Europe beckons for Bentstix

Back from a disappointing defeat at the Melbourne Outgames, the Bentstix hockey group is looking to impress this winter season before heading overseas.

Bentstix president Anthony Hartley said he was pleased with the men’s team’s position in the fourth division and is confident about its ability to take on the Sydney-wide competition.

This is our second season in the Sydney tournament, and our ranking in the fourth division is fine with us, Hartley said.

We take on players of all levels so we have some players who are very good, and then some that are pretty ordinary.

We take this seriously and we want to win, but there are more important things as well like making sure that everyone gets involved and has a good time.

The men’s teams, which took home a silver and a bronze medal at the Outgames after an undefeated season, stand a good chance this time around, though if success is not to be found here, perhaps it will be found abroad.

The group is currently preparing teams to head to the Eurogames in Barcelona this July, the Copenhagen Outgames in 2009 as well as the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne.

We want to take absolutely everyone who wants to be involved -“ it doesn’t matter how skilled they are, Hartley said.

Before we went to the Melbourne games we had one player who hadn’t ever picked up a stick until five weeks before, so for Cologne and Copenhagen, if we have 30 people interested and able to come, then we’ll take 30 people.

info: www.bentstix.com.au