Kristina debuts in Hockeyroos team

Since graduating from Wesley College in 2013, Kristina Bates is living her sporting dream, having been selected in the Women’s Hockeyroos team and been awarded an Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Scholarship.

When Kristina found out she had been awarded the scholarship, she said “I was so happy and excited, then I realised there was another email sitting in my inbox which had the team list selected to play in the Hawkes Bay Cup in New Zealand. I searched for my name and there it was! I was overwhelmed with emotion. I called my parents immediately and told them the good news.”

Competing in the Hawkes Bay Cup in New Zealand was Kristina’s first trip as a Hockeyroo. The Hockeyroos placed third overall after beating the USA, with Kristina scoring a goal in the shootouts.

Enjoying the feeling of playing in a team sport, Kristina says, “I take so much inspiration from the people around me. Everyone is so driven and motivated, which is contagious. My teammates are all very positive and supportive of each other it makes you want to play better for your team. It’s such a fun environment to be a part of.”

Now based in Perth with her team, Kristina is balancing the demands of being a professional athlete, as well as completing her final year of a Bachelor of Business through RMIT.

Kristina has fond memories of hockey at Wesley, reminiscing, “I played in the Firsts hockey team from Year 7 to Year 12. In my first year, we lost almost every game and that trend followed for a few years. We always had fun together though!”

Kristina has a busy schedule to look forward to, with the Women’s Hockey World Cup taking place in London during July and August 2018. The Hockeyroos are ranked number 4 in the world currently.