Olympians Natalie Burton, Simon Orchard, Kate Jenner and Zoe Newman will be in Newcastle this week cheering on nearly 700 of the state’s best primary school athletes for Magic Round, as the city plays host to the NSW Public Schools Sports Association boys and girls state hockey and basketball championships.
The championships kick-off with an opening ceremony at Newcastle Basketball Stadium from 8am on Tuesday 28 May and run through to Friday 31 May.
The boys and girls hockey championships will feature the best 364 primary-aged players in the state, representing each of the different regions.
Muswellbrook-born Olympian and Kookaburras player, Simon Orchard, will join Hockeyroos Kate Jenner and Zoe Newman in cheering the players on as they contest the pool rounds and finals at the Newcastle International Hockey Centre in Broadmeadow.
At Newcastle Basketball Stadium, 280 players will be vying for the state championship in both boys and girls competitions with Opals star Natalie Burton courtside in support.
The Executive Director of the NSW Department of Education’s School Sport Unit, Dr Sylvia Corish, said having the Olympians in town to support the championships was a massive thrill for our young athletes and for the adults too.
“Natalie, Simon, Kate and Zoe are in Newcastle for the championships as part of the Olympics Unleashed program,” she said.
“It’s an opportunity for some of our best up-and-coming young athletes to meet an Olympian and talk about the pathways they took on their journey to be among the very best in their chosen sports”.
In addition to the nearly 700 athletes, more than 2000 supporters are expected to attend the championships.
The finals of the championships will take place on Friday 31 May, where the NSW teams to contest the national basketball and hockey titles will also be announced.
