By Tara Murray
It’s been a busy off-season for Melton Hockey Club ahead of the Hockey Victoria season.
Some players have already taken to the field from across their senior and junior programs, with an eye on the season that is just around the corner.
The club entered a side into the Stand Out Cup, which is an annual celebration of diversity and inclusivity in hockey.
Being held for the fifth time, there was 16 teams from across 11 clubs including Melton compete.
There was a mixture of players from masters competitions, Australian representatives and state and premier league players among the sides..
The Melton team, the Mustang Mob, missed out on finals but were more than competitive across the tournament.
Some of the club’s littlest members have already started back with the club’s Hook in 2 Hockey program.
Melton is ranked as one of the top 10 centres in the state for participants in the program, which is for players between five and 12, who want to learn the basic skills of the game.
While the program has already started, new players can still come down and join.
The club will this season field seven junior sides, five senior sides and a masters side.
Stephen Lawrence and Scott McLaren have been appointed the men’s senior team coach, while Tony Lawrence has been appointed the women’s coach.
The club is hosting a registration day this Saturday from 11am, with the senior teams to play practice matches to follow.
There will also be a come and try night for the junior Mustangs on March 19.
Both events will be at 132 Bridge Rd Melton South.
For more information, go to Melton Hockey’s Facebook, www.facebook.com/meltonhockeyclubau/.
