This weekend will mark the second instalment of the Glenn Turner Cup, and it is the first time that the event has been held in Goulburn.
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The cup will see Goulburn's current representative Under 11s teams take to the hockey fields, for a day which will feature a tournament, but will also serve to educate young players about technical and mental aspects of their games.
The tournament is named for Goulburn local and former Australian hockey representative, Glenn Turner.
Turner is deeply involved with local youth hockey in a coaching capacity, and sees this event as his opportunity to give back to the communities who have given so much to him.
"My goal [as a kid] was always to play first grade ... so it's pretty cool to give back," Turner said.
"To be honest, there's so many people behind the scenes. I'm involved in helping out as much as I can, but there's other people that do a lot of work behind the scenes. I definitely have to thank them a lot.
"To bring it alive last year and keep it going this year is awesome."
Last year's cup was held in Bowral, which is where Turner spent his childhood before he relocated to Goulburn.
While Turner himself will be in New Zealand due to coaching duties this weekend, he is sure that the presence of Dan McPherson and Jake and Ben Staines will be invaluable for the kids.
"This year we've got the Staines boys, Daniel McPherson, all these elite guys who can teach the kids heaps of stuff," Turner said.
He particularly hopes the kids will take away an improved ability to gauge and regulate their attitudes, which is key for any aspiring athlete.
"All my programs now involve things outside of hockey, because of what I learned throughout my career," Turner said.
"The environment you're in with the Olympics and the stress of making teams, missing teams, and stuff like that [is hard to deal with].
"There's a physical and a mental side of anything, and if you're not feeling well or things aren't going that well, then performance on the field isn't good."
The Glenn Turner Cup will be held on Sunday, July 28 from 10am to 4pm at the Goulburn Hockey Centre.
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