Hockey is in Grace Baxter’s blood.
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Both her parents, Paul and Jenny Baxter, plus two of her three siblings, Hannah, 11, and Hamish, 7, play the sport.
Even after spending some time away from the field the Soldiers Point teenager still came back to it.
But still Grace, 13, said she was surprised when told she had been selected to represent NSW at the Australian carnival in Perth next month.
“I was pretty shocked,” she said. “But I'm looking forward to it.”
Grace is one of the 45 young women to be selected for NSW's two under-13 representative sides – the NSW Lions and NSW Stars.
She will play for the Lions.
Grace is one of just two under-13 female player from the Newcastle region to be selected for one of the NSW teams.
Newcastle goalkeeper Megan Roso was also selected.
She is believed to be the first from the Bay area to have made it to this level.
Grace began playing hockey when she was 5 years old, the same age as her youngest sister Maddy who is currently the only Baxter who does not play hockey.
It's kind of in my blood to play.
- Grace Baxter
The teen, who attends Tomaree High School, had a few seasons off after breaking her leg.
She played other sports, including representative touch football with Nelson Bay Touch Association and athletics with Raymond Terrace Athletics Centre, but came back to hockey last year.
“It’s not like any other sport,” Grace said on what it was about hockey that appealed to her.
“It’s kind of in my blood to play.”
Grace currently plays for Central West in the under-15 B-grade competition in Newcastle.
Her sister, Hannah, is in her team, too. There is just a few short weeks before their season is finished.
In July, Grace played for Newcastle in the under-13 state championships held in Tamworth.
Two months before, in May, she played for the Hunter in the under-15 state championships which were held in Wagga Wagga.
It was at the Tamworth championships that Grace found out she had been selected for the Australian carnival.
The carnival, which is part of the NSW hockey development pathway program, brings the best under-13 players from around Australia together to play a tournament.
Victoria proved to be too strong last year with its boys and girls sides winning the 2016 carnival, a title they will be looking to defend this year.
The girls and boys under-13 sides will play alongside the Australian Hockey League’s men and women’s teams.
The 2017 carnival will be held at Perth Hockey Stadium, home to the Hockeyroos and the Kookaburras, between September 28 and October 8. Hockeyroo and Kookaburra players are expected to play in the AHL teams.
Grace’s mum, Jenny, will also have a role to play at the carnival. She is the manager for the NSW Arrows, the state’s AHL women’s team.
“It’s good that they're holding the championships in the same place,” Baxter said.
“It’s a good chance for the kids to see the top-level players in action and for them to meet their idols.”
Scouts will be looking at the best performers from NSW’s under-13 sides for selection in the state’s under-15 national squad.
Once she returns from the Perth carnival, Grace will begin off-season training with the Centre of Development program in Newcastle.
Ellie-Marie Watts
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
