Robert Frew, Darcey Kast and Taz Nyrhinen are used to lining up as teammates for Albion Park and Illawarra, but this past January they were forced to face off as opponents.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Competing in the Under 13 Boys Australian Indoor Championships, Frew featured for the top NSW Stars team, while Kast and Nyrhinen played for the NSW Lions.
The two teams could not be separated all tournament, drawing the two matches they played, with the Stars ultimately taking home the title and the Lions runners-up.
Darcey’s father Jason Kast said the trio made the most of their opportunity in Goulburn.
“It was a pretty successful competition,” Kast said. “The two sides were pretty even, the best two sides, it was a good tournament.
“All three boys played very well. They’re all great kids, I coach the three of them for Illawarra and they all play together for Albion Park and they enjoyed the week.”
The two NSW sides finished the tournament undefeated, with the Stars winning five and drawing two matches, and the Lions winning three matches and drawing four games.
The final match of the tournament was a 2-2 draw between the Stars and the Lions, with Nyrhinen scoring the tying goal in the dying minutes.
“Every time the NSW teams played, they were the best games to watch. They were the two best teams, with Victoria reasonably close as well.
“They were pretty exciting matches, but it was pretty hard as a dad with other kids I coach in the other side.”
Having watched the boys thrive at the national level, Kast is looking forward to seeing them develop their games in the upcoming outdoor hockey season.
“Now they realise what it takes to play at that level, it should only make them stronger and better players in the future. It’s a step up playing for your state and now they know what other kids are doing, have seen the good kids from around the country that are at that level.
“They’ll benefit a lot from it and it should show in the outdoor season, they should step up a little bit now.”