Sport
11 October, 2023
State hockey honours beckon for Tullawong scholar
Tullawong State High School (SHS) student Cameron Allinson was voted as players’ player for the Sunshine Coast, having co-captained the team at the U15 Boys State Hockey Championships in Hervey Bay.
Nineteen teams from across Queensland competed at the four-day tournament during the school holidays while there were three divisions, with Sunshine Coast placing seventh out of eight teams in Division 1.
Playing in the mid field and centre half positions, Cameron guided his teammates around the field and played a role in the lead-up to most goals that the Sunshine Coast U15s scored.
Cameron’s most valuable contribution was in the relegation match featuring the bottom two teams. Plenty was at stake, with the winning team staying in Division 1 next year while the losing team would drop to Division 2.
With the score at 3-all and a shootout required if the deadlock wasn’t broken, the Tullawong SHS scholar scored a goal with a drag flick from a penalty corner to seal Sunshine Coast’s victory.
Cameron’s older brother Ethan was the assistant coach while the head coach was former New Zealand Black Sticks Hockey Olympian, Andrew Robertson.
Despite Sunshine Coast’s low position on the ladder, Cameron said he was proud of the team due to how young the playing group was, with many of the players coming out of last year’s U13 age group.
Hockey Queensland subsequently chose a squad from the tournament to trial for two Queensland U16 squads in February 2024, with Cameron the only Sunshine Coast player selected.
Hockey Queensland is changing the age division next year from an U15 Championship to an U16 Championship to align with the other states.
Currently 14 years old, Cameron has two years in front of him in the U16 division.
Gaining the chance to represent Queensland at U16 level next year was another highlight for Cameron this year. He had mixed fortunes while representing the Sunshine Coast ‘Doggies’ at the 13-19 years Queensland Representative School Sport (QRSS) Boys Hockey State Championships back in May, before enjoying premiership glory with two clubs.
Cameron had grand final success with the Redcliffe U18s in the Brisbane Hockey Association, and with the Maroochydore U18s in the Sunshine Coast Association.
Cameron was one of only four players, alongside his brother Ethan, to win a gold medal in the same division for two different hockey associations.
