Kelston Boys' hockey star

 Pushing on up: Jared Partridge hopes he can take his goal scoring form for Kelston Boys to the under 16 Black Sticks team. PHOTO CREDIT: BEN WATSON

By Justin Latif

Jared Partridge is being touted as a future superstar for New Zealand hockey.

Kelston Boys High assistant principal Roy Lilley says he has coached many international players in Ireland and Great Britain and thinks Jared is the best he has seen for his age.

"He's so quick," Lilley says. "At 14 he was playing in the open mens premier league."

"When we played the Brisbane under 19 team last year he scored five goals - so he's pretty awesome."

Lilley coaches the Kelston first 11 hockey side and is making sure the 15-year-old isn't overburdened.

"We trying to keep him balanced," he says. "So when he's 19 he won't be burnt out."

The year 10 student was top scorer for the first 11 which won the Auckland Open B Championship without dropping a game.

Jared is also a regular for the Western Districts Premier Men side despite being one of the youngest players in the league.

The Western Heights resident has been playing since he was seven and hopes to one day compete in the professional leagues in Holland.

"I want to go to the Olympics so I need to make the top New Zealand team," he says. "And I also want to start teaching younger players."

Jared plays centre-forward and finds the expectation to score goals makes the sport more fun.

"You feel the pressure and you get used to it," he says. "The pressure becomes part of the fun of it."

Playing for the Black Sticks for the first time has motivated Jared to train even harder.

"It makes me more excited and I want to play more," he says.

Jared is now looking for a part time job to pay for all his upcoming international tours.

But finding a spare evening isn't easy.

"I have a training every night so you have to work everything around hockey," he says. "There's not much time for other things."

Western Leader