Futures now, Stars tomorrow: Brisbane 2032 talent hits the Gold Coast

The future of high-performance hockey will be on full display when the Australian Futures Squads face off at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre for the first time in a thrilling three-match series.

Selected at the under-18 National Championships on the Gold Coast in July 2024, the 32-strong girls and boys national Futures Squads will be evenly split to form green and gold teams of 16 for the series and training camp from 25-30 May.

Proudly backed by Experience Gold Coast, the Futures Series marks the first national Hockey Australia event to be held at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre since it was officially named as the host of hockey for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. 

Fittingly, the event will spotlight the very athletes who aspire to represent Australia on that Olympic stage, giving fans, coaches and selectors a glimpse of the future, right where history will be made.

One of them is aspiring Hockeyroo Eliza Pannell, who made the girls’ Futures Squad at just 17, following a standout under-18 Championships performance for South Australia last July.

“I was sitting at the dining table with mum when she got the email naming the Futures squads, and when she told me I had to ask if she was kidding!” Eliza recalled.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all, especially being at the bottom of the age bracket. It was a great surprise, and this Series is an exciting opportunity; it’s not something you get to do every day.”

Having started hockey at the age of five because her parents played, Eliza quickly rose to be a promising young talent for South Australia, trialling for state teams, progressing through the Hockey Australia player pathway and competing at National Championships from the age of 11. 

Her hockey career rose alongside her love for cricket, representing SA year-round, until her Futures squad selection inspired her to hang up the pads and commit fully to hockey.

“Hockey has always been fun, I love the team aspect and the competition, and I’m excited for this Series as it will be of such a high standard,” Eliza added.

“I think everyone in the Futures squad will be aiming as high as they can. We all have big ambitions, and it keeps driving you to get in as many teams as you can and see how far you can take it.”

“This Series is all about the competition, it presents a massive opportunity to bridge the gap between now and the Under-21 National Championships next year, and to have the best look possible at our next crop of talent who we know will likely represent us in the Jillaroos and Burras at the 2027 Junior World Cup,” Hockey Australia Pathways Partnerships & Men's Technical Lead Mark Knowles said.

The future of hockey’s coaching stocks will also be tested and developed over the week, with two female and two male next-gen coaches leading the green and gold sides.

One of them is AIS Gen 32 WA coach Tim Geers, who recently led the WA men’s under-21 side to their fourth-straight victory and his fifth straight national title as a state head coach.

“This Series provides a national opportunity for these coaches, and Tim is a great example. Despite his success, he hasn’t been able to have a national opportunity outside of his state environment,” Mark added.

“I’m expecting top-quality next-gen talent and competition across the board, from the athletes to the coaches and beyond, not just on the field, but also off it, with valuable well-being and mental skills training sessions.

“It’s a huge opportunity for us to oversee our entire hockey pathway program and ensure we’re delivering at Junior World Cups and onwards to a green and gold Olympic podium right here on the Gold Coast in 2032.”

The first two matches will run on Tuesday and Wednesday, before the winners are crowned on Friday next week.

The Futures Series has been supported by the Gold Coast City Council through Experience Gold Coast.