WHAT do you get when you mix Black Magic with White Lightning? In the case of experienced hockey coach Fiona Reith you get a whole lot of excitement.
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On Saturday at Bathurst's Cooke Hockey Complex some of the best emerging talents in the women's Premier League Hockey competition were on display as a Futures Black Magic squad squared off with the Futures White Lightning outfit.
Reith explained the match, which was a first for the competition, was designed to give the young talents a chance to showcase their skills against players of a similar age.
It also provides something extra for them to aspire to.
"I think it's a good way to give these girls a chance, I mean they are playing Premier League but they don't get a lot of game time, a lot of exposure," Reith said.
"Like our pathway to higher honours is an obvious success because we've had a lot of girls and boys that are getting named in representative sides.
"But if this gives the girls the enthusiasm and the want to train harder, play better and get to that point, that's great."
While the focus of the game was not the score, it was the White Lightning outfit who emerged as 4-0 victors with Sam Brown bagging a double and both Emma White and Tayla Hobbs finding the mark as well.
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In the Black Magic side that Reith coached there was some impressive passages of play from Macey Fulton, Elissa Marshall and Addi Chapman, while a Lithgow talent drew special praise.
"Kellsey Charlton has played every position for me today, she has got a bit of fitness about her and can keep going. She's been a defender, striker, midfielder," Reith said.
"I was just impressed with the way all of the girls gelled."
Every member of the Black Magic side was aged younger than 18 and Reith said that will probably be what PLH will look to do with futures matches in years to come.
She also said that having the futures game played prior to the PLH women's All Stars match was the right move.
"It was a bit of a passion of ours to have these girls curtain-raise for the big girls, that was pretty important, and I think they've all been chuffed at how many people have come to watch," she said.
FUTURES WHITE LIGHTNING: Jess Healey, Jess Day-Stephen, Kelsey Webb, Cass Hanrahan, Emma White, Meg Turner, Mackenzie Stewart, Amy Ioane, Giaan Willott, Hayley Willott, Sam Brown, Tayla Deveigne, Tayla Hobbs, Lily Kable.
FUTURES BLACK MAGIC: Ellen Dolbel, Georgia Baillie, Maddy McLean, Kellsey Charlton, Addi Chapman, Tessa Wong, Charlize Fitzpatrick, Elissa Marshall, Ally Cook, Clare Harris, Karlee Bell, Macey Fulton, Zoe Tattersall, Emma White.
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