform.

With a Dutch father who ice-skated when young, it was only natural that Joshua begin skating every weekend from the age of four. Shortly after, he learned how to play hockey, and, at the age of six, joined Ice Hockey Victoria.

During the ice hockey season Joshua trains with the Victorian League PeeWees, the Melbourne Ice Academy as well as Ice Hockey Victoria for up to ten hours a week, which can include gym sessions as well as on-ice sessions. The Melbourne Ice Academy program is a specialised training program for talented junior ice hockey players in Victoria, who have been identified as potential future players for the senior team, Melbourne Ice.

The things that Joshua enjoys about the sport include the thrill and adrenalin rush that he gets on the ice, playing a hard game and hearing the crowd cheering, seeing the rewards of his hard work and dedication to training and developing his skills pay off - all whilst developing the friendships that he has made as part of the team.

Joshua’s long-term goal is to play for Melbourne Ice in the senior team (when he is 16) and then be drafted to a team in the American or Canadian National Hockey League.

Wesley wishes Joshua all the best on the rink!