NORTH Central Hockey Association  took six teams to Melbourne for the 2025 Junior Country Championships.
The championships are a  key event on the junior hockey calendar. 
Across three venues, 86 players represented the region, supported by 27 adults who volunteered as coaches, managers, and parent helpers. For many, it was their first time playing on turf, and the weekend provided a great opportunity to gain experience, test skills, and build team spirit.
This year, North Central was pleased to welcome guest players from Hockey Central Vic,
Sunraysia and Wimmera Hockey Associations, who slotted into teams across various age groups, providing a valuable opportunity for players from neighbouring regions to compete together.
As always, the weekend was about more than hockey. From the long bus ride on Friday to the flurry of activity at the accommodation (gear sorting, bed allocations, and those all-important coaching meetings), the weekend is a massive team effort. 
Here’s how the teams went:
Under 14 Boys finished sixth in a competitive field of 11. Coach: Chelsea Challis-Broad. Manager: Monique Saggers. Parent Helpers: Jacqui Challis, Alistair and Alison McClelland.
Under 14 Girls reached the third place play-off, narrowly going down 0–1 to Hamilton. Coach: Brenton Henderson (Boort),  Manager: Naomi Fitzpatrick (Charlton). Parent Helpers: Sherryn O’Flaherty, Tanya Frith and Carly Pearse.
Under 16 Boys, hit by injury, showed incredible resilience – finishing with a 2–2 draw in their final match with just 10 players on the field. Coach: Nicola Kirk.  Manager: Julianne Kilroy. Parent Helpers: Vanessa Field, Stephanie Smith
Under 16 Girls brought home third place after a determined 1–0 win over Hockey South West. Coach: Marcus Williamson. Assistant Coach: Adrian Hensley. Manager: Lilly Pritchard. Parent Helper: Jessica Krause (Donald).
Under 18 Boys came heartbreakingly close to the gold medal match – missing out by just centimetres. With two players down in their final game, they finished a hard-fought weekend in fourth place. Coaches: BK Swallow, Lincoln Westerland. Manager: Lucy Malone. Parent Helper: Candece Jay.
Under 18 Girls wrapped up their campaign on a high, securing fifth  place with a confident 2–0 win over Hamilton  Coach: Kate Gifford. Manager: Mel Waters. Parent Helpers: Alistair and Alison McClelland

WEEKEND RESULTS
Men: Charlton 2 lost to Sea Lake Nandaly 4. Donald 2 d