The decision was confirmed late last week after deliberation between a representative committee from the Goulburn Hockey Association and Hockey ACT.

The result means that Goulburn will have both a mens and womens team playing in the Canberra based Capital League Hockey Competition.

GHA president Marc Calvert described the decision as “well deserved” for Goulburn.

“We’re very capable of sustaining a womens team here in Goulburn,” Mr Calvert said.

“It’s progression for us, which we really needed to have.

“Generally our female players would move to Canberra when they wanted to continue representing hockey at a high level.

Having the team here means they have the option to not move away.”

Calvert admitted the decision did not come lightly. He says he had been cautious when concerns had been raised by other clubs in Canberra that Goulburn’s inclusion had the possibility of decimating the talent within the competition.

A high number of female Goulburn and Crookwell hockey players currently play with ACT clubs including the league’s best player for 2014 – Naomi Evans.

However the GHA assured it wouldn’t be the case.

Calvert also declared: “We want to make it clear that this wont just be a ring in team, we will utilise Goulburn assets. “The team will most likely be very, very young.”

The GHA had established feelers for potential players earlier in the year. Financial requirements also had to be met.

Des White, father of Australian Hockeyroo player Kellie White, said the confirmation was a massive coup for Goulburn, especially after the success of the men’s team in their debut season this year,

“Goulburn hockey is just going to sky rocket I can see,” he told the Post.

“It gives the younger ones something to look at and something to achieve and there is a lot of young talented girls.

“Hopefully this will be the making of Goulburn for sometime, and the kids have something to strive to. They don’t have to go away to try to excel like having to go to Sydney. This will go a long way.”

White, along with Hockey Stalwart Andrew Woolner have both raised their hands to take on inaugural coaching duties.

Although nothing has been confirmed, the pair have years of experience working with representative teams, including 15 years working with the South West Sydney Sports Academy that sees numerous Goulburn talent pass through its doors.

“We work really together Andrew Woolner and I”, White said.

“I do my stuff, he does his stuff, and it just gels together, we work off each others back all the time, and have done for a long time. We know what we’re doing!”

Woolner said he was pleased by the number of local talent who had raised their hand to be part of the womens team. He said it included a number of veteran players.

“Really from the names we have at the moment I expect that it is going to be a very difficult team to select and I expect quite a few more names to be added to our list in the coming months,” Woolner said.

“But I suppose the burning question for all is will Kellie White and Emily Smith (Hockeyroos players) be making an appearance for the team ?

“My answer to that question would be, if they were to make themselves available for an appearance or two, we would certainly have to consider their inclusion. Can you just imagine some of our younger players excitement if they were to play alongside their idols?”