Following serious injury and COVID cancellations, I am both humbled and thrilled to have gained selection to represent Australia in 3 different forms of Hockey this year. 

After winning Gold at the Hockey 5s Oceania Qualifiers, my Australian team have secured a spot at the Inaugural FIH Hockey 5s World Cup in Oman in January 2024. 

Earlier in the year I was again selected as a member of the Australian Indoor Hockey Squad. Training camps will be held later this year.

After recently captaining Queensland to victory at the Australian Country Championships (Field Hockey) and winning the Player of the Tournament, I have also been selected in the Australian Country team to tour New Zealand in April 2024.

The honour of wearing the Green and Gold and competing against the world’s finest, is a dream come true. The journey, however, is not one I can embark upon on my own.

Each of these commitments (including travel, accommodation, uniforms, nutrition, physiotherapy, training camps and equipment) is completely self-funded. Although I have great support from my employer, being a teacher, all leave of this nature is without pay. This adds considerably to the financial burden.

 As is the case on the field, I have come to realise that it takes the support of a team behind the scenes to enable an athlete to overcome their toughest obstacles in the pursuit of greatness.

Therefore, I am reaching out to you, with a heart full of pride and a touch of hesitation, to ask for your support.

This is about more than a donation. Your support will be creating a legacy. As I step onto the field, I will know that my team and I have the support of so many people, like yourself, helping us to write the next chapter in Australian Women’s Sporting history.

Thank you so very much.

Holly Gilbar