GRAYS HOCKEY NEWS
Eddie Ockenden's Journey So Far...
Mon 31 May 2010
Eddie Ockenden has quickly become one of World Hockey’s most promising up and coming international players with his fast athletic style of player. The Australian midfielder is a rising star and has put in some fine midfield performances at his first World Cup in Delhi.
His journey to the top has taken him a long way from his roots in Tasmania. Eddie was taken to his local hockey club at the age of 4 by his mother Angela and father Clive - and Eddie has never looked back. “My hockey hero was Matthew Wells who was a great Aussie full back who also comes from Tassie.”
Eddie’s progress and development was continued and nurtured by Andrew McDonald who was in charge of the Tassie Tigers team in the Australian Hockey League. Eddies says “I owe a lot to Andrew as he really helped me develop as a player.”
Eddie appeared on the radar following his selection in the Aussie junior team that took part in the 2005 Junior World Cup in Rotterdam where the team won the silver medal. Eddie was soon promoted into the senior squad and took part in the Azlan Shah tournament in 2006. He has continued in the team at took part in the Beijing Olympics and was rightly rewarded by being named the 2008 FIH Young player of the Year.
Following the Olympics Eddie joined the Laren Club in Holland with a desire to improve his game and increase his knowledge of European styles of hockey. “We play various styles of teams each week in Holland which has helped me appreciate things more clearly.”
Eddie uses a Grays GX7000
