Ogilvie hoping South Africa tour will lead to higher honours

Airlie Ogilvie is hoping for a successful tour of South Africa next month. Ogilvie has been selected in the Australian under 21 team and will play four tests throughout the tour.

Taking one step close to her dream of Olympic glory, Woonona’s Airlie Ogilvie has been selected as part of the Australian Under 21 team to tour South Africa later next month.

Hoping to use the tour as a stepping stone to higher honours, Ogilvie said she was over the moon when she found out she had had been selected on the four test tour.

“We have been training as a squad for a fair while now, for around a couple of months,” she said.

“We have had camps at the AIS and been training pretty hard so I knew I would be in with a good chance but when you officially get the news that your in it’s a real buzz.

“They actually told me a couple of days before they said they would so I was stoked.”

“I think it will all sink in a bit more when we get the uniform and get on the plane to head over and stuff, but I am already really looking forward.”

With a long term goal of making the London 2012 Olympic side, Ogilvie said she had gained a lot of valuable experience through the recent training camps after having the opportunity to train with and against some of the current batch of Hockeyroos.

“You learn so much by being out on the ground with them,” she said.

“They are just so much more aggressive on the ball and they are just so professional.

“The main things I learnt were that I had to probably be a bit harder on the ball and a bit more aggressive around the field but it’s great getting the opportunity to train with them. Its hows you were you have to get to.”

Studying Exercise Science and Nutrition at the University of Wollongong, Ogilvie said hockey is her main priority at the moment saying she finds it hard to fit in time to study around her burgeoning hockey commitments.

“It is pretty hard but my teachers have been really good in allowing me to do only a few subjects at a time,” she said. “Hockey is definitely what I want to focus on for the next few years.

“This is a huge chance. Some of the people that play on this tour might get the chance to get a run with the hockeyroos so you definitely want to put your best foot forward.

“I’m looking to the opportunity to represent my country, I’m just looking forward to getting over there.”