Dylan Simmons has been selected alongside the current Australian goalkeeper for an elite squad. Photo: Supplied.
A 21-year-old goalkeeper is one of seven Illawarra hockey players named alongside Australian representatives, international talent and rising stars in this year’s NSW Pride squads.
Dapto Hockey Club’s first grade keeper Dylan Simmons has earned a spot in an elite squad formed for the Hockey One League with the region boasting strong representation in the state side ahead of the upcoming national competition.
“I was pretty stoked,” Dylan said. “I’ve sort of been close without being picked the last two years, and playing club level with and against a lot of the guys that are there, so really excited to be able to train with those guys week to week and just be around the group mostly.”
It’s the first time the 21-year-old has made the squad – one of just two goalkeepers, with the other being the current Australian Kookaburras goalie.
“Honestly the competition is the best part of it; it makes me better, it hopefully makes them better and obviously in a squad like this to be an understudy for Ash Thomas is a really big deal,” Dylan said.
“He’s the benchmark for goalkeeping in NSW for sure and probably Australia as well, so to just take those little snippets.
“At this level it’s not miles, it’s inches; it’s those little one percenters that he does that I mightn’t do, or mightn’t do as well, that I can just get from him, whether asking or just watching will be really big to take away going into the future.”
The opportunity could be pivotal in his development as Dylan improves his game and the next generation teams are decided, with Ash now 31 years old.
“Obviously sitting behind Ash at the moment but as he gets older and as I come into my own, I’d like to push for some game time in the coming year and those higher opportunities to be seen by the national selectors.”
Dylan was selected in the men’s Pride squad alongside Blake Govers, Jack Hayes, Thomas Miotto and Daine Richards from the Illawarra, as well as Connor Tuddenham from the Southern Highlands, with Hockeyroos Maddison Smith and Grace Stewart selected for the women’s side.
He said the talent of the players on a local level helped him to practise faster and more difficult saves to improve his game for when he faced higher level opponents at representative competitions.
“You can see just how high a standard our hockey is at,” Dylan said.
“I think there’s a great coaching base down here across most of the clubs and just being able to train against the better players five minutes from your doorstep is a huge advantage.
“Luckily enough my two best mates are state hockey players and I’m able to call them up and go down to Croome Rd of an afternoon if we’ve got nothing on and just get an hour, two hours, three hours of just stuff I need to work on and those real tough things you mightn’t get to work on in a team session.”
Dylan hopes to improve the competition further as he grows Dapto Hockey Club as a player and coach of the first grade men’s side.
“For me the highest goal for me is actually bringing that club who’s been down the bottom of the first grade competition for a long time, or out of the first grade competition for a long time as well, back up the ranks and hopefully competing for a premiership one day,” he said.
He is looking at the long-term development of the team, helping strengthen the younger players who will eventually feed into the senior teams, and change the attitudes of those currently involved.
“For a long time we were picking anyone we could get on a Sunday and chasing people whereas now that I’m coach I’m trying to bring that you have to earn your spot; it’s an honour to play first grade, it’s not a right and you go out there and compete and you play as if you’re going to win rather than just showing up because you’re one of the numbers.
“It’s about first of all developing those juniors and what we do have and then just bringing that bit of prestige of playing first grade again.”
The Hockey One League competition starts in October with details available through the Hockey One website.
