Just striking out

By Tania Martin
ERIN Jones is scoring goals for junior hockey.
The 12-year-old Emerald-based striker has been named a Local Sporting Champion as part of an Australian Sports Commission grant program.
La Trobe MP Jason Wood last week presented the rising star with a certificate and $500 cash to help pay for the cost associated with playing hockey.
He said it was nice to see other sports being recognised other than football, basketball and cricket.
Jones has been playing hockey for the past four years and is on track to fulfil her dreams of Olympic glory.
She says her mother was her inspiration.
“Mum used to play and we had a clinic at school and I really liked it,” she said.
Jones is well on her way to playing for the Hockeyroos after being chosen to play for Victoria in the under-12s squad in August.
She spent four days playing against some of the country’s rising star.
“It was really exciting … we came second to New South Wales,” Jones said.
She was chosen out of more than 100 budding hockey stars for her spot on the Victorian team.
Jones is to join Doncaster Hockey Club this year as it was a better league.
She has played with Casey for the past four years but needs something a bit more challenging.