Hi, my name is Ava!

I’m so excited to share that I have been selected to represent Australia in the Under 18 Indoor Hockey Team at the 2026 World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.

This is by far the biggest achievement of my hockey journey so far, and I feel incredibly honoured to have the opportunity to wear the green and gold and compete against the best young players in the world.

I’m currently completing Year 12, so balancing school, training, recovery, coaching and competitions has been a challenge, but one I wouldn’t change for anything. Hockey has been such a huge part of my life, and every early morning, late night and sacrifice has led me to this moment.

Over the past three years, I’ve proudly represented Victoria at the Australian Indoor Hockey Championships, as well as representing Victoria at the Under 18 Outdoor National Championships. Every tournament has taught me something new, helped me grow as both a player and a person, and ultimately led to this incredible opportunity to represent Australia.

For as long as I can remember, hockey has been my biggest passion. My goal is to continue playing indoor hockey at the highest level I can while never losing the love I have for the game. Representing Australia at this World Cup is an amazing stepping stone that will allow me to develop as a player, gain invaluable international experience, and hopefully create even more opportunities to represent my state and country in the future.

While representing your country is an incredible honour, junior international hockey in Australia is entirely self-funded. Between team levies, travel and the year-round preparation required to compete at this level, the cost to my family is approximately $15,000–$20,000.

These costs include:

• International flights and tournament expenses
• Accommodation and team levies 
• Hockey sticks and specialist playing equipment 
• Protective gear 
• Nutrition support
• Recovery and injury prevention, including regular treatment with Grant at Pro Care Physiotherapy in Belmont, whose support has been a huge part of helping me stay healthy and perform at my best.

Every donation, no matter how big or small, will go directly towards helping me get to Cape Town and represent Australia.

If you’re not in a position to donate, simply sharing my fundraiser with your family, friends or workplace would mean just as much.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and for supporting me on this incredible journey. Your generosity is helping turn a lifelong dream into a reality!

Thank you for being part of my team!