Quick sticks for hockey two

By Marc McGowan
TWO of Casey’s rising sports stars will feature strongly in this year’s Australian Hockey League.
Endeavour Hills defender Chris Ciriello, 23, and Berwick striker/midfielder Claire Messent, 23, will play pivotal roles as their respective state sides chase national glory.
Both players have competed at senior level for Australia and made their debuts in the AHL in 2005.
Ciriello’s Victoria Vikings placed third in the competition last year, while Messent’s Victoria Vipers finished seventh.
The home-grown talents are both seeking a return to the national side after missing out on Olympic selection last year.
The men’s and women’s Champions Trophy tournaments are in Australia this year.
The women take centre stage in Sydney from 11 to 19 July, while the men suit up in Melbourne from 28 November to 6 December.
Ciriello, who is based in Perth as part of his Australian Institute of Sport scholarship, was particularly disappointed about his Olympic snub after tearing his right quadricep muscle six times in the lead up to Beijing.
“The old Australian coach (Barry Dancer) told me I was in the mix, but I kept getting injured and he had to make a decision and went with an older bloke,” Ciriello said.
“I’m still a bit niggly at the moment, but I’m feeling a lot better and I’m doing a lot more gym work and stuff like that.
“I’m a bit stronger than normal and I’ve had a good month-and-a-half of building up.”
Ciriello is hoping to impress new Kookaburras coach Ric Charlesworth when the Vikings’ campaign begins this weekend.
“The tournament only goes for a month, so you can’t afford to play too many bad games in a row,” he said.
“Five or six selectors go to a different state each week and watch you play and if you don’t perform well in front of one of them it all gets back.”
Ciriello is also in talks with a Dutch club side to compete this year in what is regarded as the best domestic hockey competition in the world.
His hectic schedule will also include a series of coaching clinics alongside his father, Lou, in Victoria in June and July.
Messent represented her country for the first time at the Four Nations tournament in 2006 before being a late call-up to Australia’s 2007 Champions Trophy squad in Argentina.
But the commerce student has not been sighted at international level since – other than an appearance at the Tri-Nations indoor hockey event in London last December.
Messent hopes all that changes when selectors name this year’s Champions Trophy side after the AHL finishes in April.
“I’ve mostly been working towards playing well in this AHL because this is the crucial time,” she said.
“We did deserve the seventh place we got last year because we didn’t win the games we had to.
“But this year we have a really promising team and we’re all quite excited to get started.”
The Vipers’ campaign began last week and they racked up two victories over hosts Canberra.
“I want to be up with the top goalscorers (in the AHL) and my ultimate goal is to be selected for the Hockeyroos – it’s kind of now or never,” Messent said.
“I have been given opportunities and I think other people need opportunities as well and they’ve equally deserved it.
“Now, because of the retirements (since the Beijing Olympic Games) and the new Olympic cycle, I think it’s all quite even again.
“Whoever takes their opportunities and does their best will hopefully be rewarded. I’m not the type of person who gets jealous, but it does make you work harder.”
The Vipers play Tasmania at the State Netball and Hockey Centre (SNHC) in round two of the AHL on Saturday and Sunday from 3pm and 1pm respectively.
The Vikings also take on the Apple Islanders at the SNHC on Saturday and Sunday from 5pm and 3pm respectively.