Turner, 25, was a Bowral hockey Club junior before moving to Canberra when he was 16.

He has since moved to Goulburn but for the last three seasons he has travelled to the Highlands on Sundays to play for Bowral in the Illawarra Men’s Hockey competition.

Bowral Hockey Club life member Paul Bunt said he wasn’t aware of any other club member to play outdoor hockey for the Kookaburras.

“We have had players play for [NSW] Country, Australian indoor team and what not, but I can’t think of anyone in the Kookaburras,” Bunt said.

“He [Turner] started with us as a junior and moved away when his parents moved away but he is still good friends with a few players at Bowral so he has been back with us for about three seasons.”

Turner said his selection in the Australian men’s team had been a long time coming.

“I have been in the development squad for about three years, trained with various other sides, but this will be my first senior cap,” he said.

Turner is part of a 20-man squad for the European tour and Kookaburras coach Rick Charlesworth has assured him substantial game time.

The striker caught the eye of Charlesworth while training with the Australian junior world cup team in Darwin recently.

“A group of players playing in the Australian Hockey League were chosen to go to the camp in Darwin and train with the junior team to help them make up the numbers,” he said.

“Rick was up there and he came over to me after the camp and said I played well, so I took that as a pretty good sign.

“He has since told all the players that game time on this tour will be spread out between all the players so I should get a good run.”

For the full story see the Southern Highland News, Wednesday, May 20

sport.highlandnews@ruralp ress.com